CBS News/ August 11, 2010, 1:32 PM

Flap over Adding Muslim, Hindu Holidays to School Year

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(CBS/AP) School-aged kids love school holidays. But are there too many already?

Students in a central New Jersey school district, for instance, will have days off for three more this year.

The South Brunswick school board has approved closing for two Islamic holidays: the end of Ramadan and the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice.

The board also recognized the Hindu new year, Diwali.

School board president Matthew Speesler says it was time. But Speesler says some parents were upset, feeling there were too many holidays already on the school calendar.

The New Jersey School Boards Association says 10 of the state's nearly 600 districts recognize Muslim holy days as official school holidays.

What do you think about the additional school holidays. Do you feel there may be too many already? Let us know.

49 Comments Add a Comment

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DominiqueRoc says:: Regarding adding multi-cultural holidays to the public school calendar, I feel there are too many days off from school already. I personally observe Vaisnava holidays, including Krishna Janmastami, the celebration of Lord Krishna's appearance 5000 years ago in India. I informed my children's school that we would be traveling to our temple for the religious holiday, and they got an excused absence. I think that this system works fine. General Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring breaks should suffice for most families, with the occasional person exceptions. I do not think that there should be more and more holidays added. Presidents week is overkill in my opion, during horrible weather!
I do also think that the public schools should be allowed to teach children basic historical cultural beliefs, including religious ones, that have shaped much of human history, fostering respect and tolerance for all peoples.; reply

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rgrsinclair says:

They have already taken Prayer, and the right to recite the Pledge of allegiance in Public school in this Country, for fear of Hurting someone's Feelings. and as if that Slap in the face wasn't enough, To allow More Holidays for another Religion would be like a second Slap!!


janpre2001 replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; Isn't it sad that those coming to this country the last decade or so don't really want to be Americans yet demand all the rights of Americans. We need to shut the door and stop allowing them in here and deporting those that are here. Love it or leave it should be our motto. Rights should only be afforded to American citizens. Time to shut off the welcome torch in the harbor. I can't imaging Americans going to other countries and demanding things there and getting what we want.

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JoeBKathA says:: Never mind the religious questions, perhaps you should also find out how Mr. Speesler, feel about healthy foods in the South Brunswick school system.; reply

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tigerboy6 says:: If you think there are to many school holidays then lets not close for elections. And no more snow days unless there is more than 6 inches of snow. How about no friday after thanksgiving off. Maybe 3 days for christmas and 2 days for new years. School should run until the end of june and start on the 1st of sept. Or cut the school day to 5 hrs and go all year with 2 weeks off in the sumner. People of all religions deserve to have thier holidays off.; reply

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winchesterla says:: if we all lay claims on our cultural or religious holy days for holidays, 366days will be too short to go round every culture. Those that practice hindu are new comers in america why should they ask for it when those that have been didnt. Its like in UK. Madness!!; reply

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winchesterla says:: this is madness.; reply

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pawn_60 says:: We should disassociate all school holidays from religion. We don't need religious reasons for holidays, they serve as much needed breaks for the children. We can't afford to keep adding more holidays and it isn't fair to other religions to have just Christian holidays. We should call Christmas the "year end break" and Easter the "Spring Break".; reply

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Gcrv says:: India has public holidays on Muslim(12% of pop), Hindu(80% of pop), Christian(4% of pop), Buddhist(1%) Sikh(5% of pop), Jain(2% of pop) festivals even Pakistan with 1% Christian population has public holiday for Christmas as does Egypt and a number of Muslim countries.
India, Pakistan, Egypt, Malaysia many other Muslim countries have facility for Christian personal law (the equivalent of sharia) as an option for Christians apart from secular and Shari'a law.

I guess only thing I can say is shame on you Christians you abandoned not only your law but also impose the will of majority on minorities in countries where you are a majority.
Why even Singapore has Muslim holidays and Shari'a (in personal law) also Egypt has different Christian laws for each denomination.

Europeans the 'johhny come lately to tolerance' are again showing their roots. What else can we expect from the inheritors of the crusaders, inquisitors, naziism, facisim, coloinialism, communism-gulag and now mass killers for democracy.; reply

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Mikethetrucker says:

Last I heard school system employees weren't allowed to say "Merry Christmas", but we're going to add other religions holidays to our school calenders?

What we need to do is de-fund and abolish the department of Education, after all, the U.S. Constitution SPECIFICALLY appoints PARENTS and STATES with the responsibility of educating our children.


bsmi021 replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; It is about time someone got this right!!

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darreth0104 says:

Now... if it were a CHRISTIAN holiday they were proposing (You know... something like the birthday of a SAINT etc) there would be NO PROBLEM... (You know... since Christianity is the ONE TRUE RELIGI... *GAG*)
It comes down to this... we need recognize ALL religions... or NONE of them... FAIR is FAIR! But there are those in this country that don't seem to realize or want to ADMIT that there ARE other cultures in the world and that you MAY NOT BE a part of them... but you DO need to respect them... otherwhise when YOU and your religion are "DISSED" you have NOTHING to whine about!


bsmi021 replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; Excuse me but the supreme court has already taken out GOD from many this is school and goverment, so if that is the case in the current times we are in JUST SAY NO!!