NYC public schools to close for two Muslim holidays

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…Children of all faiths rejoice.

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Oh no, an east coast city is doing something decent and noble for its resident population! QUE THE WINGNUTS!

“Them muslims ain’t takin’ my kid outta school!” one obese blowhard in rural Kansas was heard to say.

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“This new addition will also enable a teachable moment bunch of idiots to scream their conspiracy theories about Sharia law taking over our country”

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Faux News is going to have a field day with this…

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In other news, NYC schools STILL observing obscure “Chancellor’s Day” on the first or second Thursday of June, which is the worst day off ever, because (1) why not just end school a day earlier and (2) you can’t even make a three day weekend out of it.

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Countdown to Bill O’Reilly describing how he saw pickpockets having their hands chopped off by swarthy, turban’d men in Times Square . . .

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Cue epic apoplectic conservatar^^ive shitstorm.

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Studies consistently show that, on average, people who live in big cities are more progressive because they live amongst diversity. You can’t cocoon yourself from reality; you have to learn how to get along with others.

So glad we’ve gotten past “oh noes they’re going to put a mosque at ground zero”…but then again, that was outside agitators not locals, even then.

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As a devout atheist I have mixed emotions. I think its good to support Muslim students, but personally I think religious holidays shouldn’t be a day off. I once had a coworker ask me to sign a petition, because they wrongly felt that some cultural sensitivity videos went against the seperation if church and state. I said I’d sign it as soon as they included the idea that Christmas shouldn’t be one of our paid holidays.

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I think we ought to have about 10 more general holidays in the US. And I’m absolutely fine with a bunch of them being religious holidays.

On the other hand I think its a bit odd that certain historical events are school holidays. Maybe it would be better to make it a half-day with special civil rights history related lessons on MLK jr day, war related history on veterans day, etc?

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I would note, however, that adding school holidays that are not general holidays is tough on low income families.

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But, Christmas is totally a secular holiday except when it isn’t, you filthy supporter of the War on Christmas!

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My school district still has off for the Jewish holidays, but no Hindu holidays despite Jewish kids being out numbered by Indian kids by 5-1 at least. It’s much easier to add than subtract, but it really doesnt make much sense to give off for the Jewish holidays anymore. And yes I know Indian <> Hindu.

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I get three paid days off for Easter. It’s a shock every year, and I feel a bit guilty about it because I feel like I don’t appreciate enough to warrant the holiday… But then again, aren’t all holidays essentially made-up excuses to take a day off?

My favorite is still Japan’s “Respect Your Elders Day”. Whoo!

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As a one-time )long since passed now) school inmate, I’m assuming the pupils’ view of this, regardless of faith or political stripe/whatever, is, ‘A day off? Fucking sweet!’.

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IMO the greatest effect of schools/biz/govt observing religious holidays is that they slowly become secular, which is great.

IDK if eat too much day or shop too much day or dress up day will ever have their names changed to reflect the reality of these events to children, but maybe.

& there should be at least one stat holiday per month even if there is nothing to celebrate. In Ontario I can’t recall if we have 12 now, but I was only just fooled in February (again) by “Family Day” a provincial stat holiday, because February/winter/sucksbyFebruary. I always get caught out by that one cause I work at home so everyday is Family day to me.

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One of the days falls in summer.

Ermahgerd! Shariah law in the heart of Clintonland! How will the republic survive?

The only possibly fair way to go about this is to have the state, companies, and schools running every day - and then each person takes their own holidays off. Problem solved.

I have gone though this for years, and people either don’t understand, or pretend not to. My previous job was at a company owned by Jews - yet, they only offered Christian holidays off. Maybe being pushed into celebrating a Christian (or some other) holiday would actually be offensive for some people?

As clergy, it is more difficult if you are willing or expected to actually conduct some large multi-day ritual for a holiday which your workplace arbitrarily decides not to recognize in the first place.