City Council Seeks To Make Muslim Holy Days City, School District Holiday
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia city council will explore putting Muslim holy days on the list of days-off for the school district and city government.
It was just one of more than a dozen resolutions passed by council in the first business session of its term.
Councilman Curtis Jones sponsored the resolution and had eight co-sponsors, showing this may be an idea whose time has come.
Jones noted there are 65 mosques and some 200,000 Muslims in the city, but he said there's also a principle behind the move.
"This city was founded on religious tolerance. William Penn came here fleeing religious persecution and established a beach head of freedom. I think this resolution speaks to that."
Muslims packed council chambers and cheered loudly when the resolution passed.
New York adopted the holidays this year and students had off September 24. Philadelphia students had September 25 off for the Pope's visit.
For the next few years, the Eid holidays fall during what is usually the summer break.