As American demographics have changed, so have many other things. That's especially true in matters of religion. There's now a push to allow Muslim kids to take off from school for two religious festivals.
For Muslims, this is Ramadan, a month of fasting and prayer. Each sunset leads to a meal known as the Iftar, breaking the fast. Ramadan will end in early May with the Eid al-Fitr, a festival of family and religious togetherness, including a major local event attended by thousands on Buffalo's waterfront.
For Christians, there's Christmas. For Jews, there are the High Holy Days. For many, these are holidays to be celebrated, sometimes as an official holiday, with days off from school.
As the number of Muslims in the U.S. increases, there's a push to do the same for students taking certain religious festivals off. That includes the Eid al-Fitr.
Buffalo Public Schools Interim Superintendent Tonja Williams said she's looking at it.
"Just know that I am very supportive of us respecting and celebrating the end of Ramadan season," Williams said. "As we research that decision, we provide as many accomodations as we possibly can, provide guidance to principals with regard to students finding a separate location for lunch, that also allows them the ability to pray in that space, apart from students who are eating."
Chief Accountability Officer Ebony Bullock said there is already an informal system.
"[Williams] has provided a way that students are not penalized if they need to miss for Eid," Bullock said. "So what we would do is that they would be getting what we would refer to as an excused absence. We would never penalize any child for observing a holiday, a sacred celebration in their faith. And so, school principals, attendance teachers, school clerks, they know what to do."
That includes even preparing a homework list.
Williamsville parent Mohmad Ayoub said his kids' schools do the same thing.
"Kids get Christmas off. They get all the Jewish holidays off. So why not the Muslim holidays," Ayoub said. "And we don't have that many of them. Just a couple of days a year. It's not that much. Mostly, our kids, they take it off anyways and the teachers are very understanding. So they try and work with them, as far as giving them their homework."
Imam Ismail Ayyash said a formal day off would be a good idea.
"If you have a special holiday, as others they do, and you find your friends, non-Muslim friends, he has off also on that day, and he's celebrating that day with you, that will make you more happy," Ayyash said. "More importantly, you will feel more welcome and you will feel you are the same. He has his holiday and you celebrate with him, and you have your holiday and he celebrates with you."
Ayyash is the imam for Masjid al-Eiman on Connecticut Street in Buffalo. He has two children in city public schools and is watching the issue carefully.
In some locations, school systems have discovered there are a lot of religious holidays in diverse communities.
