Orange speakers urge board to recognize Eid; board to consider calendar language and delay vote

Dozens of parents, students and community members told the Orange Board of Education on Nov. 18 that Eid al‑Fitr and Eid al‑Adha should be recognized on the 2025–26 district calendar so Muslim students do not have to choose between worship and school obligations.

"These holidays are deeply meaningful to Muslim families," parent Yasma Kavak said. "By formally recognizing Eid we provide a chance to educate, connect and enrich the relationship that binds us together." Other speakers, including parent Omar Keljik and student Yousef Hassan, described missing tests and school events when Eid fell on school days.

The board did not vote on the request. Superintendent Dr. Scarpetti told members that March 20 is already scheduled as a professional learning day when students are off school, and he estimated—based on prior attendance patterns—that roughly 45 students in the district celebrate Eid (about 3–4.5 percent), while cautioning district demographic data are imprecise. "We can't say for certain," Dr. Scarpetti said, but he shared the district's best estimate to frame the calendar discussion.

Board members said they heard the community's concerns and discussed several options: list Eid among recognized religious observances on the calendar, add Eid as a formal holiday, or retain the professional learning approach that already gives March 20 off. Several members stressed alignment with neighboring districts, noting that some nearby systems are already evaluating or have adopted similar changes.

Parents and students highlighted concrete impacts. Third‑grader Adam said missing Eid made him sad: "It's like Christmas or Thanksgiving for us," he said, adding that when classmates are in school he can’t share celebrations with them. Yousef Hassan described sitting through a chemistry test while wanting to join family observances, arguing that excused absences do not remove academic burdens.

Board members asked administration to gather draft calendar options and information about how other districts schedule religious observances before a formal vote. The board's calendar is scheduled for a final vote in December; members and staff also discussed potential ripple effects on teacher contracts, testing schedules and feeder‑district alignment.

Next steps: administration was asked to prepare calendar alternatives and demographic/context information for the board to review ahead of the December vote. No formal change was adopted at the Nov. 18 meeting.