The school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, will be closed every Muslim holiday. The new policy will take effect from next year.
Cambridge School Committee member Marc McGovern, who pushed for the policy, said people should avoid what he called "the hysteria and stereotypes of Muslims as terrorists".
He said, as quoted by the 7NEWS - WHDH website, schools in Cambridge provide holidays for Christians and Jews, and Muslims should be treated equally.
Cambridge's Muslim population continues to grow.
Motto on Cambridge Ringge and Latin School is opportunity, diversity, and mutual respect. Supporters of the holiday initiative say the decision reflects these principles.
The dialogue about Muslim holidays began several years ago, after Muslim students said they were forced to choose between academic (school) duties and religious obligations.
School committee members in the district unanimously support the existence of a Muslim holiday. Early next year, schools will close for one Muslim holiday per year.
"This is not a holiday for Muslims, it is a holiday for the entire Cambridge Public School system," said Dunia Kassay, a Muslim student. "So everyone gets a day off." (Mel / ddhongkong.org). *
