Islamic Holidays Will Not Be Added to MCPS Calendar

The county school board asked that absenteeism be monitored on Islamic holidays to determine whether or not adding Islamic holidays to the list of no-school days is warranted.

Islamic holidays will not be added to the Montgomery County Public Schools list of no-school days in the foreseeable future, The Washington Post reported. Members of the county school board said Tuesday that they could not add a school holiday just for religious reasons, but asked that attendance be monitored closely on Islamic holidays to determine if closing school on those days would be warranted, The Post added. Students who miss school for religions reasons are excused from class, but still need to make up the work from the school day. "There are no exact figures on Muslim students or teachers in Montgomery, but Muslim leaders say the population is sizable and growing. ... [Still, in] recent years, absenteeism on Muslim holidays has …

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