Local media is reporting that the Florida chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) is asking for Broward County schools to be closed for two Islamic holidays each year. According to the report:
Broward County public schools are being asked to close for two Islamic holidays a year under a controversial proposal before the district’s Diversity Committee. The request, from the Florida chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, or CAIR, would make Broward the first in Florida and one of only a few districts in the country to add Muslim holidays into its calendar. Broward and Palm Beach County schools generally close on major Christian and Jewish holidays. The Islamic holidays requested, which fall on different days depending on the year, are Eid al-Fitr – the end of Ramadan – and Eid-al Adha, which marks the end of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Related Muslim school holidays Should Broward County schools close for Muslim holidays, similar to how they close for Christian and Jewish holidays? Yes. The district should be fair to all religions and close for Muslim hoildays. No. Schools should stay open on Muslim holidays. I don’t know or don’t care. West Broward High School girls show support for Muslim teammate Broward school calendar Ads by Google Property damage in storm? Get help with your insurance claim No fees unless we win. Call today. www.balkanpatterson.com South Florida Catering Weddings,Charity Galas,Fresh Ideas Award Winning Food. Great Staff. www.rockstarcateringcompany.com ‘This is about inclusive diversity, and the Muslim community has too long been excluded,’ said Roland Foulkes, chair of the Diversity Committee, which will debate the proposal Thursday. ‘This is long overdue, and we need to move beyond the lip service of diversity in the community and reflect the full diversity of everyone.’ But some school district officials worry it could open the floodgates for more requests, as well as complaints from groups with anti-Islamic views. Religious freedom experts also say the district could be in legal trouble if it closes school for the sole purpose to allow students to celebrate a religious holiday.
Documents released in the Holy Land Trial have revealed that the founders and current leaders of CAIR were part of the Palestine Committee of the Muslim Brotherhood as well as identifying the organization itself as being part of the US. Brotherhood. A recent post discussed an interview with the Deputy leader of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in which he confirms a relationship between his organization and CAIR. Investigative research posted on GMBDW had determined that CAIR had it origins in the U.S. Hamas infrastructure and CAIR and its leaders have a long history of defending almost all individuals accused of terrorism by the US. government, frequently calling such prosecutions a “war on Islam.” In 2009, a US federal judge ruled “The Government has produced ample evidence to establish the associations of CAIR, ISNA and NAIT with HLF, the Islamic Association for Palestine (“IAP”), and with Hamas.”