Miami-Dade schools recognize Eid, sacred Ramadan holiday, for first time
The Miami-Dade County School Board approved the 2023-24 school calendar, which for the first time recognizes Eid alFitr, a holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month.
The holiday, which falls on April 10, 2024, is designated as a teacher planning day. No students will be in school.
There was no discussion from board members Wednesday about the recognition, but Shabbir Motorwala, a founding member of the Coalition of South Florida Muslim Organizations (COSMOS), told the Herald Thursday the move “shows a deep interest by the [district] and that they thought it was an important issue.” He also thanked the board and district for the decision. The effort to have the day recognized began last year, after the Broward and Palm Beach school districts approved the recognition, he said.
Despite the holiday being presented to the calendar committee for consideration, the district chose not to recognize Eid last year. At the start of the school year, COSMOS presented to the district the importance of the holiday and how it impacts students and staff. There are about 20,00025,000 Muslim students in the district and about 500 Muslim faculty and staff, according to Motorwala.
For starters, the organization argued, students in the past have had to choose between participating in the holiday and the annual Florida State As