Baltimore County School Board Denies Muslim Request for Holidays

May 10, 2005

Source: The Baltimore Sun

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.calendar10may10,1,7736820.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

On May 10, 2005 The Baltimore Sun reported, "the Baltimore County school system has proposed a calendar for the 2006-2007 academic year that does not include days off for the two most religious Muslim holidays, despite more than a year of lobbying by the Muslim community. The proposed calendar, which does include a day off for the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, will be presented to the school board tonight. The board is scheduled to vote on the proposal next month. Bash Pharoan, president of the Baltimore County Muslim Council, said he would continue fighting for the schools to close for Muslim holidays. 'I probably will have hope until the minute the board will approve or disapprove the calendar,' he said yesterday. Pharoan, who sits on the 26-member calendar committee that advises Baltimore County schools Superintendent Joe A. Hairston, said the committee did not vote on a proposed calendar and was not encouraged to reach consensus this year -- moves he felt were meant to silence him."