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SFUSD reverses decision on Muslim holidays

Drakoheart
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Flickr / Creative Commons

The resolution approved Tuesday will suspend the board's initial resolutionto recognize Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as holidays in the 2022-2023 calendar. It also calls for "further analysis" on how to adequately recognize culturally significant holidays for students.

Superintendent Matt Wayne has until Jan. 31 to present his recommendations on best practices on communication, teaching holidays in schools, protecting students from absence-related penalties and how to determine holidays, "based on the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, student-centered outcomes, and compliance with the law."

Until his presentation of recommendations, the board will not vote on the 2023-2024 calendar.

But local representatives of the Arab and Muslim community say they feel disrespected, and are pointing to recent lawsuit threats against the district as the force behind the school board's decisions.

In late August, the same lawyer who sued the school district for renaming schools, Paul Scott, threatened to file another lawsuit against the board for recognizing the two Muslim holidays. He argued that the board is favoring one religion over others, citing a violation of the U.S. Constitution's Establishment Clause.

Sunni M. Khalid is a veteran of more than 40 years in journalism, having worked in print, radio, television, and web journalism.