East Brunswick Schools Adds Eid To District Holiday Calendar

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — The East Brunswick School District has included the Muslim holiday of Eid in the 2023-24 school calendar.

The move comes after the Muslim community in East Brunswick urged the Board of Education to include the holiday in the school calendar during a meeting in January. More: Add Eid To School Holiday Calendar, Residents Urge East Brunswick BOE

The BOE voted unanimously on the adjusted calendar on Feb. 16

On April 10, 2024 and June 17, 2024, schools will be closed for Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adah respectively. The administrative offices will however be open.

“The Board of Education has always promoted an inclusive environment in our district. While we recognize and respect all the various holidays of our district families, it can be challenging to try to fit in all the days off needed by our increasingly diverse community,” Board president Laurie Lachs told Patch.

“It is with great pride that the East Brunswick Board of Education announced the adjustments to the 2023-2024 calendar that reflect our commitment to equality and the integration of all cultures in our community.”

Board member and calendar committee head Jeffrey Winston thanked the Muslim community for educating him and others on the importance of the holiday.

“When you look into the mirror of East Brunswick, the reflection that comes back is many colors, many religions, many backgrounds. That’s the community that I’ve lived in for most of my 60 years,” Winston said.

He noted that days off that fall on a holiday will be recognized as the holiday names instead of “spring break” or “fall break.”

Winston also thanked the community for their support. “Nobody called me and said this is a bad idea. They knew what we were doing,” Winston said.

“I’m extremely proud to do something that has not been able to get accomplished in this town forever, back to my days when we had very little diversity.”

On Jan. 19, over 60 members from the Muslim community attended the BOE meeting and requested board members to consider their request for Eid holiday, as many Muslim children miss school to celebrate the festival.

Eid currently counts as excused absence for students who take the day off to celebrate with family.

There are two major Islamic holidays celebrated around the globe. The first is Eid al-Fitr which marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, and the second is Eid al-Adah, according to History.com.

Many school districts in New Jersey, including Edison and South Brunswick, have included Eid in their school calendars.

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