Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 Entry ID General feedback on the policy First Name Last Name 1 The policy seems fair. We've lived in a couple of school districts in MD and other states, and this policy is more straightforward and organized than others we've experienced. Marilyn Sklar

2 While I understand MD law requires school be off the Friday before Easter and from then through the Monday after Easter, I have never believed spring break needs to connected to it. B/c Easter Nancy Edwards fluctuates from early March-Early April, it is not always at the mid-point of the semester. I would like to see spring break put at the mid-point of the semester consistently, some years this would coincide with Easter and some years not. when break is early march there is a long stretch of school without days off, this would help that. I also do not think each school should come up with calendar. we have many families with kids in all levels of school and right now coordination by cluster means for the most part, parents can attend events for all their children whether in 3rd, 8th or 10th grade if they are in the same cluster. thanks for taking the time to read my comments.

3 Further more, the current Chief Academic officer, Maria Navarro, has only worked in Montgomery County for our school system for 1 school year. Montgomery Co. has been working just fine the Jackie Ghunaim way the system is for Years. New People come in, make changes, mess stuff up, and then leave or are let go, and we the Parent, Student, and Teacher are left with the mess. Just because someone has a spark in their brain, and wants to make change to leave their mark, does not mean it is a good idea!

4 I actually think that we should be spending less time on items like the calendar and more time on other more important issues. Lisa Fox 5 Please minimize the number of interruptions to the school calendar. This is a public, non religious school district. Frequent ad hoc days off are distracting and disruptive to students (I am a frequent Heidi Hessler volunteer in the classroom ). Also, if days are listed in the calendar for making up instructional time missed due to weather, please use them instead of ducking responsibility. Students have been shortchanged two years in a row. Don't schedule them if you won't use them. 6 When determining Spring Break, please consider the surrounding County's scheduled calendars if possible, for staff who live outside of Montgomery County have had different breaks every 2-3 Jennifer Peter years. I have had to use leave, not take my child on a vacation unless I pull him out of school. It would be great to have surrounding counties have the same winter and spring breaks if possible. Also, as a teacher with out of town family, we often have to travel at Thanksgiving. My son is off the Wednesday before (in Howard County). I have had to use personal leave to take off to get to California or Texas by Thanksgiving day. It would be great to find the dates where many staff have to use leave, and call that a holiday, and even go an extra day or two into the summer as Howard County does. Thanks! 7 It would be great if the Winter break could be two weeks long instead of one week long, just as it has been adopted in many countries throughout the World. This not only gives students more time Jose Izquierdo to have a break from school (and an unnecessarily long Summer break), but it would also give children from many international families enough time to visit their home country (or enough time for US families for longer travel), something that is currently not an option unless students miss classes, with all the complications that this entails.

8 What exactly you want us to comment on? What I want to know is if Christmas is still banned from the calendar. Maryland law clearly requires schools to be closed for Christmas, Easter and T P Thanksgiving. Of these you have no issue mentioning Thanksgiving but not Christmas or Easter. I would like you to reinstate back Christmas. Stop wasting tax payers money and your time on liberal political agenda. It will not surprise me if your next project is a gender neutral bathroom to make everyone equal, like boys and girls are the same never mind the biological differences Liberals are destroying America by making it like Europe. 9 I did not notice a huge difference from previous policies. One thing that I thought was positive is that individual religious observances will be handled as such and that the calendar will not impose gabe ryan observances for everybody. 10 1. I work at Montgomery College, and have served on the Calendar Committee. MC calendars are developed and approved (with the possibility of a change) more than a year in advance. I have Lorraine Kelman noticed that on some MCPS holidays our students who are also parents of school-aged children sometimes bring their children to MC or skip class. While I tried to align the MC and MCPS calendars, it is impossible. I doubt you can help, but I would like to bring to your attention that large schools such as MCPS and MC might benefit from cooperating in matters such as the academic calendar. 2. While this is not a calendar issue, the American Acad. of Pediatrics recommends that MS and HS start no earlier than 8:30 am. The 20 minute change in bell times adopted Sept 2015 does not meet this recommendation. 11 I am very much in favor of a school calendar that bases days off on secular purposes only, in support of the separation of church and state. If student/teacher/administrator absenteeism due to any Dina Gold reason (religious observance, participation in a political rally, etc.) is significant enough that the progression of education will be hindered, that is a basis for closing school or otherwise modifying the school schedule.

1 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 12 The notice is opaque and uninformative. The use of an undefined acronym (IDA) renders the notice nugatory. The item is opposed. Ava Gardener 13 Response was for Policy IKA 14 Generally favor. To avoid the current perception that only Christian and Jewish holidays are observed via days off / early release, it would be useful to gather and disseminate objective data Karen Shimp supporting the secular reasons for days off that coincide with those religions' holidays (except those holidays mandated by state law) vs data supporting no secular reason for days off that coincide with a non-Christian/Jewish holiday. The policy should be revised to change the method and timing for changing the schedule to make up excess inclement weather closings. Adding non- instructional time at the end of the school year does nothing to further the purpose of the 180-day minimum requirement.

15 The MCPS community should allow Muslims to have their Eid ul-Adha holiday and it should be written on the school calendar. There are many Muslims in the county and I feel that it's is fair that Amna Shamim they get their holiday off. It's only fair. We allow Christians to have their holiday, we allow Jews to have their holiday, why is it so hard for you to give Muslims their holiday?

16 The current school calendar is not effective during the second and fourth quarters, particularly for high school students. I support a change. Kimberly Agnew-Heard 17 Spring break should be approximately the same time each year. It should not follow Easter which is on Sunday, not a school day and can fall anytime between March late and late April. Additionally Eva Jacobson there are too many 1/2 and closed days not around holidays. Look at some of the local private school calendars. 18 I agree there needs to be a clear policy on how the school calendar is created. I still have an issue with the removal of names of the religious holidays from the school calendar. I would like ONE Nova Cobble calendar to include the days of instruction and what religious holidays are observed on various days. I would ask that we return to including the names of religious holidays not to promote one over another, but rather to teach people (including teachers) about the days and times of days sacred to various religions. By removing these on this current calendar, I have to monitor two calendars to see if I should refrain from giving homework on certain days because of a holiday that some of my students might observe. Additionally, I have an issue from a teacher perspective, related to the winter break. I find it troubling that we have classes (during certain years) on December 23rd. I celebrate Christmas on December 24th and have absolutely NO TIME to travel to my family because of this schedule . What is most troubling to me is that I am told time and time again that I cannot take leave to extend holidays. If this is the case and the stipulation in the policy relates to monitoring high absenteeism on certain days, how will you ever know that responsible teachers show up because they are "required" to do so, but would given the opportunity secure a sub in order to travel on that day? Could we consider a half day on the 23rd, just as we have a half day prior to Thanksgiving. In looking at neighboring counties such as Frederick county, they are able to add in 7 snow days and give the entire Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving and December 23rd off to their districts. The remainder of their calendar is very similar to ours. I have had issue with the way in which MCPS has structured their calendars for a number of years. Recently it seems more logical though has gone into the scheduling of 1/2 days, however there are still several issues that make it less than desirable. I understand there is a current request by our Muslim community to include two religious holidays on the calendar. While I understand the community needs for this change, I feel most upset for my fellow teachers who are Muslim and would like to take the day off. I was told last year by a colleague that she was told she had to take a personal day in order to take off to observe her holiday. I am not sure how appropriate it is to be required to take a personal day in order to celebrate a religious holiday.

19 Response was for Policy IKA 20 I think it was a mistake to take the religious holidays off the MCPS calendar. I was recently embarrassed when assembling my classroom calendar with students when I put a "No School" day up. Jessica Boro Several students asked why were weren't having school. I did not know whether it was Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. I looked it up so that students would know. I felt like I was not respecting students who observe these holidays as well as not furthering my other students' understanding of diversity of holidays. I don't feel that there would be any harm in including other holidays that students in MCPS celebrate. It would help me as a teacher know when students might be absent and planned for their excused absences in advance.

2 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 21 Section 3b, beginning line 86: After "Early release days may be tentatively designated on the School Year Calendar for such purposes as ..." suggest adding "or for operational reasons including due to Elisabeth Vincent high absences of staff and/or students." (This captures the early release on Thanksgiving and last day of school.) With regards to section 7 (other operational needs): There was discussion about the history behind having the Jewish holidays off in September and whether that was still necessary. During the board meeting, Mrs. O'Neill said that it wouldn't be appropriate to open schools on those days to "test" whether they were still necessary operationally (which makes sense), and it was implied that there was no way to know. I think that one way to get an idea of where the system is at among staff is to put out an anonymous survey to staff to gauge which religious holidays they might request leave for. Although right now the Christian holidays are captured by state law, in the future this might change (and I think the Good Friday/Easter Monday ones should go away, even though I personally celebrate Easter). The survey could be framed like this "If existing days off for historical religious reasons (2 Jewish, 4 Christian) were not included in the calendar anymore, and staff were instead provided 2 additional personal days off, which of these religious holidays would you take leave on?" And provide the long list to choose from. Although many may not answer because they think it is too personal, it may give the BOE a better sense of the current diversity of the system staff and an estimation of what might happen if days that are currently closed were to be reopened. Although the BOE may not be making any change in the near future, in 10 or 20 years, there may be more need for change.

22 If the system claims that school will close school on certain religious holidays because of high absenteeism by staff and students, I would expect them to provide data that this is the case. Data cited Amani Elkassabany as evidence of high absenteeism thus far has been anecdotal only; there is no recent, quantitative data to justify system-wide closure for certain religious holiday and not for others. To close for religious holidays, and not have those days identified on the operational calendar as religious holidays misses the opportunity to acknowledge and value the religious diversity within our county.

23 Please put the names of the holidays back on the school calendar! Omitting them seems as if we are trying to hide something. There is nothing shameful about honoring and respecting the holidays Louis Persic and traditions of multiple groups within our community. It has (for many years) been a strength of Montgomery County). We should be proud that we honor the diversity within our community. Hiding the names of these holidays is like pretending to be color blind to someone's race. Being "color blind" is a false and destructive attempt at trying to pretend that race does not affect our interactions with people. Denying that you see the color of their skin is an issue, because you it omits such an important part of who that person is. Simply accepting it and honoring it is a much more honest and productive approach. The same should go for when we, as a community, acknowledge and honor the important holidays of those who live in our community. We should not be ashamed that we recognize them. We should be proud that we can live together, respect each other's diverse beliefs, and give each other the time and space to celebrate those beliefs. If only the rest of the world could learn from our example! But they will not learn from our example if we ourselves are too embarrassed to even acknowledge that we have learned to respect each other and live together as one diverse community. I have always been proud to be a Montgomery County Community Member. I love not only the diversity within the community, but the way we celebrate that diversity. In my 23 years of living and teaching in Montgomery County, the decision to take the names of the holidays off the calendar was the most embarrassing and disheartening decision I have heard of. Please reverse this shortsighted decision for the next calendar year, and restore the pride in our diversity that Montgomery County has been know for. With heartfelt Sincerity, Louis Persic General & Choral Music Teacher Forest Knolls ES

3 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 24 Dear BoE, I feel extremely strongly that our efforts to create a school calendar that acknowledges but does not advantage some religious traditions are a step in the right direction, but have not Heidi Mordhorst gone far enough. It is right that our calendar should name and observe shared national holidays such as Labor Day, MLK Day and even Thanksgiving (which, although originally an observance of thanks to the Christian God, could be argued has become an American holiday, not a Christian one). It is also right to have a comprehensive calendar that informs the community of the wide array of religious observances that many affect colleague and family participation in a "normal" day of school. However, it is wrong that our calendar should either name OR observe specific religious celebrations of ANY group. Examples are Rosh Hashanah and Good Friday. If we have Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and Good Friday as holidays without naming them, our Jewish and Christian colleagues and families are advantaged but we pretend that's not what's happening. (That's just a teeny tiny bit like claiming that drug laws are enforced equally for everyone and then finding our jails full of young black men.) Another reason to ditch religious-based holiday observances is to bring consistency to our school calendar. Our winter break should take place over the New Year, which is recognized secularly by all Americans (and indeed the world, despite the existence of other religious and culturally-based calendars). Similarly, our Spring Break should take place at a consistent time each year which is NOT based on the Christian observance of Easter (a moveable religious observation that plays havoc with our 4-quarter system). This would require Christians to fit their religious celebrations into the school calendar the best they can, just like Muslims and Buddhists and Sikhs and Hindus always have to. Finally, I'm going to make again my loud and persistent plea that we consider going to a YEAR-ROUND calendar similar to that of many European and other countries. We all know that summer learning loss is at the heart of our persistent achievement gap, and that no amount of half-day, no-transportation summer school is going to make a dent in that. We would begin after Labor Day and finish at the end of July, making the summer break a much more manageable 4-5 weeks (during which some students could benefit from MCPS-run summer camps where they hold on to what they’ve got). Deduct another 4 weeks for mid-year breaks: 1 at the begnning of November to include Veteran’s or Election Day 1 at New Year 1 in mid-March 1 at the beginning of June to include Memorial Day That leaves 44 weeks of the year for school, or 220 days. Take out the Monday holidays here and there and Thanksgiving for a total of around 4-6 and we have a substantially increased opportunity to close that pesky, tragic achievement gap. Yes, it would cost money…but do we want to truly educate everyone, or do we not?

25 Response was for Policy IKA 26 Michael Morris 27 Snow days should not be added to the end of the year. They need to be made up by taking away from Spring Break and/or any teacher work days in March. Kelly Mendelsohn 28 To Whom It May Concern: I am fortunate to be a teacher in a school system with diverse cultures, races and religions. It has been an asset to my educational experience as a student and now my Rehana Ahmed teaching experience as a 7th year teacher. However, as every year passes, it has become blatantly evident that MCPS is moving towards policies that are discriminatory and hypocritical of their own statements. I hope that these policies change to move MCPS back onto the path of inclusion and progression. 1) It is unfair that I am required to take hours out of my earned leave to celebrate the Muslim Holiday of Eid while all staff get paid on the Jewish and Christian Holidays, on top of having to make sub plans, thereby impeding instruction. I feel very discriminated against and it is a disservice to my students, my Muslim colleagues in MCPS, and myself. 2) According the Policy in section C7b, school days off must be secular, yet the law mandates that Christmas and Easter be recognized. This is a blatant contradiction to the policy. Also, not only is one day given for school closing, but a full week for each. MCPS also closes for the Jewish Holidays. How is this a secular choice? Due to the changing population in MCPS, it is imperative for MCPS to move towards inclusive policies and respect for all diverse backgrounds. The Board cannot just disseminate letters, booklets and speeches claiming respect for all, when their policies are clear in discrimination. Eid should be recognized in MCPS as a school closing just as Rosh Hannah, Yom Kippur, Christmas and Easter are recognized. 3) Islam is the one of the major religions in the world, surpassing Jews, Hindus, etc. How can MCPS make policies to discriminate Muslim students and staff as a minority? 4) New York City Public Schools has recognized Eid and incorporated a school closing as well, to celebrate inclusiveness and diversity. This major decision was also recognized by the White House as a move in the right direction. If NYC can set a precedent, why can MCPS not do so as well? Please recognize Eid and grant school closing, as Section E3 provides the avenue in the policy to do so. Thank you for your time and considerations and I truly hope MCPS, its students, and staff are kept in mind for the good of the cause for celebrating acceptance and equity for all; not just going by the few voices who advocate for discrimination. Sincerely, rehana ahmed dedicated to MCPS

29 I personally think that 'Muslims should get a day off one Eid. It is not fair for the Muslim kids to go to school on a religious day which they are suppose to celebrate with their families. Jew and Aminata Sinyan Christians get there days of, how come Muslims can't. When Muslims are absent from school one day, they have a lot of work to make up for, and it's not fair for them just because of there beliefs. In conclusion, I think Muslims should get their days off, on which there religion is taking place. Thank you.

4 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 30 Give Muslims their holiday! It's unfair that Jews get theirs and Christians get theirs, but Muslims can't! Just because the board of education is dominated by these races doesn't mean that other Amna Shamim religions can't get what they deserve! There are more Muslims in the world than there are Jews. It's about time that Muslims get their holiday

31 I feel like it's just not fair that Jews and Christians and other people following other religions get a day off for school and Muslims don't. We're all supposed to be equal, but how are we equal when Sahar Zaki Jews and Christians and members of other religions get a day off, or even an entire week (Spring Break, Winter Break) off, when we don't get anything. I mean, now we don't even get any recognition. Nobody cares, we just have to miss school right? I mean, I personally, do so well in school. I got straight A's last year, and my goal is to do the same this year. I do take some high school courses which I struggle with. On Thursday, the day of Eid, I have a science lab, English essay, and Geometry review for Friday's formative assessment to do. I'm going to have to miss all of that. I'll be behind. This isn't just me we're talking about. Other Muslims who are in the same classes as me have to do this. You would be surprised at how many actual Muslims there are. In my school, there are lots of Muslim girls that I know are Muslim but they don't look Muslim at all. Having this day off would give us equal rights and that is something that I'm going to stand for.

32 I would like MCPS to recognize 2 EID days as holidays for muslim students and allow muslim students to take off on those days. syed kader 33 Please make Eid a day off from school, Muslim students will not come to school on that day whether or not you make it a holiday but it collides with the education of those students. Would you like Alina Hiba to come to school on Christmas? I'm sure you wouldn't. So please think about it. 34 Tasfia Haque 35 Nishat Chows hurt 36 No, I don't agree with the policy. I think we should add everyone's holidays, including Eid for Muslims, and let all students be aware of it. Asma Tariq 37 Please recognize Eid and grant school closing, as Section E3 provides the avenue in the policy to do so. It's unfair to the muslim students when Jewish & christian students gets holiday for their Joseph Barnes religious festival and muslim students don't. 38 Muslim holidays should get to be no school days Muslims are people in the world to like Christians Jews and everybody else . Why are they treated different mains muskims are American and they Adji Keinde do not of anything why do people act like they are a harm . I hope Muslim holidays will get to be no school days because this is not fair 

39 Please add the Muslim EID days to the Calander. Shahid Shamim 40 Please consider Eid to be recognized as religious holiday and school closings. Mohammed Jameel 41 Please give the two "Eid" days as day-off from school. These are main days of celebration for Muslims (similar to Christmas). They are two days with dates that shift about 10 days every year on the OSSAMA YOUNIS Gregorian calendar. The children cannot attend school on these days and it is a problem if they have to give back homework or miss an exam. Please honor this request.

42 I'm KHIDER Ahmim, parent of student at MCPS, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. KHIDER AHMIM 43 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sobia Khan 44 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Niyas Rawther 45 Please provide equality for the Eid holiday in Islam Alex Edwards 46 Make us and our new generation feel that we are part of this country. Kindly include two Muslim holidays per calendar year (Eid ul Fitr & Eid ul Adha) in MCPS calendar. Thank you Hammad Dasti

47 Please include Eid holiday for muslim students in the school holiday schedule. Maryam Ahmed 48 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ismaeel Ibrahim 49 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Farzana Kushwaha 50 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Maryam Kushwaha 51 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Arman Kushwaha

5 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 52 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Maqsood Alam 53 Please kindlyinclude the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) and (Eid Ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Rayhaan Dasti 54 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Inam Kushwaha 55 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ibrahim Bakayoko 56 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ramatoulaye Coulibaly 57 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Samirah Bakayoko 58 Please include eid holiday for the Muslim students at MCPS. Ousman Jobe 59 We are a Muslim family raising our 4 kids in Montgomery County; we would deeply appreciate the Board of Education’s serious consideration of closing school on our Eid holidays. Najiyah Khan

60 I'd like to have Eid Holidays to be recognized in the next school calendar year... Ousman saine 61 My kids missed time from school due to eid holiday. We are muslim Syed Ahmed 62 Can you please include the Muslim holidays on the school calendar.I think if the largest school district in the country can observe it,so does Montgomery County.This is one of the most diverse Kebba Sinyan County in the Country which most of us who live in it love. 63 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Farooq Amin 64 Our children deserve to celebrate our holidays too sarah ibrahim 65 Please include the Eid Holidayd for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Manzoor Zarger 66 As me being a Muslim I think it's unfair for us to have school on our holy holiday. We should have off because it's not fair we have school and most religious holidays have off besides us. The policy Daga Sinyan on us having school should change its not fair nor is it right 67 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammad Mai 68 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mirsad Basar 69 Please include Eid holiday( Eid Ul Fitr) and Eid Ul Adha. for the next school year. Parvej Malik 70 We Muslims would like to have our holidays included in the upcoming school calendar. Imtiaz Uddin 71 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. aizat Oladapo 72 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sebiha Basar 73 Please recognize the holidays of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha for Muslims as holidays Harris Akhtar 74 l like IDA school year .inclue muslim IED OMAR KAMARA 75 l like IDA school year calendar. we want EID {muslim KIDS DAY OFF} .thanks kadia keita 76 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sirosh Masuood 77 please include Eid holiday in the Calendar Bassinatou Sey 78 Yes to Eid on School Calendar Haddy Sarkis 79 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Adama Sall 80 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zahra Shahid 81 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mounirah Khadar 82 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Kamran Shahid 83 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. shaila shah 84 Niyas Shafeena 85 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammed Niyas

6 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 86 The United States of America branded he Muslims as terrorists so the least we could do for them is give them a day off for EID. Loc Karina 87 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. ERUM SIDDIQUI 88 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Haroon Shah 89 Please adopt two Muslim holidays as part of school holidays. Montgomery County has significant Muslim population and adopting those days as holiday only furthers the inclusivity of the county and Anwar Karim the region. 90 I support adoption of Muslim holidays as part of school holiday. Fahmida Karim 91 On Eid mcps slould be off Nancy Sinyan 92 I want to feel inclusive as a student of Montgomery County Public Schools. Please adopt Muslim holidays as part of the calendar. Q. Mahir Karim 93 I support adoption of Muslim holidays as part of the school calendar. Rubina Yasmin 94 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid UI Adha) for the Muslim students in MCPS calendar . This is a very important part of our faith. Adetokunbo Adenekan 95 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Abdul Razack 96 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. sajitha Razack 97 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Shaffeel Ahmed 98 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Atif Chaudry 99 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. ATM PERVEZ 100 Please give a day off for both Mulism holidays, Eid-Ul-Fitr and Eid-Ul-Adha in the MCPS calendar. Mohammad Ullah 101 Please give a day off for both Muslim holidays, Eid-Ul-Fitr and Eid-Ul-Adha on the MCPS calendar. Dilruba Akter 102 Please give a day off for both Muslim holidays, Eid-Ul-Fitr and Eid-Ul-Adha on the MCPS calendar. Asma Husna 103 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sharmin Malek 104 I am frustrated because there are so many Muslims living inn MCPS-yet we do not get a day off for Eid Al-Hada. The other religions get off for their religious holiday. Why can't we Muslims get off? Sayma Islam Isn't Islam the second largest religion on earth? 105 I hate having to send my kids on school during. Eid Al-Hada, one of the most important events during the year for Muslims. This year teachers refused to let my daughter take a test later, even Jannatul Molla though she was out for a critical review day. This is not fair. The Jewish kids did not have to make up anything. Why should my daughter be penalized for practicing her religion in a free country?

106 Please give a day off for both Muslim holidays, Eid-Ul-Fitr and Eid-Ul-Adha on the MCPS calendar. It would mean a lot if I could enjoy my holidays with all my friends and family. Thank you. Nusrat Meetul 107 It's a great idea because there is a lot of Muslims now Abdul Mutalib 108 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohsin Sheikh 109 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Humnah Ibrahim 110 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Omair Ahmad 111 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Saleem Ahmad 112 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zainab Abbas 113 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zubair Khan 114 Deka Barre 115 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Heidi Wahba 116 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Deka Barre 117 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Abdi Hussein 118 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Yasmine Hussein

7 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 119 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sophia Hussein 120 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sherien Youssef 121 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ameera Abdalla 122 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nooreldeen Abdalla 123 Keep all holidays, religious or otherwise, listed on the school calendar. Implement official holidays for both Eid-al-fitr and Eid-al-adha to respect the time and values of your rapidly growing muslim Ismail Nicolas student population and promote inclusivity. Do not create a catch-22 for your muslim student population, encouraging their expression of religious freedom while at the same time guaranteeing that this expression would put them behind academically because the rest of their classmates would continue with instruction on those days.

124 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Aboobacker Sideeque 125 Having been born and raised in Montgomery County, with a young son as well, I strongly encourage adopting Eid holidays in the MCPS calendar. Fazila Shakir 126 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Saifur Rahman 127 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Lotfi Mehai 128 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. RABIA DASTI 129 lease include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. sofiane Ouldbrahim 130 Please add EID Holidays (EID UL ADHA and EID UL FITR) for Muslim students in the School Year Calendar. Syed Bokhari 131 please include: -Eid AL FITR - the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. sofiane Ouldbrahim 132 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students in MCPS calendar. Nurjahan Siddique 133 please include: -Eid AL FITR - the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. wahiba Meslem 134 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zahra Riaz 135 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Faiza Mohamed 136 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mannan Dasti 137 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zahra Riaz 138 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Erum Ikramullah 139 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Marwan Oweis 140 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Tanvir Chowdhury 141 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Azka Riaz 142 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Huda Riaz 143 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Muhammad Riaz 144 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Asmet Riaz 145 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Riaz Ahmad 146 Hello, Please include the Eid days (Eid Ul Adha and Eid ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Schools are closed for some christian and jewish celebrations why not for muslims? Myriam Diakhite

147 Hello, Please include the Eid days (Eid Ul Adha and Eid ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Schools are closed for some christian and jewish celebrations why not for muslims? Khadidja Gaye

148 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Afeefa Marso 149 We want to share our beloved holiday with the rest of the student body. Please include the Eid Holiday for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Hena Zuberi 150 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid and Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. It is so frustrating that our children's had to do double work when they return to school next day Rizwan Alam due to the day off they have to take to perform their religious duty.

8 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 151 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you. Mukhtar Kabir 152 Hello Please include both Eid days (Eid Ul Adha and Eid ul fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Schools are closed for some christian and jewish celebrations why not for muslims? Amadou Gaye

153 Hello Please include both Eid days (Eid Ul Adha and Eid ul fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Schools are closed for some christian and jewish celebrations why not for muslims? Ahmad Gaye

154 Please include Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Lubna Malik 155 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Salman babar 156 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Omar Rahman 157 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Fariha Babar 158 Please close schools on Eid holidays. The dates are 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Christy Braddock 159 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nida Ahmed 160 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Afshan Tariq 161 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Munawar Shaikh 162 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) on the MCPS Calendar for next year. Muslim Students celebrate this day and we request it be a day off. Thank you. Best regards, Karen Bashir (former Karen Bashir teacher in MCPS) and resident of Mont. Co. since 1981. 163 Hello, Please include the Eid days (Eid Ul Adha and Eid ul fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ibrahim Gaye 164 Hello, Please include the Eid days (Eid Ul Adha and Eid ul fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Rayyan Gaye 165 Please include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Adha, Eid Ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Maria Eid 166 Hello, Please include the Eid days (Eid Ul Adha and Eid ul fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Aly Gaye 167 Please include the eid holiday ( eid ul udha) in your school calendar. Husna Hamza 168 Please include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Adha. Eid Ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Fuzan Eid 169 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sayeem Kazi 170 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calender Mahmoud Abourata 171 Mohamed Mohamef 172 Please include Eid ul Adha and Eid ul Fitra holidays for the Muslim students. Thanks Syed Karim 173 Please include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Adha and Eid il Fitr) for the Muslim and non-Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. MCPS is rich in diverse religions, ethnicities, and cultures and Muslim Marriam Baloch holidays should be celebrated and acknowledged by all in the community. It is a step of inclusion and awareness for all. 174 Please close scool on eid day nabeela begum 175 Please add school closure for both Eid celebrations. Vaseem Ansari 176 I would like to request that Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha holidays should be added to the MCPS holidays calendar to help Muslim students and community to celebrate these holidays. Sincerely. Nafisa Karim

177 Please include the Eid holidays (Eid Ul Adha) for Muslim Students In the MCPS calendar. femina amoo 178 As a member of Montgomery County Community, I would like to propose to add the two Islamic Holidays-Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha to the Calendar, as a Holiday day off.Thank you for considering Asia Malik this important part of the Islamic culture. Asia S Malik 179 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Abdulrahman Baknina

9 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 180 I honestly do not believe that the Muslim population in Montgomery County justifies the entire school system and all other students and parents make these unique special accommodations just for Eric Tong them. I am not Jewish but I understand having Jewish holidays off in MoCo given the high Jewish population, just like having Asian holidays off in parts of California and having Cinco de Mayo off in parts of Texas because of the Mexican students can be justified. The county school system is over 15% Jewish just as there are school districts where Asians or Mexicans are over 25% of the student body. This is not true for Muslims. if such a small group can get the school board to bend over, where will it end? Should every single culture represented in Montgomery be entitled to a day off? Are we going to give the Indians, Koreans, Vietnamese, Mexicans, Salvadorans, Nigerians and Cubans each a day off too? Then the school year would have to be extended even further. It is perfectly reasonable for the county to just have the Christian and Jewish holidays off. If there is some school that has an especially high Muslim population, maybe teachers there can arrange to not schedule major exams on the Islamic days.

181 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Muslims today have to face the challenge of choosing between missing a day of education or celebrating a Saad Abbasi religious holiday with their family and friends. Muslims in MCPS should not have to make this choice and rather be given Eid as an official holiday. Muslims are not asking for something special but rather equal rights. 182 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the Tehreem Haq MCPS Calendar. 183 As a _student, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Naeemah Islam 184 As a student, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Naeemah Islam 185 Please include Please include the Eid Holiday( Eidul Adha) for Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you Barbara Khadar 186 I would like to see MCPS schools close for Eid holidays. Please place a Professional Day on 9/12/2006 and on 9/1/2017. I know that this can be done legally. Saqib Ali 187 Please include the Eid Ul Adha Holiday for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Appreciate your understanding. Mohamed Haggag 188 Lack of closure towards Moslem Holidays shows a lack of culture and bias. Roger Stevens 189 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Saqib Khan 190 I request that you close schools for the two Muslim holidays, Eid, on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Nadia Musa 191 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Samrina Khan 192 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. nurifah muhamad 193 At present there is no policy to grant a holiday in school and colleges for Muslim students to celebrate Eid and Bakhrid festivals. Since Islam is the second largest Religion int the world and in U.S. Syed Haque there are lot of Muslims students in school and colleges they should get public holiday on the above two religious festivals without any discrimination to maintain peace and harmony .&

194 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zubeda Arsalan 195 Please include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Katina Constant-Sane 196 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Helmi Baisa 197 I would like Eid Al Adha included on the Montgomery County Public Schools calendar. Bathsheba Philpott 198 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sofia Bhalwani 199 Thank you for taking feedback on this subject. I urge the MCPS to reconsider prior decisions and cancel school for the two Muslim holidays of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha when they fall within the Mustafa Haque academic year. For the past 16 years, I have watched my children and those of my friends have to make a decision between attending school and practicing their faith. Although they had the option of an excused absence, they often would have important exams, lessons, or labs on those dates that would have been difficult or impossible to make up. It has been a significant burden on them. As the Muslim population continues to grow in Montgomery County, and as Muslims contribute so much to this school district, I urge you to incorporate these two holidays into the school calendar. Thank you, Mustafa A. Haque, MD

200 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Arshad Azeem 201 The MCPS should add two days for Muslim Eid holidays Mohammad Anwar

10 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 202 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid - Ul- Adha) for the Muslim students to be added in the MCPS calendar. Sobia Chaudhry 203 Please include the eid holidays for Muslims Shah Nadeem 204 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ilyas Dasti 205 Please include Eid as religious /celebration/events Salim Aziz 206 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. My three kids had to skip school that day . Mona Ali 207 Please have eid as a school holiday for kids. Samira Siddiqi 208 9/12/16 and 9/1/2017 are Muslims holiday, MCPS close public schools for those date. Hashmat Koraganie 209 Hello.I am a parent who have children that have a beautiful holiday like like other children around the world where they that day off to celebrate.My children as well,as myself and,others who would Geraldine Ingram like to enjoy our holiday as well where the absent of school on those days will be mark excused.Please consider putting Eid as one of the holiday on the calender like all other holidays so that we may enjoy our festival as well.Thank you. 210 Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Fatima Banafea 211 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. I want my kids to celebrate our holiday without worrying about the classes or exams they missed. Thanks Kevser Ozer

212 Kadia Ndiong 213 Respectfully I like MCPS to adopt 2 holidays on the school calendar on the occasion of Eid - 2 Muslim religious holidays so that the students can take time off to attend the 2 yearly congregation Abu Khan prayers 214 Would request the policy makers to please consider EID UL ADHA as a holiday and incorporate it in the school calendar. Sara Vazer 215 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Aissatou Diallo 216 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. khadar Rasheeda 217 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shamsuddin Tareq 218 Please include the Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) in the mcps calendar for the Muslim students. Iman Abdulmalek 219 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha and Eid Ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Mohamed Beshr 220 Please include the Eid Holidays for Muslim students, staff and administrators. Susan Assaf 221 Dear MSPS school board, Please close MCPS schools on Eid holidays. The dates are 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Muslim students and staff should be able to practice their religion with the same Lisa Clemans-Cope respect that we give to other religions. It is also important that non-Muslim students and staff see that MCPS supports respect for religious diversity. Thank you!

222 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Syed Murtuza 223 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Tamer Mahmoud 224 Religious holidays have no part in a public school calendar. They should be noted and discussed as great educational opportunities but should not dictate school closing days. Angie Segal

225 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar arshad nawaz 226 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Hasnaa Shafik 227 Please ADD Eid al Adha on the calendar. Salim Indorrwala 228 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. AbdelHamid Smadhi 229 Yes it was excellent to have EID Holiday. Adnan Khan 230 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Monami Islam 231 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Farida Laboune

11 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 232 I support that the muslim holidays should be put on the MCPS school calender consistent with the policy of equality for all faiths. samina ali 233 Please consider closing schools for the two Muslim Eid Holidays on 9/21/16 and 9/1/17. My 7th grader was absent for Eid on 9/24/2015 and missed two quizzes plus new instruction (in math). He sarah shakir subsequently had to take a scheduled math assessment two days later which coincided with two other tests. It would be more convenient and fair for the hundreds of Muslim students in Montgomery County to simply have the Eid off as do Muslim students in NY, NJ, Cambridge MA and several other diverse school districts in the nation.

234 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Iness Smadhi 235 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammed Rahman 236 As a Muslim Community member, I would like to request that Eid Holidays for the Muslim Students be added in the MCPS Calendar. Husnain Awan 237 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Fatima Dasti 238 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shampa Wali 239 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Irfan Dasti 240 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Noman Dasti 241 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Misbah Dasti 242 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammad Mian 243 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Munazza Ahmed 244 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammed Huda 245 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Aynur Abdurazik 246 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Noor Baig 247 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. umair baig 248 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Amreen Kabir 249 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. hamza dasti 250 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Hashim dasti 251 MCPS should have Muslim holidays off in their calendar. Kalmy KA 252 As for Jewish and Christians, Muslim holidays should be a day off for kids. Thank you Fatou Fall 253 As for Jewish and Christians, Muslim holidays should be a day off for kids. Thank you Moulaye Dabakh 254 As for Jewish and Christians, Muslim holidays should be a day off for kids. Thank you Elhadji Malick 255 As an alum of Wheaton High School (class of 2001), I'd like to see MCPS incorporate the Muslim holidays of Eid into the Calendar. Diaur Rahman 256 Please include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Adha) and Eid Elfetr for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Reham Elgarf 257 Laique shiekh 258 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Faruk Hamza 259 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Yousaf Dasti 260 Please include the Eid Holidays , 2 days, (Eid Ul Fitar and Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Quamrul Majumder 261 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Syed Pasha 262 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Farida Yeasmin 263 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammed Ali 264 Please add the Eid Holiday to the MCPS Calendar. Tasneem Hussam 265 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammed Sarwar

12 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 266 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar and also Eid Al-Fitr whenever same falls in the school year. Also please make it voluntary for Muslims Qamruddin Chowdhury students to dismiss from respective school(s) on Fridays only at the recess time, or tentatively at 12.30pm - 1pm, so that they may attend the Friday 'Jum'aa' prayers. Many thanks and best regards.

267 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Bushra Mohammad 268 Reeja Abdul 269 Please include the EID holidays for themuslim students in the MCPS calendar. Reeja Abdul 270 I would like to have the Eid holiday recognized in Montgomery County. As a tax payer and a parent of 3 children (2 in elementary schools), it really impacts their school attendance as they are Noman Habib already behind their classmates. 271 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. The EId festivities are celebrated only if the children are home. Its a joyous festival where bonding Kamran Rahman between the parents and their children grows during the festival of EID. Kindly consider the festival of EID al Fitr ( which follows at the end of Ramadan fasting) and Eid Ul Adha (Which commemorates Prophet Abraham sacrifice for Son. Both are equally important Holidays which bring joy to the children with local traditional festivities

272 Please consider Eidul Fitre and Eidul Adha two major Muslim Holidays as official holidays on your school Calendar. Our children, need to take time off to worship and celebrate with their families Mona Negm and friends. 273 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Hamida Karama 274 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Farooque Nayyer 275 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar S Chowdh 276 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Muminul Haque 277 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Amina Haque 278 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Haroon Mian 279 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nejat Abdurahman 280 Please include Muslim Eid holidays on the County School Calendar. Thanks Arshad Qureshi 281 Please include Muslim Eid holidays on the County School Calendar. Thanks Arshad Qureshi 282 Institute floating holidays for students who wish to observe religious/cultural holidays other than those already mandated in the calendar (e.g. EID, Thaipusam/Diwali, Rosh Hashana/Yom Kippur, Kathryn Clemans Chinese New Year) 283 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shabbir Usmani 284 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Sinan Chabuk 285 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Kadiatou Diallo 286 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. We are a large community. Yasmin Reyazuddin 287 I think that MCPS should find a way to recognize holidays from various religions, not only Christian and Jewish Holidays. And specifically EID should be recognized as an important holiday for the Holly Clemans muslim community and for the rest of the community to be aware and show respect for these students and teachers. It is not a good plan to close the schools on Christian and Jewish Holidays and just call it a day off without a label. This is very disrespectful to all persons involved, especially those whose holiday was ignored. Thank you

288 every year I have to take my kids out I this day. Please Add this Eid day tithe Calendar Fatima Ali 289 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sharmini Azeez 290 I request that schools be close schools on Eid holidays. The dates are 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Nida Kanwal 291 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Faraz Ash 292 Please add Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr ( two holidays) to the Montgomery County School calendar for 2016. Rashid Makhdoom 293 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Ifte Islam

13 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 294 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. JULAINA ROBERSON 295 I think that we should give Muslim holidays the same recognition and status as Christian and Jewish ones. This is an important step in coming to understand that this is a peaceful and reverent Willo Pequegnat 296 Pleasereligion include and not the the Muslim one that Holiday(Eid is often portrayed ul Adha) inthrough the school the mediacalender in reporting of MCPS. on extremist groups. Christians and Jews who are extremists would also seem like zealots. Designating them as Afeefa rana 297 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. I didn't 12 years in mcps as a student; my mother has spent over a decade in mcps as a teacher - we'd Imran Shah love to see a little respect come out way too 298 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Salman Ahmed 299 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha and Eid ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Faiyaz Khan 300 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar as a day off school and not just a recognition. Our children and us always have to choose between going to NAHLA GADALLA school or going to pray at the mosque. We should not have to be in this situation. We only have one Eid that falls with in the school year.

301 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar as a day off school so we do not have to choose between sending our children to school or attending the Manal Mohamed prayer in the mosque. 302 Please include eid as a holiday for Muslim students shazia khan 303 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Randa El-Kasabi 304 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Azeem Mohammed 305 Safia Ghanim 306 Safia Bashir 307 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shayan Salahuddin 308 Please include Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha) for Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thanks, Siddiq Khan 309 I think it is important to list religious holidays on the calendar. I would like my children to be exposed to the diversity of our community through a variety of means. I would also like to survey the Naz Salahuddin community to determine on which holidays school should close (based on the number of people who celebrate a given holiday, but may not want their kids to miss school). Finally--even if school is not closed on holidays celebrated by a large number of county residents (like Eid), I do think schools should at least try not to schedule major tests, exams, or presentations on Eid. I am a professor at the University of Maryland. We do not close for Jewish holidays, but our policy also does not allow us to schedule exams, etc on those holidays--which I am happy to do. So we consider the holidays in our course planning. I think this same courtesy should be extended to MCPS students who are members of large religious communities (e.g,. Muslim community).

310 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. KHALID ABDULLA 311 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. MAHAMED ALI 312 Rubina QAYYUM 313 It would be great for muslim children to have Eid day off. They would not miss school and would not need to catch up. Marieme Kamara 314 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Nirar Basheer 315 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. New York City has done starting this year. Louis Kamara 316 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar as a holiday. Ahmed Ali 317 Please close schools on Eid Holidays for Muslim Students. Specifically, I request the schools be closed on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 Sayed Naved 318 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Seema Nicolas 319 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. khamer jehan 320 Please close schools on the days of Eid. I've worked on this issue for several years before going off to college, and I am still hoping that we can together make some progress on this front. Thank you. Anhar Karim

14 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 321 It would be great if the Muslim holidays are also taken into account. My kids always wonder why our holidays are not considered while the are off in Jewish holidays when they do not even have Mame Diaw classmates that are jewish. 322 Please include the Eid Holidays (Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Vohid Karimov 323 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. This is one of the two most important religious festivals for muslims. Sadeq Chowdhury 324 Suneera Vadakoot 325 I feel MCPS has proposed a Policy on the School Year Calendar that is fair and feasible for the entire county. If a student or family observes a religious holiday that is not on the official MCPS calendar Nancy Opiela as long as the student is permitted to take an excused absence for that day that is fair. If MCPS started a type of quota or percentage system for adding new holidays to the calendar that would be a never ending battle that would cause a lot of dissension in the community and waste time at MCPS board meetings.

326 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Naila Ajmeri 327 Eid Ul Adan Waheeda Malik 328 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zainab Mai 329 Make Eid a school holiday Raphe Malik 330 Please include Eid holidays on the calendar. Rakhi Hayat 331 Provide school holidays on Islamic festivals such as Eid ul Ada and Eid ul zoha syeda quadri 332 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Roshila Mohammed 333 Students should get a day off on Eid because of the high percentage of Muslims in the county now. It is unfair that some students skip out on their holiday because they have to go to school to make Shadia Nahar up work. 334 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Khaliah Hall 335 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Rafid Chowdhury 336 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Fitr & Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Abbas Abid 337 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Michelle Alexander 338 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Raquib Chowdhury 339 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Laila Nazneen

15 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 340 Please eliminate holidays based on religious days, special observance events and/or celebrations and in lieu of those that exist, offer floating excused days that can be used for religious purposes. Sid Clemans Special religious observance days are known by all religions far in advance, so as a matter of operational convenience, the district should require that use of floating holidays by students or staff be requested far enough in advance to allow for orderly arrangements for coverage. There are too many religions with too many observance days to be able to respect the wishes of each significant cultural group or religion in the school population today, and into the future. Currently a small fraction of students and staff, whether they be from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, in fact, any religious tradition, are devout enough so that they would feel the need to use floating days. With the current practice, the majority feel obligated to use religious observance days that are forced upon them by school closures; while others feel excluded or even discriminated against when the lose school days for other religions, while their various religious holidays are not recognized by school closure days. The current system railroads many into being more religious than they would like to be, while simultaneously creating a sense of inequity for the religious who feel their observances are not adequately recognized. In addition, the odd spaced religious closure days disrupt school and learning, wreak havoc on parental work schedules and child care arrangements, and the foment polarization among children. They are polarizing because children are struck by odd days off; they would rarely even notice the absence of a few fellow students for their religious days. Consequently the closure days accentuate the differences in religious observances, unnecessarily putting individual differences under an institutional spotlight that involuntarily raises the relief of possible difference. Highlighting cultural differences like this is not something that fosters admiration for or acceptance of diversity; it foments isolation and enmity. It appears likely that few of the over 200 schools in the county system would have absences of students or staff to need to close today. It also appears that the MCPS should ask the State legislature to eliminate State required closures on religious holidays. It is unlikely the legislature would make the change any time soon, but they should be asked. The winter and spring holidays, which coincide with Christmas and Easter observed as religious holidays by a few devout Christians, are such commercial institutions that they would not likely be taken out of the school calendar for many years to come. For those few believers that actually need religious holidays, floating holidays work just fine and should be promoted. Thank you.

341 Please include EID al Adha on the school calendar. Thank you Humaira Khan 342 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Naveed Ahmed 343 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Neelofar Malik 344 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammmad Uddin, Z 345 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS . We appreciate the consideration and thought which goes into making a schoo calender, and we really think that Tahmid Hossain you should recognize Eid as a major holiday which should be acknowledged. 346 "General Feedback on the Policy" As muslims, we celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr, and Eid-Ul-Adha each year. Other religious holidays in Christianity, and Judaism are observed. As part of diversity and Nafeza Deen inclusion, we respectfully request for our holidays to be recognized in schools. Thanks for your consideration. 347 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Being a mother, it becomes very hard to send my son to school in while the rest of the family enjoy the Mosammat Siddiqua religious holiday at home. Therefore, I am requesting the MCPS to put Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) in the Calendar. 348 thank you for making us feel we are part of U.S. mahir haroun 349 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sophie Ka 350 I strongly support the request for Eid Holiday for our children. Shaila Shaikh 351 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. It's our humble request. Please consider it. SYYAD ALI 352 Nancy Sinyan 353 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Firoz Kabir 354 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ahad Shaikh 355 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Faadil Shaikh 356 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Hana Shaikh 357 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar ABIR FAREED 358 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shahida Chowdhury 359 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohamed Reyal

16 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 360 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Jibran Misbah 361 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ruma Akter 362 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Rakeen Mahmud 363 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Afroza Begum 364 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. ATM Mahmud 365 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar HAZEM ALI 366 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ghada Shams 367 hocine hemsas 368 Yes, we do need days off on out Eid celebration because we have to go pray in the morning, and just like Christmas, its our big day to celebrate the end of a holy month. And again a month and 10 Azka Riaz days after the first celebration. 369 My kids need to get Eid days off because that is out big celebration Asma Jehan 370 I am a student, and I need days off on my Eid celebration days Zahra Riaz 371 Would love to see Eid , and end of Ramadan given off . Regards Ousmane Ousmane Mbaye 372 I strongly support the Muslim Eid Holiday in Montgomery Counting Public School Every Year. Mohammad Huque 373 Hi, Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank You. Salma Dasti 374 As a parents, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you . Helmi Baisa 375 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Saydah Mubarack 376 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. A AbuDagga 377 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Tariq Bokhari 378 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Ul Adha be added to the MCPS calendar as a Muslim Holiday. Thank you Yayah Madekur 379 I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thanks Samia Farouk 380 I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thanks. Wafa Jawad 381 Good day all, I would like to request for MCPS to please include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Adha and Eid Ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much! Zainab Salami

382 I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Maha Jawad 383 I moved to Montgomery County because of its reputation for having good school system, for having good government, and for having a well diversified community. Please continue to be fair to Ahmad Shehadeh muslim students in this community and include eid ul adha holiday on next years school calender. thanks 384 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid UI Adha) for the Muslim students is added in the MCPS Calender. Nuri Rosyidi 385 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Salma Diallo 386 Please include EId-ul-adha and Eid-ul-Fitr , the 2 Islamic holidays in your calendar . These are very important days for all Muslims and it would be wonderful for the children to spend time with their Afnu VC family on these days . 387 All i am asking is to include the two muslim holidays in your school calender faizul khan 388 Want holiday for eid Anita Sakhi 389 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for Muslim teachers and students in the MCPS calendar. Since we recognize other faiths, we need to also acknowledge that our school system has Borno Suzan become even more diverse with the growth in numbers of Muslim teachers and students. As teachers we are regularly reminded of equitable practices. The BOE should also be a model for this practice. Muslim teachers should not have to take personal leave for such an important holiday. Muslim students should not have to feel torn between missing school or missing this holiday.

390 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ryhana Reyal

17 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 391 Several states in the USA has declared Eid day as holiday. I believe MCPS can be a pioneer in this regard Nazrul Islam 392 Please add the Eid holiday to the mcps calendar. Amani Kharma 393 As a parents, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you . Nadia Baisa 394 Amani Elkassabany 395 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ousmane faye 396 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha and Eid Ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Arshad R 397 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. MARYAM MUAZU 398 Holiday for Eid Ul Adah Nasir Malik 399 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ismael Koroma 400 Please make eid al fitr and eid al adha holidays on the mcps calendar, just as you do for Jewish holidays. I have to take leave without pay just to observe my religion. My Muslim students have to Rebecca Gomez miss an instructional day or miss spending one of only two major Islamic holidays with their families. My dedicated students even went to very early prayers then left the festivities of their families so they wouldn't miss any classwork. 401 As a parents, I would like to request that Eid Holidays ( Eid Ul Adha EI'd Ul Fitr ) for the Muslim Students are added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you. Al Budman 402 As a staff, parent, and community member, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students and staff (along with Jewish and Christian Holdiays) is added in the MCPS Farhana Shah Calendar beginning school year 2016-17 403 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shagul H FAKHRUDDIN 404 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Rashid Reyazuddin 405 Mbaru Ceesay 406 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Tabassum Fatiam 407 I am asking for eid as a holiday for the muslim community. Other religions have their holiday marked on the calendar, while muslims have to make-up work for when they are absent. We only have Tasnim Ullah 1 day that we want ,while other religions have more, like 3 or 4. Kids have to make-up many work and kids in higher grades have so much work that may affect their grades. We miss tests and than have a bad grade in them because we weren't able to go. Also we don't learn things on the day we miss and we get a test the next day. Then we have no idea what they are talking about and get a bad grade. We muslim kids think it is unfair for all of us to miss important things at school. If we have it as a holiday, we will be able to start our work the very next and not worry. Just like other religions. Other religions get their holidays, so why can't we?

408 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thanks Tamer Nasr 409 Hello, I am the parent of 2 children who attends Montgomery County Public School. Just like everyone, I would also like to have an Eid Holiday to be put on the calendar so that we can have a day of Nurjahan Uddin joy without worrying about schools, tests....etc. I would greatly appreciate your decision based on just/fairness which you feel comes from your heart. Thank you for your time and considerations, Ms. Nurjahan Uddin 410 Please include the Eid Holiday Eid Ul Adha for Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar in the 2017-2018 calendar year. Farah Nageer 411 Adeeba Tareq 412 As a residence of Montgomery county community member I would like to request to include Idul Adha as a holiday in school calender Kamal Saikh 413 I would like to request to include EiD-Ul-Adha as a holiday in Montgomery public school calender. Rosena Saikh 414 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nafisa Mohamed 415 Eid Ul Adha Maisah Bateman 416 We, as a Muslim family, hope to be able to celebrate Eid without having to miss a school day. I encourage considering Eid days to be holidays. Sana Akili 417 MCPS claims diversity, but in reality, only takes into consideration the needs of students similar to the MCPS administration. If MCPS truly cares about the needs of ALL students, Eid will be a Naghma Husain holiday (where schools close, not useless recognition) just as they are closed on Hanukkah, Christmas, Easter, Yom Kip pour, etc. 418 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Syed Ali

18 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 419 As a community member,I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid-Ul Adha)for the Muslims students is added to MCPS calender. Eman Badr 420 Magda Nasr 421 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Muddessar Nadeem 422 Please include the Eid Holiday for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Farid Ahmed 423 Lubna Malik 424 As a Muslim student, I would like to add the Eid holidays to the calendar. I understand that it is hard to predict because the date changes every year; that is a legitimate reason. But, currently, New Maniza Habib York excuses all students on these holidays. MCPS excuses Christian holidays and Jewish holidays, and the next major religion in MCPS is Islam. There are so many people I know personally that are forced to make a tough decision on Eid because of school, and many of them end up choosing school because of how hard it is to catch up and the guilt they feel for skipping it. Then, later they feel guilt and regret for skipping out on one of the only two days we get in a year to celebrate as collective Muslims. I celebrated Eid-al-Adha this year instead of going to school, and I am STILL making up work and trying to catch up, but I couldn't miss such an important day, religiously and family wise. No one else has this disadvantage. It makes me sad every time Eid rolls around and it's not on the weekend. Even more repulsing was when MCPS decided to scrub off all religious holidays names, and called them professional days. This was so obviously a tactic to avoid the issue. It was extrmeemly cowardly.

425 Diwali and Eid should be holidays recognized by MCPS Tanvi Malhotra 426 We shoud have the eid holidays off because increasing number of muslim students. It’s only fair. My friend is forced to have to give up time on Eid for school. We should fairly accomidate all major e s religious groups in our school district. 427 The Eid holidays should be included in the calendar. As a Muslim, I know that these holidays are important and these are family holidays. I like to have the family home, and Eid is not the same oliza Khanam without my children. 428 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Tazneen Khan 429 We should have a day off for people to celebrate Eid. Judy Tram 430 Please add the Eid Holiday (Eidul Adha) to the IDA School Year Calendar. Syed Husain 431 Please include Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammed Rahman 432 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nazea Khan 433 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Imran Chaudhri 434 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Rashid Shah 435 I'd like to request Eid a county holiday. Jonathan Andrian 436 Dear MCPS, Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) in the MCPS Calendar. It would mean so much, and help build community. New York City did it this year to such acclaim and joy across faith Saima Siddiqui communities. Thank you so much for your consideration. Warm regards, Saima Siddiqui and Kamran Khan Parents of two Walt Whitman High School Students who are very involved and love their school! 437 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Liz K 438 Fatima Hassan 439 I will like Eid to be added to the mcps for the Muslims students Fatima Hassan 440 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sofien Benslimane 441 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Fathima Zuhurudeen 442 Kindly, please include the Islamic holiday Eid (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. I currently have 3 of my kids in the system (one at Whitman HS and two at Burning Tree ES) Enver Kamal and two that have graduated from the system (both from Whitman HS). My kids always have to make up the work /tests/quizzes when they miss school due to Eid, where as for students of other major faiths the calendar seem to be designed so that they get the holiday off from school. This puts our kids at a disadvantage (let alone the fact that they do not get days off for their religious days as their friends of other faith). Many thanks for your consideration

19 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 443 Please include the 2 Eid Holidays for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Samrina Khan 444 Please add the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. gihan hafez 445 Please include the EID Holiday )EID ULADHA) for the Muslim Students MCPS Calender. Adam Tahiru 446 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Yassine Belkhodja 447 I just want to add the Eid Holday for the Muslim student in the MCPS calendar Tahar Slimani 448 everyone's holidays and significant religious events should be recognized. Students shouldn't have to miss their time in the classroom because school doesn't allow them time to worship and Danie Stewart celebrate. Eid is a major example. Not including all holidays in days that students get off can isolate students of different religions, and limits other students understanding of these religions.

449 Eid ULDaha. Malak Abdelrazig 450 Eid Ul Edha holiday. Mohamed Suliman 451 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha and Eid Ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. AMBREEN ILYAS 452 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha and Eid Ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Umar Syyid 453 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mona Hamdy 454 Tufail Ahmad 455 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you Nabeel Haider 456 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. aissatou mbaye 457 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. As of now, Christian and Jewish holidays are off (even if not marked as such on the calendar). We have a Shabina Ahmed large Muslim population in our diverse county, and would like to be able celebrate our holiday. I am a former MCPS student, and my older two children are currently in second grade in MCPS, with a third joining in one year. Your consideration is greatly appreciated. ~Dr. Shabina Ahmed 458 Considering the number of Muslims within this county, I strongly support recognizing our Eids holidays in your school year calendar. The Muslims require only a day off to celebrate each of the Eid. KABIR ISA Thank you so much for your move towards bring our community together. 459 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sonia Farhat 460 We know all too well the negative impact of ‘separate but equal’ policy. Having all of our students to celebrate their important regions holiday is important for all of us. Thank you for on considering Ibrahim Mohamed including the Eids for the Muslim students. Every school allows the Muslim student to miss those two Eids without penalty but that is not the same. Thank you Montgomery County for Proposed Policy IDA School Year Calendar 461 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Abdul chaudhary 462 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nabil Ben Ltaifa 463 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Luz Perez 464 Request to include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Adha and Eid Ul Fitr; the sacred days for the Muslims) in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammad Islam 465 Please add the Muslim Holiday for Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha on the school calendar. As we would like to have the day to spend with our children and family. This holiday is equivalent to those who Siemy Khan celebrate Christmas so the significance of Muslim holidays it great. 466 Please include EID holiday(eid ul adha) for the muslim students in the mcps calendar Shafeena Niyas 467 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Jamal Najmi 468 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the Yazdani Syed 469 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Maroof Farhat

20 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 470 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. As a former Muslim student of the MCPS community, this would go a long way in making Muslim students Tasnia Habib feel included in the school system. As there are many Muslims in MCPS with a growing number, it only makes sense to include this as part of the MCPS calendar. I know diversity is a goal of the MCPS school system and they should honor their commitment by including Eid in the school calendar. Thank you so much for your consideration.

471 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohid Farazi 472 As a student, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Ali-Reza Aqul 473 Please close schools on Eid Holidays for Muslim Students. I request the schools be closed on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017" Two of my kids go to Thurgood Marshall Elementary School and my oldest Jamal Najmi goes to Ridgeview Middle School. 474 Would love to see Eid as a school holiday Alma Rashid 475 As a Muslim, I would like to request that eid holiday (Eid up adha) for the Muslim students is added in the MCPS calendar. Mohammed AZIM 476 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sadaf Huque 477 Please consider adding Eid Fitr Day, Eid Adha Day and the Day before Eid Adha (Arafa) to the school holidays as the number of students observing these holidays has been on the rise Ayman Nassar

478 As a community member, I would like to request that the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students is added in the MCPS calendar. Quazi Hafiz 479 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Omnia Joehar 480 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS. Ayesha nasir 481 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Alex Joseph 482 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Bika F 483 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Abdul Baig 484 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. I have so many family members and children of friends who are in the MCPS school system who deserve Fasiha Khan to have their holidays recognized instead of missing school to attend the holiday. I grew up in the MCPS system and I always wished that our holidays would be on the calendar. Thanks.

485 Children deserve that day as an holiday its like missing christmas . Mariam Irshad 486 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Elisabeth Khan 487 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. SUFIA ABDUR-RAHMAN 488 Dear Educationists As a parent I would request to include the two days off for two Islamic Holidays (Eid-ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha,) which are about 70 days apart. My sons who are attending Whitman Mohammad Kamal High School and Burning Tree Elementary School, need to miss classes to meet the religious obligations. It is especially hard on them as they are left out and always have to make up for missed tests or activities and homework. Whereas students of other major faiths get to enjoy their holidays without loss. This also makes them feel isolated. Please consider adding the days of Eid as an off day for all students in the county. Thank you very much for your consideration.

489 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. As a community we need to recognize the holidays of a second largest religion in the world. Hass Bashir

490 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Samreen Rana 491 Add all faith based holidays to the school calendar. abdul m 492 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. R. Amir Walker 493 As a Muslim parent residing in Montgomery County, I request the county to please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. I currently have three Maryam Khan children who will be going through the Montgomery County school system. 494 I request the county to please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. I currently have three children who are in the Montgomery County school system. Adnaan Ahmad

21 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 495 Kamal Moinuddin 496 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Kamal Moinuddin 497 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Aamir Ajmeri 498 Please include Eid ul-Adha to MCPS academic calendar. MCPS is consistently rated one of the greatest counties of this nation. With such prestige, county board members can make real change to Nasif Ahmed our country just as New York City Public schools had but showing that young Muslims do not need to feel fear of prosecution, and can openly celebrate their faith. Furthermore, an act like this can stifle the ignorant voices heard around the US, and may even bring more open mindedness to the inclusion of not just Muslim children, but children that do not fully share the background of the white majority. It would be obvious to state that the inclusion of this holiday would keep Muslim youth from choosing between their academics and their faith.

499 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ishrat Sultana 500 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ishrat Sultana 501 I appreciate all the deliberation by MCPS, the Board of Education, and most of all, by affected students and parents in the community, to make the school calendar more inclusive. I urge you to add Deborah Trent the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for Muslim Students to the MCPS Calendar. 502 Please include the Eid Holidays Eid ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Muhammad Habib 503 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Syed Ahmed 504 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Fariha Jafrani 505 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Georgia Stavrou 506 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Scotia Code 507 I would like to request the 2 major Muslim holidays of EID be observed by the school systems, since we have such a large community in the county. Athar Bayoumi 508 I support the proposed policy. Dan Kaif 509 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid ul-Adha) for Muslim students in the MCPS calendar. It is very troubling that holidays for other faith communities would be recognized and celebrated but holidays Lynn Eppard for our Muslim children and families would not. 510 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid ul-Adha) for our Muslim students in your calendar for next year. Kamilah Wakil 511 Alina Khan 512 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Saleem Farooqui 513 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Arsal MUNAWAR 514 Please close schools on Eid Holidays for Muslim Students. I request the schools be closed on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 Amir Ahmed 515 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ayesha Faizi 516 Please close schools on Eid Holidays for Muslim Students. I request the schools be closed on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 Firasath Mohammed 517 Generally the IDA school year calendar looks good but something seems to be missing. The thing that is missing is allowances for individuals to get religious days off or at minimum calling them K W interim breaks in order for students and staff to observe their religious holidays. I am a college student and I always take off for my holidays. I have had instances where college professors did not want to approve my missing class that day and that really just sucks, given that I only have 2 holidays in my religious calendar and they only span 4-6 days in totality. Frankly if the school board does not institute a policy to allow for these exemptions or days off parents are well within their rights to simply not comply and have a right in this country to do so.

518 As a community member I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha and Eid-Ul-Fitr) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Please. Kamilah Wakil 519 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Moona Quader 520 Nusrat Shah 521 Please include Eid holidays for our children. Thank you Fatima Folawiyo 522 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sawsan Darwish

22 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 523 s a ______, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Habib Omeredin 524 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Latifa Khan 525 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Albana Grumira 526 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar ZAHID NOOR 527 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar SABA HAMID 528 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Rahim Chowdhury 529 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Rehana Chowdhury 530 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. David Smith 531 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Salam Zughayer 532 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nicole Chowdhury 533 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Norris Chowdhury 534 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Norris Chowdhury 535 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Norris Chowdhury 536 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. samiul khan 537 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. mahmood khan 538 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shikdhar khan 539 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Bahran Sarker 540 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Salma Sharaf 541 My daughter is a 6th grader at Rosa Parks Middle School. This year she stayed home from school on Eid and celebrated the holiday with me and the rest of the family. I support making Eid days Daniel Beavin school holidays. Islam is a major, growing religion at least as important as Judaism and Christianity. If you choose to take Rosh Hashana and Yom Kipper off the list of school holidays as well as Christian holidays I could see some justification. The policy needs to be fair and inclusive. 542 Please Eid Hoildays in MCPS calender for 2016 Thanks Saeeda Qureshi 543 I have a 5 year old that will be entering the montgomery county school system next year and I would appreciate it if you could please include the Muslim Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) in the MCPS Taimoor Qureshi Calendar going forward 544 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sara Husain 545 Please include the Eid Holidays ( Eid Ul Fitr & Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Jaweed Mohammed 546 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Taj Hussain 547 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar asmi Jaweed 548 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Bilal Naved 549 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Hassan Idris 550 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Lara Idris 551 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sidra Khan 552 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Salman Yusuf 553 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Alina Salman 554 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Haniya Salman 555 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Noor Salman 556 Hiba Khan

23 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 557 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Hiba Khan 558 "Please close schools on Eid Holidays for Muslim Students. I request the schools be closed on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017" Khurram Shahzad 559 Please, please, please add the muslim holidays to your calendar :) Thank you!! Amna Malik 560 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Yewbdar bedada 561 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. jabriel webb 562 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Amir Ahmed 563 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ayub Ahmed 564 Please include Idul Fitr and Idul Adha in the school holidays. Thanks. hyder ali lakhani 565 I fully support this policy Yamin Choudhury 566 Please include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. These are two essential Holidays for Muslims. Whole families celebrate them together. Nehal Shah

567 I would like the county to observe Eid as a holiday since it's a religious holiday for Muslims just like any of the other religion holidays Mbaru Ceesay 568 Please include Eid holiday in the next school calendar . Azzat Elkafass 569 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Farid Ahmed 570 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Hind Abdelmati 571 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nadia Yousufzai 572 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ismaeel Dasti 573 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ishaq Dasti 574 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ilyas Dasti 575 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Al Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Marwa Ahmed 576 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohamed Younis 577 Mariam Younis 578 Please include the Eid Holiday (Muslim Holiday) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mariam Younis 579 Yes. Please add Eid to school calendar. Thanks. Kareemah Imam 580 I think it is time to include Eid holidays (two Muslim holidays; Eid ul Fitr & Eid ul Adha) in the school calendar, please. There are enough Muslim students to warrant this change. Tammy Dar

581 I am asking the Board Of Education to continue the fair and equal treatment to all members of community including students and staff and add Eid Al Adha to MCPS calendar. Eid Aldha will fall on Samira Hussein 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. By adding these dates to the calendar and closing schools on those days, you will be making our county schools an excellent example of quality education and models of tolerance and respect to diversity 582 As a community member and former student, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Enter student, parent or community Fatimah Waseem member in the blank above. If you are student in MCPS, enter "student", if you are a Parent of a student in the MCPS school, enter "parent", otherwise enter "community member."

583 We have 2 important days to celebrate. One comes right after Ramazan( fasting) and the other comes approximately two months after-- Eid ul Adha -- when we make a sacrifice of a cattle and Farida Lakhani distribute to the poor and needy. Both Eids are very important for a Muslim. It would be really appreciated if the count includes these two important holidays in the school calendar.

584 Please add Eid Holiday (Eidul Adha) to the IAD School Year Calendar Dilnaz HUsain 585 General Feedback on the Policy Khandker Momen 586 Please add the two Eid holidays (Fitr and Adha) Khairul Khan

24 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 587 Think that Eid should be considered as a no school day because Muslims are people too . why are they being judge for what they do . Jews , Christians , Muslims are all the same why can't the world Adji Keinde be a no judgement place because people judge it each of the slitest things . That's why we should have Eid off .!! 588 I have 3 kids in MCPS and they are forced to take off on Eid every year. It is espically hard for my kids in high school because it is hard for them to make up all the work and not fall behind. Students Rubina Mohammed need off on Eid In order to enjoy the holiday rather than stress about schoolwork. 589 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you. Rahayu Hafsari 590 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. They did it in New York. MoCo should be progressive too. Aliyah Shah 591 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. El Hadji Diagne 592 Close school on Hindu religious holiday "diwali" please Rahi Shah 593 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Amina Braimi 594 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shahnewaj Begum 595 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. hafizur rahman 596 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Also Chinese New Year! Laura Li 597 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Abdullah AlSulaihat 598 As a citizen of Montgomery County and parent of two children attending Washington Grove Elementary School, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is Tarif Shraim added in the MCPS Calendar. I sincerely hope that you give this issue due consideration and that you grant this needed religious accommodation for our children in the county. Thank you.

599 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Farrah Lakhani 600 Please include Eid Holiday (Eid UK Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS calender. Fatoumata J. Touray 601 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sophia Shaikh 602 Put Eid holiday for Muslim community on MCPS calendar. Seada Degu 603 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mazharul Islam 604 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Lata Ganesh 605 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ghada Haboub 606 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sara Haboub 607 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Abdelrahman Haboub 608 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Osman Haboub 609 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ameen Haboub 610 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shyamlee Ahmed 611 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Ismat Sarwar 612 Holiday for both eids Laila Hafiz 613 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shaheen Khan 614 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Imtiaz Khan 615 I am writing in support of having a school holiday for Eid Al Adha, as many Muslim students feel they have to attend school on this holiday so they wont fall behind. Therefore strictly attendance Milly Osman numbers for past holidays are not enough to judge the number of Muslim students who should rightly be given the day off. thank you

616 Eid should be counted off as a no school day . It should be Muslims are the same as any other people in the world except different religion . Why can't the world be a no judgement place because Adji Keinde people judge each other on the slitest things . Like your hair is to short , you are to talk and more . That's why Eid should counted as a no school day

25 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 617 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mona Kamal 618 I believe that Eid should be a holiday where all students have the day off, for multiple reasons. 1. Muslim students, such as I, have to make up an immense amount of work on a day even though it is Ziyad Kamal an excused absence. 2. Some Muslim students who realize the amount of work they have to make up decide to go to school that day even though it is a holy day where you are not supposed to work. Because of school work students make themselves work on a day where they shouldn't work, which conflicts with religion. 3. I find this to be an act of discrimination where Muslims can not have their own holiday off while other religions do. Christians have their Christmas and Easter off. The Jewish have their Yom-Kippur and Hanukkah off. Why do Muslims not have their Eid off? I have heard that the reason the other religions have their holidays off is because their religious holidays fall on professional days where students do not have to come to school. This is not fair and is a cover up to show MCPS is not discriminating when in a way, they most certainly are. This is indirectly attacking Muslims. Even though Muslims are the minority in the area, why not make everyone happy. Let Eid become an MCPS holiday, grant everyone the day off and instead add a day to the end of the year. I personally feel attacked, along with all the other Muslims. Year after year I continue to have to make up work. I do not want to be discriminated against, I want to have a day off where i won't be required to make up work and catch up on difficult high school courses. Please hear me out along with all the other students, parents, community members, and staff. It is a simple fix. MCPS needs to make Eid a school holiday. If that takes away from the needed amount of days in a school year, add a day at the end of the year.

619 As a former student of MCPS with siblings currently in an MCPS school, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Samina Musa

620 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS Calander. Assia Abdou 621 Please include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammad Choudhury 622 It is unfair to discriminate against Muslims. Ali C 623 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nasadin Abdisalam 624 Please include the two Eid holidays (Eid ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS ' calandar. Thank you. Stephanie Saleh 625 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Maryam Karzai 626 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you!!! A Nasir 627 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. S Khan 628 I believe that Muslims and all religions should have equality and have days off for their holidays, such as Eid. We should be bale to have the right of celebrating our holiday without worrying about Nafisat Uddin missed work and absences. 629 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Afza Khan 630 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Afza k 631 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. kuma Mamie 632 Please include Eid Holidays (Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha) for the muslim students as additions to the MCPS Calendar. Thanks! Saheed Oyetunde 633 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Tazneen Jamshed 634 Mariyam Monowara 635 We need school off for Eid . Joynab Monowara 636 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ariff Cassim 637 Please include the Eid Holiday( Eid UK Adha)for the Muslim students in the MCPS calender. Amie Danso

26 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 638 At a time when intolerance and lack of understanding is feeding acts of hate and violence across America, it's a she that MCPS would take a step towards removing all religious holidays from their Rumama Ahmed calendar. This county is built upon religious and ethnic diversity, and recognizing that diversity and exemplifying it is what makes this country so powerful and successful. Taking holidays that reflect religious diversity, especially of the largest religions of the world, will make it a victory for those who advocate for intolerance and supports the efforts of the young individual in Oregon who took his intolerance further by killing innocent Christians. Recognizing and highlighting the religious and cultural diversity of you nation and through our schools is an essential part of the community's and a schools responsibility to teach respect and tolerance. It is important for for Jewish, Christian and Muslim holidays to be reflected on the school calendar. These are the three largest religions in the world. Recognizing these holidays on a calendar is not a violation of the rule of separation of religion and state as no one is required to partake in the particular activities, beliefs and practices of these religions for their holidays. This is a country of progress and we lead my example. While sadly MCPS has taken a step backwards in wanting to remove holidays from their calendars, it's not to late to change this embarrassing and drastic mistake. The White House and government agencies recognize major holidays, NYC has been a lease in taking the first steps in the U.S. to recognize and make the Muslim Holidays of Eid officially a school holiday so schools can be closed and those who prCtice the second largest religion in the world has the freedom in this country of freedom to celebrate their holiday. The fact is that now that one major city has taken this step, this will most definitely become a growing trend. The question is whether MCPS will also be a leading example from the start rather than a late follower to what is rightful, what is the American way. As a former MCPS student, I encourage my representatives and board members to re-review their policy and not ask what it helps to avoid but what harm it could cause and ask what the right thing is to do here in line with American values and our rich diversity. Thank you, Rumana

639 As a community member, I would like to request that the Eid Holidays (Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha) for the Muslim Students are added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you. Bari Bako

640 Please close school on the two religious holidays Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. Arzoo Paracha 641 Joynab Monoaar 642 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Hassen Abadico 643 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mariam Bagtian 644 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Hayatt Abadico 645 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Khalid Abadico 646 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Yasmin Abadico 647 School should be off at Muslim holidays like New York school. MD Razon 648 Close for eid like new york John mo 649 We shold have school closed for our religious holiday Nadeem Butt 650 I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Niveen Fahmy 651 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Amira Hussein 652 Include Eid Al Adha holiday in the school calendar Ahmad Abubakar 653 I would very much like the school board to add the two Muslim holidays to the school calendar. EID ADHA AND EID FITR. Also close the schools for those two holidays. Nadirah Rasheed

654 Please include Eid holiday for Muslim students Muhammad Khan 655 Dr Maqbool Patel 656 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. W J 657 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Omar Hagi 658 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. M J 659 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. F J 660 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. S J

27 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 661 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ayub Maye 662 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ahmed Ali 663 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. K A 664 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mustafa Jama 665 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. W N 666 MCPS should recognize the 2 EID as holidays for muslim students Zaine Haq 667 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Adam Noor 668 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Farah Mohamed 669 Hello, Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Mamadou Sanogo. Mamadou Sanogo 670 Mohammad Shahjahan 671 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zahida Baig 672 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Mahamed Mohamed 673 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Hassan Idris 674 Please include the Muslim Eid Holidays in the calendar. Sandra Hickey 675 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Swadeka Patmah 676 I would like to request that Eid holiday and Eid ul Adha for the muslim student. Thank you Meseret Nuru Meseret nuru 677 I would like to request that Eid holiday and Eid ul Adha for the muslim student. Thank you Meseret Nuru Meseret nuru 678 When I was going through Montgomery county public schools, I always had to have a leave of absence for our religious holiday Eid. We had to make up school work we missed. As a first time parant Maimuna Haque I don't want that for my child. I want him to be able to celebrate a religious holiday with out missing any school work. Other holiday is being recognized and as a parant and a community member I would greatly appreciate this opportunity for our children. Thank you. 679 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nelofar Anwar 680 As a parent of three kids and various cousins (their kids student at MCPS) I would like to ask include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thanks. Elias Beyan

681 Please include the two Eid Holidays for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Please add back the reasons for why we have days off. Please try to minimize the number of early release days Margaret Johnson and days off in the first half (fall semester) of the calendar, especially in September. My kids have a hard time shifting back to the school schedule when they have so many days off and half-days at the beginning of the school year. I realize there are two many days off, and it is hard to add another. Alternatively, consider holding school on the Jewish and Muslim holidays. Let the kids and their parents decide which days to take off. My kids have to take off the Jewish holidays and then the Muslim holidays. It is too many days off. What can't we just have school for those three days and the kids do the make-up work for the days that need a religious excuse? Put the holidays on the calendar, so everyone will know and can plan for the larger number of absences on those days. Make them no-test days, rather than holidays. Please be aware that the demographics of the county are changing, especially in Upper Montgomery County. Thank you for your consideration.

682 I request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. I am a current employee of MCPS, parent of Sophia Fakri, Senior at Walter Johnson High School, daughter of a Muslim Rosemarie Dapena father whom she was not able to join in high celebrations due to school hours. This circumstance was also present with her sister, Laila Fakri who graduate last year from WJHS. Rosemarie Dapena 7400 Lakeview Drive, 102 Bethesda, MD Abdelhamid Fakri 61 Bralan Court Gaithersburg, MD 683 Please help our kids celebrate our religious holiday without having the burden of missing out on home work or important class material. Zain Ahmed 684 we are a community our kid they need school year calender . Mohammed Ahmed 685 I kindly request that schools be closed for Eid al-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Nadia Musa 686 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Khurshid Noor 687 Hu Do

28 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 688 Hello. I am a graduate of RMHS and its first IB Full Diplomate. As a Muslim, my life has been impacted by MoCo Board of Education's decisions. I have had to endure many days where my religious Nasima Ali obligations conflicted with or were pushed aside by MCPS schools remaining open on our holy days. This interference between church and state was experienced by my 2 siblings and 11 cousins as we grew up. Now, the 14 families are affected through our children experiencing the same. Sometimes teachers are scheduling tests, quizzes and projects on these days. Please make 9/12/2016 and 9/13/2016 school closures next year to spare our families and many others this pain. In 2017, the days are 9/1 and 9/2. Thank you,

689 I kindly request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Quadeer Ahmed 690 Please keep schools OPEN for Eid. The decisions should be based on attendance history, not what the actual holiday is. J Lavine 691 I'm a Muslim parent with kids in MCPS schools. I want the schools to close for Muslim holidays. Jehad Edwan 692 Montgomery County Public Schools should be closed for Eid al-Adha 0n 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. My daughter, Amina Makhdoom, attended Frost Junior High and Wotton High Schools years ago rashid Makhdoom and I could see the anguish in her face to attend the school on the Eid holidays. Being a high achiever and highly competitive student very conscious of her grades, while she did not want to miss her religious obligations at the same time she did not want to lose her grades by missing lessons and assignments, her GPA and her competitive edge in her class. It was a very frustration situation for her and she always asked me: Dad, should I let my religious observations go or should I let my grades fall?

693 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammad Tariq 694 As a former MCPS student, it was disruptive having to miss Eid while all my classmates did not. Please provide both Eids as a day off in the MCPS school year. Idris Mokhtarzada 695 Tawa Dania 696 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. james roberson 697 I completely advocate for closing schools on Eid-ul-Adha on September 12, 2016 and September 1, 2017. As a Muslim teacher, I find that I need to use my own personal leave for the Eid holiday Fauzia Ahmad which I find unfair as I do not observe other holidays when schools are closed. During my last 11 years teaching, I am also seeing an increase in a number of Muslim students observing the holiday. Parents (both Muslim and non-Muslim) have also been supportive of this as well. 698 Muslims should get EID ul Adha holiday just like others Sophia Akhtar 699 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nurul Zuhurudeen 700 Yes please make Eid a holiday on the MCPS calendar. Shazia Queraishi 701 Good Afternoon, Please, include Eid Holidays (Eid Al-Adha and Eid-u-Fitr (Ramada) for Muslim students in the MCPS Calender. Thanks for your continuous Co-operation and Support. Abdoulah Oyolola

702 We would like to see Eid on the calendars as a day off. This year Eid fell on one day after a Jewish holiday so I didn't think it would be good for my child to miss another day of school. So I sent him in. sahar hamidi This resulted in a the day not even feeling like a holiday as we couldn't celebrate until after he came home and even that was extremely difficult as the school routine still needs to stand .

703 I would like to request that schools be closed for the holiday Eid-ul-Adha on 09/12/2016 and 09/01/2017. I live in North Bethesda and my daughter, Layla (16) attends Walter Johnson HS. James Huff

704 Yes we want to school off on our special Eid days . Thanks a lot Saima Abbasi 705 I would like to see the Muslim Eid holidays added to the school calendar. As a former student in MCPS, it was always difficult for me to have to miss class in order to celebrate my religious holidays Mahmoud Khan while other religions were given included holidays, such as Yom Kippur and Christmas. I would like to see MCPS follow the example of New York public schools and be all inclusive to all members of their community. As a father of a child who will be entering school in the coming years, I want to see this implemented so my child does not feel excluded or different to other classmates.

706 Hello - I am a long time Montgomery county resident! I implore the committee to close MCPS for the Islamic Eid holiday on 9/12/16 and 9/1/17. There are many Muslim students and staff in the Ali Esfahani county that would benefit from this. The current policy of closing only for Judeo-Christian holidays is not sustainable in 21st century Montgomery county. Currently many Muslim students and staff attend school on these holidays because they feel they will be placed at an academic disadvantage if they stay home. This is not fair. Please consider this proposal favorably. Ali 6401 Winnipeg rd Bethesda md 20817

29 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 707 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Mahmud Usman 708 Please include the EID Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS calender. Thank you very much for your support. Abdul Zafar 709 As a parent of school-aged children who must choose between whether to go to school or celebrate an important holiday, I would like to request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 Courtney Mask and 9/1/2017. Thank you. 710 I ask that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. I am a parent of three MCPS graduates and live in Montgomery County: 410 Center Street, Washington Grove, MD. Elizabeth Klinger

711 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nasreen Mohammed 712 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Arif Khan

713 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Faqir Ahmed 714 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. My children attend Baker Aliya Khan Middle School and Damascus High School 715 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. I go to Damascus High School Imaane Khan

716 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. I go to Baker Middle School Aalim Khan

717 Holiday off for Muslim eid Ashia Begum 718 Please allow the important Muslim Holidays of Edul Adha and Eidul Fitr to be on your school year calendar as official holidays. Our children need to be at their places of worship on that day and Mona Negm have a chance to celebrate with their families and friends. Thank you for hearing our pleas 719 the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Amani Abdelmuti 720 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Saber Selim 721 tehreem Haq 722 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Q Dantro 723 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sarah Goff-Tlemsani 724 Please include The Eid Holliday ( Eid ul Adha) for Muslim students in the school calendar. Thank you. Nadia Zahime 725 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Umar Farooq 726 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Darakshinda Farooq 727 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Humna Farooq 728 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Keyria Mahamed 729 This request is that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. My home address is 14305 Stoneview Place, N. Potomac 20878. My eldest attends an MCPS school, but by 2017, I Falisha Alie will have two children in an MCPS. 730 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. sabiha chowdhury 731 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Besnik Grumira 732 Bono Alie 733 Tamir Diab 734 would like to have school closed on eid Fatima Khan 735 Galen Muhammad

30 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 736 •Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. . Address: 2811 Cornet Court, Silver Spring, MD 20904 . Children's school: Briggs Chaney Middle School Fatou Sohna

737 I am writing this feedback to convey my strongest objection if MCPS is considering to declare the two high holidays of Muslims as day off on MCPS calendar. I have three children attending High, Tauqeer Aslam Middle, and Elementary schools. We strongly appose the idea to even consider having a permanent holiday on MCPS calendar. It goes against the very basic tenants of our religion as we do not know the exact day till the very end. There have been many irrational movement in the past and we are glad that none were successful. We are happy that MCPC recognizes it as an excused leave. Apart from being excused from school, we recommend that tests should not be scheduled on this day Nor should Muslim children have to make up for missed homework. I urge MCPS to keep granting Muslim students appropriate accommodations so that they will not suffer adverse consequences for celebrating their high holiday and DO NOT fix any day for future calendar.

738 Hello, Please include the Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the muslim students in the MCPS calendar. Thank you very much. _Maqsood Hoosein Maqsood Hoosein 739 Please add Muslim holidays, Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha. Mohamed Barakat 740 Mohamed Nasr 741 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammed Rahamatullah 742 Muslim EID (Eidul-Fater & Eidul Adha) school should be closed for the students to celebrate Eid with their families and friends. Mohammad Mowla 743 Fatemeh Ghandi 744 I am writing this feedback to convey my strongest objection if MCPS is considering to declare the two high holidays of Muslims as day off on MCPS calendar. I have three children attending High, Saima Tauqeer Middle, and Elementary schools. We strongly appose the idea to even consider having a permanent holiday on MCPS calendar. It goes against the very basic tenants of our religion as we do not know the exact day till the very end. There have been many irrational movement in the past and we are glad that none were successful. We are happy that MCPC recognizes it as an excused leave. Apart from being excused from school, we recommend that tests should not be scheduled on this day Nor should Muslim children have to make up for missed homework. I urge MCPS to keep granting Muslim students appropriate accommodations so that they will not suffer adverse consequences for celebrating their high holiday and DO NOT fix any day for future calendar.

745 I believe it is a very bad idea to add more religious holidays to the school calendar. There should be no outside religious intrusion into our public schools. Christopher Gotwols 746 I want to request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. As the parent of 3 Muslim kids this Holiday is very important to all of us. Thank you and Best Regards Tania Khan

747 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Taariq Mohammed 748 Please include Eid Holiday in the MCPS calendar. Currently my children have to miss school for their religious holiday while their Christian and Jewish classmates have scheduled school holidays on Khuram Khan their religious days. This makes them feel marginalized and that their religion doesn't deserve planned days off on the school schedule.

749 School should be closed on Eid 9/12/16 and 9/1/17. My children attend MCPS also many of my nieces and nephews. Hazard Akter(age 14 daughter) attends Quince Orchard Highschool Omer Islam Nurul Afsar (age 9 son) attends Rachel Carson Elementary School My daughter, Bibi Fatima(age 5) also attends RCES. I also have many nieces and nephews who attend LPMS, RCES, QOHS, and more who are Muslim. 750 Selwa Bafi 751 Taha Farid 752 It would be great to give Muslim students the Eid holiday off, just as their Christian and Jewish peers have their own holidays off. Equal treatment under the law is an important thing and 1 day of Hamzah Raza school can easily be made up. 753 Please include the Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar. Hamed Traore 754 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Waseem Khan 755 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Gulerana Khan 756 Please include holiday on eid (Eid ul adha)for Muslim students on mcps calender.we we'll thankful to you for this .thank you so much. zakia bhati 757 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Saeed Khan

31 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 758 Please include holiday on Eid days it's two ( Eid ul fiter) and second is (Eid ul Adha) for Muslim students in mcps calender.thanks naeem ahmed 759 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sana Khan 760 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Fariahah Khan 761 Sam Molson 762 As a Parent,I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid UL Adha) for the Muslim students is added in the MCPS calendar!! Kamil Omar 763 Add Muslim holidays Eid Ul Adha and Eid Ul Fitr Mana Abdelkader 764 Edi holiday for the children!! Sam Mo 765 Eid al Adha off for the children Zayneb Almi 766 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Asif Islam 767 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Aminata Bah 768 Eid holiday to be allowed as requested 9/12/16 and 9/1/17 for Eid al adha. In addition Eid al fitr to be allowed. My children Mahad and Eshal Bhinder were at Carderock Springs elementary last year Faisal Bhinder where Christmas, Yom Kippur, Passover, rosh Hashanah and Hanukah are celebrated 769 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Banjeh Bah 770 please, include the EID HOLIDAY {EID UL ADHA} FOR THE MUSTAF STUDENTS IN THE MCPS CALENDAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH mustaf ibrahim 771 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS calender. Raniya Hussain 772 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Samir Elsalawi 773 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sumer Elsalawi 774 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Yahia Elsalawi 775 Favor for school holiday on EID-muslim religious days. Samina Yousufi 776 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Samir Elsalawi 777 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Samir Elsalawi 778 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. bilkiss dhomun 779 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Feroz Dhomun 780 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Amsatou Gueye 781 Please consider closing schools for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. I have been a teacher with MCPS since 2005. To celebrate Eid, I have used my personal leave every time. I also attended Sophia Sohoratally MCPS schools from Kindergarten through 12th grade and, although there is more awareness now, I have still observed events and tests being scheduled for that day as well as picture day. My daughter will be an MCPS student in the Stonegate ES/Farquhar MS/Blake HS area and I hope she will be able to celebrate Eid without having to worry about missing school.

782 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. My son goes to MCPS school. Raffit Hassan 783 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Usman Tahir 784 Please keep the schools closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Zafir Kazi 785 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Selina Khan 786 Lives in Potomac, MD and my daughter attends Ritchie Park Elementry School Ryhana Reyal 787 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. NAM RAHMAN 788 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Saamiya Baig 789 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Marwa Fayed 790 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mariam Aiyad

32 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 791 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zahida Baig 792 Please include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Adha & Eid Ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Feraz Ashraf 793 Muslim holiday for Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha Sakina Rahim 794 Tariam Jamshed 795 please close schools on Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. ghazala yasmeen 796 Request Eid Holiday for our kids. Farzana Musawwir 797 kabir Jamshed 798 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Suhana Jamshed 799 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 ATM Pervez 800 Muslim should get the holiday EID UL FITR and EID UL ADHA . Anjum Rahim 801 I support Muslim Holiday on Eid calendar, every year Sayeeda Huque 802 Please include Eid holiday for the Muslim students in the mcps calendar. Thank you much! Daro Fall 803 As a student, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Tamanna Jamshed 804 Azzam Abdelkarim 805 It would be moviting for learning process and shaking hands to all religions! sayeeda habib 806 Holiday for Eid Al Adha Ahmad Abubakar 807 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mirza Baig 808 Siham Salim 809 The success of our nation is based on fairness and equality Please approve religious Eid two holidays following New York and 12 other counties as they have already approved Thanks Imtiaz Noor

810 Hello, I would really like MCPS to close school for Eid on September 12, 2016, and on September 1, 2017. I have two children that go to MCPS schools at Piney Branch Elementary School and Elizabeth Hoyt Takoma Park Middle School. Thank you. 811 Imani Amin 812 Please add Eid ul Adha for Muslim students on the Calendar. Nazish Mithaiwala 813 Please include the Eid holiday celebrated by the muslim students. Yawar Shams 814 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shabana Maryam 815 I'm a Montgomery County resident and parent of two students attending Fields Road Elementary School. I believe that schools should be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Schools Hattab Haidara should be closed for Eid-ul- Fitr ( end of Ramadan) as well 816 Please include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Adha and ul fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mehwish Karim 817 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid ul Adha) For the Muslim Students in the MCPS calendar. Thank you. Mahmuda Jamshed 818 We are making an urgent request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. My son is a student of Stone Mill ES. Sincerely, Md Shafiul Alam Elahee MD ELAHEE

819 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Farzana Shakir 820 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Atif Siddiqui 821 I am requesting that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. I have two children currently in the MCPS system. We reside in Olney, MD and my kids are attending Sherwood Sobia Qureshi High School & Farquhar Middle School.

33 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 822 I am a Rockville, MD resident (5750 Bou Avenue) and have lived in Montgomery County for over 20 years. The growing Muslim population in the county warrants that schools be closed on the Eid Azim Chowdhury holidays. I respectfully request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. 823 Equally to Jewish & Christian holidays we should recognize the Muslim holidays in our public schools. Aziz Mehdi 824 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Mohamed Geunady 825 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Aisha Bamba 826 Yes. That's right. Muslims should have their rights! There should be no school on their holiday. As Americans we should be fair to all religions. I support this very much A M

827 I would like to join many of my friends in requesting that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. I think it's a fair, reasonable thing for Muslim children and will promote Thomas Nephew understanding by the rest of the community. I live in Takoma Park, MD. 828 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zeinab Kamara 829 Adama Diallo 830 Cheikh Toure 831 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Abu Yusef 832 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Fawaya Mohammed 833 We would like schools to be closed on Eid Al Adha. We don't want our kids to miss school, but as of now they are missing school. Yusuf Azaz 834 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. We live in Boyds and our kids go to Ronald McNair ES and kingsview middle school. Yusuf Azaz 835 My neighbors who are Muslims bring a dish to our family. My elementary school children ask why they do that. After hearing that Eid is like Christmas and a little bit about why it is celebrated, I have Umme Sadiqha a hard time explaining why schools are not closed. Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. This will help children respect all religions and all people. 836 We should have Eid-Ul-Adha on the calender because when I miss school for one day, I miss assignments and some teachers do not provide make-ups. I am still recovering my grade, but Safiullah Rifai unfortunately the interim passed. I do not know how long Muslim students have to go through this and compromise their grades. A middle school student, Safiullah Rifai

837 We have many holidays in a school year. As a matter of fact we have at least one holiday in every month of the school year. It is also just an argument of one day. Lastly, it is our right to have a Shakeel Rifai holiday due religious freedom. 838 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) into the MCPS Calendar so that those who celebrate may be able to do so. Ahsan Karim 839 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. AAliyah Shabazz 840 Shaimaa ahmed 841 Hareth jasim 842 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Mahmood Kureshi 843 Eid al ad ha should be a holiday for 2017 May Salloum 844 I am For closing schools on Eid days , the police department is doing a great job helping community members, keep up the great work and time helping citizens & elderly during eid prayers and Yusuf Azizullah protecting Rights of All! 845 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mourad Ghazali 846 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Raja Annabi 847 Please include the Eid holiday(Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar. Markieu Janneh 848 faiza mustapha 849 We r asking please if the school board can considered to close school on the day of Eid Thanks Best regards Mamefatou Diouf 850 We r concerned of the school board to considering closing school on the day of Eid Sincerely CHEIKH O Toure

34 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 851 Yes, we should include Eid on school calender so that kids can get off that day ariful Qadri 852 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Anwar Malik 853 I am a student at Montgomery College. It's unjust for me to go to school on my eid days and no to go the days am not suppose observed. Please let me have holiday on my religious days as Baba Jawara Christians and Jews ..... 854 Salah Zaghal 855 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Najma Mohamed 856 General Feedback on the Policy Zenat Tamanna 857 General Feedback on the Policy, Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zenat Tamanna 858 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shams Abedin 859 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Hina Hussain 860 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Nene Diouf 861 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Mumtaz Kara 862 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar syed kazmi 863 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ashar Bashir 864 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Tabassum Husain 865 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid ul Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS Calendar. Christina Elachi 866 As the parent of a young child who will soon enter the MCPS system, I respectfully request that the Eid Ul Adha Holiday be included for Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. This will allow Farwah Zaidi children to celebrate the biggest holiday of the Islamic calendar with their families, without missing critical educational time during the school year. It will also set a positive example for students by respecting a major world religion's holiday. Thank you for your time and consideration. 867 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha), Eid Ul Fitr and Ashura for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zain Lakhani 868 Please add Eid Holiday at tge school Calander Syed Mehdi 869 I would love for my daughter to be able to stay home knowing that her religion is celebrating a Holiday just like other religions do when they stay home while celebrating their religion. If school AMINA SALEH closes on YUM KIPPUR, ROSH HASHANNA, CHRISTMAS etc and we practice equality in Religion then why not have EID EL FITR a holiday as well.

870 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Koran Johnson 871 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Razlan Jayah 872 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. syeda raza 873 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Adel Baryoun 874 Adding those two Muslims celebration to the school calendar will be great. Aicha Meite 875 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Zena Baryoun 876 Adding those two Muslims celebration to the school calendar will be great. Aicha Meite 877 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Kenz Baryoun 878 General Feedback on the Policy,Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Many teachers have empty classrooms anyways on these days. neelam lakhani

879 School must close for Eid holiday. Sonia Halboni 880 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Nazish Isfahani

881 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nawraz Shawir

35 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 882 As a student and community member, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Nurhan Abdi 883 EID UL ADHA HOLIDAY FOR MUSLIM STUDENTS NASIMA NUSRAT 884 Please include Eid-Ul-Adha in the calender for Muslim Students. Maleeha Haider 885 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Live in Rockville, MD 6 kids attending MCPS Schools, 3 at Richard Montgomery HS, 1 at the Julius West MS, 2 at the Nurifah Muhamad College Garden Elementary School. 886 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ali Shirazi 887 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Faseeh Nooruddin 888 Please add Eid holiday for Muslim students in school. syed husain 889 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calender. Kaniz Fatema 890 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Feeroz Mirza 891 Hi, I am writing to request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. I live on 12630 Blue Sky Drive Clarksburg MD, 20971 My son Ayaan is a student at Wilson Wims Adnaan Ahmad Elementary school and he has two little brothers (3 and 1) who will join him in the future. 892 Please close school for Eid. Otherwise, we are forced to choose between missing school or observing our religion. This Eid, I sent my kids to school a few hours late so that they could attend Eid Salma Salchak prayer but their teachers marked them tardy. This does not serve our children. 893 Ezat Noor 894 I believe all students should be equally treated . the school is closed to observe other holidays, but not to honor Islam Holidays. this year my daughters took holidays to celebrate EID, however the Fowmitha Banu teacher requested to complete all homework for that day immediately next day which I find unfair. when other kids celebrate holidays, they are relaxed and enjoy the holiday. But Muslim children get more work to complete for a missing a day. 895 We request schools to consider Eid al adha as holiday and close school on 9/12/2016 and 9 /1/2017 A dress 5405 tuckerman ln North Bethesda md 20852 School Ashburton elementary Nida Ahmed

896 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Address : 22809 Glacier Lily Dr, clarksburg MD 20871 Kids : Shahima Nazeel attends the Wilson Whims Elementary School Mohamed Muzammil and Shamla Nazeel attends Rocky Hilll Middle school. 897 It is necessary to treat all religion the same. If other holidays are observed, then EID should be observed as well. Shamla Nazeel 898 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Ezat Noor 899 School should be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/16 and 9/1/17. MUREED HUSSAIN 900 Yes, we should be able to get off on Eid day. Thanks Saima Saghir 901 Yes for the Eid-Al--Adha holiday during the school year calendar 2016,2017 and on My daughter Kahina Ahmim attends Kentlands middle school gaithersburg Maryland Khider Ahmim

902 Dear MCPS School Board, I would greatly appreciate your including the Eid-ul-Adha holidays as no-school days next September 12, 2016 and September 1, 2017. My family lives at 7416 Oskaloosa Cathy Mahmud Drive in the Richard Montgomery district and my son, Tarik, attends Julius West Middle School. My two older kids graduate from Richard Montgomery. All the kids have have been out of school on the two Eid days when they fall during the academic year. Because of this, they have to miss instruction and catch up on work. As you know, this gets more difficult as the kids get older. Thank you for your understanding. Cathy Mahmud 903 Mariame Koita 904 Request that school be closed for EID-UL-ADHA on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Syed Bokhari 905 Yes for Eid in MC Buddy Bacchus 906 Yes for Eid Child goes to Clarksburg Bibi Bacchus 907 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Siddika Naqvi

36 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 908 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Vijay Kumar 909 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sabrina Naqvi 910 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Jabeen Damani 911 I believe it is a laudable one ade adenekan 912 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Akbar Khan 913 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shabniz Lakhani 914 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Reza Damani 915 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Minnah Kedir 916 I request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. I live in germantown, MD 20876. Mahmoud Elkasabi 917 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Mademba Cisse 918 We support school closing on eid holidays. My son attend MCPS school. yusuph yusuph 919 I think is just fair for school to be closed for Eid holidays instead of our kids being marked absent for not going to school on Eid. Amie Kah 920 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Syed Hussain 921 Eid is a major holly day for us and schools should be close to enjoy it with the family. Mohamed Abdelmomin 922 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Iffat Fatima 923 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shirin Kao 924 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. William Kao 925 Schools should close on Eid. Fatou Samb 926 If you are closing the school for one religion you should do it for others. Why are our kids out of school for a holiday that they don't celebrate. If our kids are going to be off on other religions Arshi Ali holiday they should be off on ours to. 927 If you are closing the school for one religion you should do it for others. Why are our kids out of school for a holiday that they don't celebrate. If our kids are going to be off on other religions Arshi Ali holiday they should be off on ours to. 928 I would greatly appreciate it if the school is closed on the 2 Muslim holiday, of Eid Alfitr, and Eid AlAdha. The next Eid AlAdha will be 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. My children go to Northwest HS, Ali Darwish Germantown. 929 Please include the Eid Ul Adha in the calendar as a school holiday. Thank you!!! Nyanya Joof 930 Please iAds the EID UL ADHAin the calendar. Thanks. Sainey Sanyang 931 Please include the Eid UL Adha in the calendar. Thanks. Kebba Sanyang 932 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Maryam Kazmi 933 Safeah Alrowhany 934 Please include the Eid UL Adha in the calendar. Alice Dalliah 935 Hello, Please include the eid holiday on the school calendar for the muslim students. Thank You! Momin Malik 936 Need holidays for Muslim during EID Sabriz Naduvilothi 937 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha and Eid Ul Fitter) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Daniel Shaw 938 Please include eid ul adha and eid ul fitrah(ramadhan eid). And day of aashoora on your calendar for holidays. Thank you Mumtaz Lakhani Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. 9600 marathon terrace #403 North Potomac MD 20878 ROBERT FROST Dalia Abdou (8th grade) WOOTTON HIGH 939 SCHOOL Amira Abdou (9th grade) Heba Elbadawi 940 Please closed school and make an official holiday on Eid days 9/1/2016 and 9/17/2017 I have three in maps school. Thank You Kadie Cherif

37 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 941 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Maysa Elsheikh 942 Please allow eid holiday Fayaz Khandker I live in Bethesda and teach at a private school in Potomac, MD. My wife and I are muslim, and we plan to have our children attend Montgomery County Public Schools. Many of our extended family members and other congregational relations also attend various divisions of MCPS, and we all would certainly support the observation of Eid Ul Adha. I'll be forwarding this on to them today, but in case they don't receive it before the COB tomorrow, then please admit my feedback: "Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar." Thank you for your consideration! Have a great day :) Best, Jordan Yonce Choral Director, Math Teacher St. Andrew's Episcopal School 8804 Postoak Road Potomac, MD 20854 (301) 983-5200 Ext. 375 943 [email protected] Jordan Yonce 944 Dear, Please consider the day of Eid for Muslims students to be off. We do not need our kids to be off the track. Thanks for understanding and cooperation. Khaled Emira 945 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. abdul dasti 946 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha & Eid ul Fitter ) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nisbat Shaw 947 Greetings,Please include Please the doMuslim include Eid both Holiday Muslim in the holidays, MCPS calendar. Eidul-Fitr, Thank and Eidul-Adha, you. in your school calendar. These two holidays not only have significance for the Muslim community. The importance of Shaheen Faraz 948 the events surrounding both holidays should be shared and understood by everyone. Thanks, Salahuddeen A. Kareem Salahuddeen Abdul Kareem 949 The Eid holiday should be honored like Jewish and Christian holiday. There should not be any discrimination for students' religious holidays. Yasmin Kara 950 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Askari Rizvi 951 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 N Husain 952 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. lamisse abdisalam 953 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammed Khan 954 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. SUFIAN KHAN

Hi Thanks for taking feed back from parents. I request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. My family celebrate the Eid and my children miss their school on the Eid days every year. We live in 11351 Woodglen dr, North Bethesda, MD, 20852 and my children attend Garrett Park ES. Montgomery County public schools give days off for Jewish and Christian children to celebrate their religious holidays, it's only equal and fair that Muslim children get the same treatment. Religious holidays are a time to enjoy and experience spirituality with family, it is 955 not suppose to be mercured with feel of guilt of missing classes or evaluations. Thank you Nevien Ismail O'Keeffe

956 Hi my daughter goes in Montgomery County School. We would appreciate if you can include a holiday for two Eids that we celebrate: Eid-ul fitr and Eid-ul Adah. Thank you so much. Zeeshan Ali 957 I like to respectfully request that schools be closed for Muslim religious holiday - 'Eid-ul-Adha' on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 Abu Khan 958 I,m a parent of five children in Montgomery count public school and I want this proposed policy to be viewed Mohamed Sh Mohamed 959 Rehema Ali 960 Please include the Eid Hoildays for the Muslim Students in the MCPS calendar. Aslam Patmah

961 Hello, I'd like to request that schools be closed for Eid on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. I live at 14034 Jump Dr. Germantown MD, 20874 and I am an 8 year vetran teacher at MCPS. Raef Haggag 962 It's great and MCPS should Stop discriminating by race and go with it. Aisha Hanif 963 Falmata Ari

I have 2 kids in MCPS, one in Matsunaga Elementary and one in NORTHWEST High school. On behalf of both of them, I would like to request that school be off on Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. The kids do not get to celebrate the holiday if they are worrying about makeup homework and makeup tests the next day. This year it took my daughter almost 2 weeks to get all her 964 grades fixed since even though she submitted the homework, she had to keep reminding teachers that she was off for a religious holiday. Adileh Sharieff 965 Samer Alkorom

38 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 966 Qasem Alkorom

967 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Best regards, Mohammad Alam Olney, MD Mohammad Alam 968 Mohammad Alkorom 969 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Musa Malik 970 Please include Eid Holiday for the Muslim Students in the MCPS calendar Abdelhak Lalouani 971 Ammar Chaudhry Requesting that MCPS clost schools for Eid Holiday closings 9/12/16 & 9/1/2017 as a step towards adjusting to the diverse population in MC. The numbers indicate that the minority population is now the majority in MC so our county should lead the effort in the transition to reflect demographic data. I have lived in MC for the last 20 years and plan to continue my stay here. 10420 972 Flowerfield Way, Potomac, MD 20854 Shahnaz BATEN

973 This is great to add all three major religions on the calander school. Let us love, respect and celebrate each others believes! Nancy Afifi Century21 The real estate centre Nancy Afifi 974 Greetings, Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. It will be appreciated!! Thank you! Masooda Shairzad 975 We vote for Montgomery County to add Muslim Holidays (Eid) just like Christen and Jewish holidays are celebrated through out the county. Thank you Hina Nabeel 976 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Lena Elamin 977 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Fathima Javeed 978 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Rashika Rahman 979 Yes I would like MCPS TO mark Eid fitr and Eid Adha as official public holiday. Misbah Qureshi 980 Would like official holiday for Eid Adha in 9-12-2016 and 9-1-2017 209 upshire circle Gaithersburg MD 20878 Child school. WOOTTON HIGH SCHOOL CHILD AGE 17 yrs Misbah Qureshi 981 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ibtsam Fedil 982 samina Yousufi As a diverse community , Montgomery county would be mightily served by including the muslim eid ul adha as a holiday on its calendar; for as a resident i believe in unity stemming from diversity. 983 isn't it was we believe in as a nation? E PLURIBUS UNUM ABDUL traore 984 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Most Nahid I am requesting that MCPS be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. I currently reside in Montgomery County and my daughter attends Rachel Carson Elementary School as a Kindergartner. I am also a former student of MCPS, graduating from QOHS in 2007. Having school closed on Eid-ul-Adha will help my daughter not have to go out of her way to make up assignments 985 and tests, as I had to do as a student, for a holiday that is important to our family. Mary Manan 986 I request to close MCPS for Eid al Adha on 9/26/16 and 9/1/16. I live on 12310 Piney Meeting house road Potomac, MD 20854. My brother, Rahim Noor attends a MCPS. Haseeb Noor 987 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Altamash Ahmed 988 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Daanish Ahmed 989 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shabana Ahmed 990 RequestPlease include that schools the Eid be Holiday closed (Eid for UlEid-ul-Adha Adha) for onthe 9/12/2016 Muslim Students and 9/1/2017 in the MCPS My Home Calendar. address: 14000 Castle Boulevard #807 Silver Spring MD 20904 Children's School: Greencastle Elementary Hina Ahmed 991 School Children's Names and Ages: Mamadou Pethe Diallo 11 Aminata Diallo 9 Aissatou B. Diallo 9 Mamadou Diallo 992 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Michelle Reyazuddin 993 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Fausa Aliu 994 Please include the Eid Holidays for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nusrat Jamal 995 Eid and Eid aldha Fedla Nabil

39 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 996 Please include the Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar. Nuriyyah Abubakar 997 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Shamila Ahmed Hashim 998 Our family would like you to include the Muslim Holiday Eid al-Adha on the MCPS calendar. Radouane Neggaz

Please add Eid al-Adha to the public school calendar. As a multi-religious family, Eid is equally important to Christmas. Our son will be absent on Eid and we would appreciate that our family and all 999 Muslim families have the primary holiday recognized. As you likely know, the local Muslim community is growing so the lack of holiday recognition effects more families each year. Thank you, Hannah Stocks 1000 Please include the Eid Holiday(Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Muhammad Chowdhury

I believe that Eid-the Muslim holiday-should be added to the MCPS calendar. In the past, there has been many protests for you to add Eid to the MCPS School Calendar, but the Board of Education took our call the wrong way. The Board of Education stated that they were going to take the rest of the holidays out of the school year. We thought this was unfair not only to us, but to the rest of the religious groups/families in the MCPS area. They, along with us, deserve the right as Americans with the First Amendment, to celebrate our holidays. I, along with many other students, would like to spend my holidays with my family. I am not trying to come off as offensive, but while living in one very diverse county, MCPS should think of everyone , or the majority and benefit them. This year, picture day occurred on the same day as Eid-Al-Adha, and my Muslim friends and I missed school to spend time with our family on that holiday. Now we have to wait two months until the remake picture day. I'd just like you to keep in mind that there are multiple other religions that need attention, and I believe that Eid along with the other religions holidays deserve a recognition. I 1001 sincerely thank you for your time. Feruz Shifa 1002 Please include the Eid Holiday(Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Parvin Chowdhury 1003 Please include the Eid Holiday(Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shariar Chowdhury 1004 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nimah Nayel 1005 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Ahmed Maregn Mohamed 1006 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Zemzem Bedada 1007 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Ayub Ahmed 1008 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Amir Ahmed

1009 I , Moustapha ndiong, request that schools be closed for Eid Ul Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. I am a resident of Montgomery County. I also have children in Montgomery County schools. Moustapha Ndiong 1010 Fatoumata Konate

Please include the Eid Holiday :Eid Ul Adha and Eid ul Fitar ( which for a couple years will be celebrated in summer break) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar like the holidays for other 1011 Pleasereligions include activities. the EidWe Holiday really like :Eid the Ul diversityAdha and of Eid religion ul Fitar and ( which respect for of a eachcouple others years faith will inbe Montgomery celebrated in county summer and break) hope for that the they Muslim can add Students two holidays in the MCPS for Muslims Calendar as like well. the holidays for other Shehla Iftikhar 1012 Pleasereligions include activities. the Eid Holiday :Eid Ul Adha and Eid ul Fitar ( which for a couple years will be celebrated in summer break) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar like the holidays for other Ayla Iftikhar 1013 Pleasereligions include activities. the Eid Holiday :Eid Ul Adha and Eid ul Fitar ( which for a couple years will be celebrated in summer break) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar like the holidays for other Muhammad Azaan 1014 religions activities. Muhammad Malik 1015 I Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. •I reside at King Farm Community, 224 Cork Tree lane Rockville, MD 20850 •RMHS, CGES ZANNA BUKAR-KOLO 1016 Rumi Said 1017 Djama Drame I would like to request that MCPS close on Eid holidays, particularly the upcoming two Eid-ul-Adha holidays on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. I live in Rockville at 18 Waddington Court and have two 1018 children that attend Ritchie Park Elementary School. Muniza Sheikh 1019 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Kim Baten 1020 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammad Baten

40 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 1021 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Raghbir Mahajan 1022 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Asad Baten 1023 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Jalal Baten 1024 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nadia Baten 1025 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nisha Baten 1026 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Jasmine Baten 1027 Rashika Rahman 1028 Did holiday for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar Rashika Rahman 1029 Hi - Please close the school for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Thanks. Mahmud Gani North Potomac, MD Mahmudul Gani 1030 Hi - Please close the school for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Thanks. Aneesa Keya North Potomac, MD Aneesa Keya 1031 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sayeed Siddique

1032 Hi - Please close my school for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 so that I can celebrate Eid with my family and friends. Thanks. Areeb Gani North Potomac, MD Areeb Gani 1033 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Arman Siddique

1034 Hi - Please close the school for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 so that I can celebrate Eid with my family and friends. Thanks. Nuha Gani North Potomac, MD Nuha Gani 1035 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mohamed Alosh 1036 lease include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. muslim muslim

Eid Ul Adha should be a holiday for students all around MCPS and nationwide. It is crucial that we address this issue as soon as possible. Missing school for Eid is almost as if students are being punished for practicing their first amendment. It is unfair how students practicing religions like Christianity, don't have to miss school for certain holidays like easter and Christmas, yet Muslim 1037 students miss school for their holidays. It is almost as if they are unimportant and not thought about. Bilikisu Hanidu 1038 Fatema Sayeeda 1039 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. shamaila moughal 1040 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. haroon moughal 1041 Schools should close for Muslim holiday in November 2016 and 2017. Ellen Atkinson 17310 Quaker Lane Sandy Spring MD 20860 [email protected] Ellen Atkinson

I belive that this should be let through. Muslim students should get equal rights/holidays as any other student. As an 8th grader at Rosa Parks middle school, I saw multiple people having to go to 1042 school on our Muslim Holiday because they couldn't miss school. They weren't able to spend it with their families:(. I hope that ou all agree to letting us getting our holiday! Fadilah Farrin 1043 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. John Kang

I would like to advocate for Eid observance as a public holiday for MCPS students. This would enable many practicing students to observe their faith without having to sacrifice their academic performance. Many students are unable to take a day off without disrupting their schoolwork. MCPS students make up a diverse student body and choosing to regard Eid as a public holiday will 1044 support pluralism, equity, and diversity. It will also show that MCPS is a leader and the county supports students of all faiths and listens to their concerns. Irim Azam 1045 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Mohamed Elsamanoudi 1046 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Salwa Elsamanoudi 1047 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Heba Hafez

41 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 1048 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Sally Elsamanoudi 1049 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Mahdi Malik 1050 It should please be recommended and we definitely requesting for an approval please. Thanks for your co operation. demba niasse I am asking mcps to please include Eid-Ul-Adha in the mcps school calendar as a holiday for our kids. Its will benefit and make a differe6in our kids lifes as their religion will be recognized and 1051 celebrated without thinking of the consequences of missing a day on their report cards. Hawah Jalloh-jamboria

I, Zyad Malik request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. 11615 Pleasant Meadow Drive North Potomac, MD 20878 Robert Frost Middle School Thomas Wooton 1052 High School 3 Kids all in Montgomery County Schools for past 10 years: 1. Basaam Malik = Age 14 2. Affan Malik = Age 13 3. Manaal Malik = Age 11 Zyad Malik 1053 Eid Holiday will provide equality to a the large Muslim population living in MC. Waqar Qureshi I request MCPS that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Home Address 11615 Pleasant Meadow Drive North Potomac, MD 20878 Kids Schools: Robert Frost Middle 1054 School Thomas Wooton High School Kids info: 1. Basaam Age 14 2. Affan Age 13 3. Manaal Age 11 Mahnaz Malik 1055 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Mohammed Chippa 1056 I support Eid Holiday. Thank you. Sarwat Waqar

1057 I kindly request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. My daughter Habikah Baldeh is a 4th grader at Resnik E.S and she has not been going to school on Eid holidays. Bachi Baldeh 1058 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. 19347 circle gate dr # 203 Germantown, MD 20874 Matsunaga Elementary School Mohammed Chippa 1059 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Khodeja Chowdhury 1060 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Salim Uddin I'd like to request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. I'm a Montgomery County resident at 15832 Seurat Drive in North Potomac, MD 20878. My 5 year old son, 1061 Ayaan Tajammul, attends Thurgood Marshall Elementary School. Thank you. Kashif Tajammul

1062 I Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017.please I live on; 223 bristol downs dr Gaithersburg md 20877 And I have 3 kids 10th,6th and 3rd grade. Thanks lana Shami 1063 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Feisal Toor 1064 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Antonio Lima 1065 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Nazia Quraishi 1066 Issa Diong 1067 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Salman Sheikh 1068 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ibrahima Gaye 1069 request school closing for Eid-ul-Adha 09/12/2016 and 09/01/2017 Baba Chune 1070 Please include Eid Holiday for Muslim students in MCPS calendar. Samina Jahangir 1071 Please include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you. Mohamed Saleh 1072 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Atif Tate 1073 Please include the Eid-ul-Adha holiday on the MCPS Calendar. Thank you. Mohsin Jafri 1074 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Talha Jafri 1075 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mateen Jafri 1076 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Waleid Muhmed

42 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 1077 Samer Alkorom 1078 Lubna Alkorom

Good Morning. As a parent with two children at Diamond Elementary in Gaithersburg, I would like to request that county public schools be closed in observance of the Muslim holiday, Eid Al-Adha. The holiday will be on 9/1/2017 during the next school year. We received an excused absence for the holiday this year, which resulted in them missing classroom and instruction time, and having to 1079 catch-up on the missed work. Thank you for your consideration. Ahmed Haque 118 Swanton Lane Gaithersburg, MD 20878 Ahmed Haque

I would recommend that we take the religious holidays out all together and stick with spring, winter and summer break along with federal holidays. If MCPS start closing the school the for each 1080 religion than the board may need to find days the school can be open. Recognizing the excused leave for any religion is win win for every religion. Let's not go back to stone ages Tauqeer Aslam 1081 This will help every body to celebrate with the family Ghulam Dastgir 1082 Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Germantown MD 20874 Seema Qadri

1083 Please, would u mind if you close school on eids because I don't like my kids to be absent from school and to teach them the value of our holidays. thank you for your understanding. I love USA. Amira Salem 1084 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Taha Keilani

As a staff member for the last 10 years and a parent in MCPS since 2000, I can attest that it has been difficult not to have been recognized as an ewual member of the community. I have had to miss important meetings, take annual leaves and pull out my kids from school during our very important holidays. It has been a constant act of balancing, scheduling and organizing. My children had to make up homework and other assignments and often even though they really wanted to observe our holidays they often felt stressed by the idea of missing. Montgomery County population demographic has changed in the past 20 years family has been living here. Diversity is the staple mark of Montgomery County. I am delighted to be part of a school system that has recognized this 1085 fact and is willing to make changes to provide equitable education to all students. Saida Hentati 1086 Muntaha Keilani 1087 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Muntaha Keillani Please allow EID day to be a Montgomery county public school days for 2016 onwards. These EID days are the following for 2016. Tuesday , July 5th 2016 - Eid-Al-Fitr Monday, September 12, 2016 - 1088 Eid-Al-Adha Tanweer Abbasi We would like to request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Home address: 13003 Saint Clair Rd, Clarksburg, MD 20871 We have our three children attending MCPS 1089 Elementary, Middle and High schools. Nadeem Chaudhry 1090 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ayah Keilani 1091 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Syeda Andrabi Request to have kids day off Eid-ul-Adha on 9/1/2016 an 9/1/2017 my home address 21909 Manor Crest Ln Boyds, MD 20841 The name of my childerns and school. Ansa Hussain at Clarksburg E. S. 1092 Humza Hussain at Rocky Hill M. S> Aqsa Hussain at Clasksburg High school. Thanks, Abid Abid Hussain

Please consider the diversity of the student population and enable Muslim students to enjoy the joys of their holiday season during Eid al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha. These holidays are equivalent to Christmas for those of the Islamic faith, and its important for children to spend time with their families and feel like their identity/faith is not being dismissed. I know students are off for Jewish and Christian religions, but for Muslim students who have to continually explain their absence is not in line with equity and fairness. As a former Montgomery County public school student from 1998- 1093 2004, I know that Montgomery County is one of the top school systems in America and truly valued my years in school. Thus, I strongly urge you to consider your Muslim students. Bushrah Rahman

43 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015

To Whom It May Concern: One of my greatest happiness of my school life in Montgomery County was the diverse friends that I met. Through my attendance in MCPS, I learned various cultures and respect for all religions. However, each time my personal holiday Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha, I would have to be absent and get a excused absence. My friends of all colors and cultures would ask me, "If that was your Christmas, how come its not a holiday?" I had no answer because it was not on the school calendar. Everytime Christmas and Easter would come, my friends would be celebrating and I was in school wondering how come I could not have a holiday. The problem is when you have to make a choice between your future, your education, and your religious holiday. That should never be an option or a choice anybody has to make. Now I am a mother of two children, the world is a multicultural diaspora and its near the 21st century, yet discrimination exists in all aspects. To Muslim parents and children, it is unfair to have to choose between going to school and celebrating a holy day. Can you imagine happiness, as a Muslim, who live all over the USA, how happy we were when NY the city of dreams, city of lights, their public schools placed Eid on their calendars? It meant recognition of a major religion in the world. Yet after reading all the news, I still felt sadness because my hometown, Maryland, the diverse place I grew up could not recognize nor implement this. It is crucial for MCPS to move towards inclusive policies and respect for all diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. Islam is the one of the major religions in the world. How can MCPS make policies to discriminate Muslim students, thier respective parents, the hardworking teachers as a minority? Please give recognition to Eid as a legitimate holiday and placement in the school calendar. I want to be able to convey proudly that the schools in MCPS are not just great in education but a pillar of respect and equality for diversity, culture and religion. Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope that in the near future I will hear good news that Eid will be 1094 accepted as a religious holiday on the school calendar. Let MCPS show that equality, diversity and acceptance is celebrated here in Maryland. Sincerely, Saiyda Saiyda Khan 1095 Schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 Laique Shiekh Request that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. We live in the Gaithersburg cluster and my children attend Laytonsville ES and Gaithersburg HS; grades Kindergarten and 1096 10th. Katina Constant/Sane Hello. Our children attend schools in Montgomery County, Dufief and Churchill. We request that our Eid holidays be added to the next calendar year, 09/12/16 and 09/01/17, so our children don't 1097 have to take a day off out of their studies. We live in North Potomac, Montgomery County. Thank you for your consideration. Shaheen Somji 1098 please include Eid Ul Adha as a holiday Syeda Quadri 1099 Please include the Eid Holidays: Eid Ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Oliza Khanam 1100 Please we request the schools to be closed on Muslim holidays (Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha) Sadiya Bilgrami 1101 We want that schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Nimo Mohamoud 1102 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Humair Quadri

I was once a former student that had to adhere to MCPS' school year calendar. I still remember struggling to make up a copious amount of work due to my faith. It is unfortunate that other religions are able to acknowledged in the school year calendar while Islam is excluded. A common rebuttal used is that students attends school during the Islamic holiday anyway. But, the only reason for this is because you're not giving them much of an option. I too had to sacrifice a day of celebrating my faith, because otherwise the other alternative would be to fall behind in my classwork and which 1103 will affect my future in the world of academia. Please take into consideration that students are in a way losing their 1st amendment in their own school. Anika Haque 1104 Mohammad Hossain 1105 Please include the Eid holiday(Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar. Yaye Fall 1106 Will you please include the Eid holiday(Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar. Oumou Ly 1107 Safia Siddiqui 1108 Aid holiday for students fatoumata diallo 1109 please include the Eid holiday(Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar. Seynabou Ly 1110 As a parent/staff, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. tehreem haq 1111 please include the Eid holiday(Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar. Youssoupha Diallo

44 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 1112 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thanks, MCPS ESOL Teacher Abeer Zaki 1113 as a parent I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid ul Adha) for the muslim students is added in the MCPS Calender aziz chowdhury Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. This is very important to us parents and to our community and it's about teaching our children about 1114 equality. Thank you Tareg Odeh 1115 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Enas Elhanafi 1116 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Tarek Elbeshbeshy 1117 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Sarah Elbeshbishi Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. As a student in MCPS, it's very important to enjoy our religious holiday without having to worry about all 1118 the school assignments I'm missing. It's about having equal rights. Thank you Bashar Odeh Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. As a student in MCPS, it's very important to enjoy our religious holiday without having to worry about all 1119 the school assignments I'm missing. It's about having equal rights. Thank you Jannah Odeh 1120 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Arwa Elbeshbishi 1121 Hanadi Abdelmageed 1122 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Yara Elbeshbishi

1123 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. As a community member, it's important to see MCPS cares about equality. Thank you Ahmad Odeh

1124 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. As a community member, it's important to see MCPS cares about equality. Thank you Mustafa Odeh 1125 I request that MCPS schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. almas azeem 1126 Schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017 Ahmed Noor 1127 Please allow Muslim students to celebrate their Eid Halliday ( Eid ul Adha) by giving them the day off and thank you Abdel g Elkahloun 1128 Please include the Eid holiday(Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar. Thieyacine Fall 1129 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Xavier Mohammed

Hi, I am a community member and am saddened when I see Muslims kids being forced to forsake a celebratory part of their identity because a school system will not recognize them. This forces students to have to make up work when other Christian and Jewish students do not have to. I am very happy living in Montgomery County because of the diversity and hearing that the MCPS is very diverse and celebrates diversity. Please be stronger in truly advocating and implementing policies that support and show proving what you say in your mission statement. Allow for Muslims to recognized here as well. We are also taxpayers and advocates of MCPS. MCPS staff also there are Muslims. Its hard to see my wife work hard every day as a teacher and not be allowed to celebrate our Eid holiday. She has to get a sub, make plans and take leave from her paycheck unlike her colleagues. I hope that you will hear us out in fairness and make a decision that is fair to all and not 1130 exclusively supportive of a few. Everyone deserves to be treated well in public school systems and diversity celebrated. Thank you for reading this and please take this into consideration. Mohammad Islam 1131 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Farheena Rasheed 1132 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Leyla Rasheed 1133 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Aleeza Rasheed 1134 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Zahra Rasheed 1135 Please keep the schools closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Zaina Kazi

45 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015

Dear Sir/Madam, I am a mother of 3. All three of my kids were MCPS students. As adults who are also beginning their families in Montgomery County, I hope we are moving to a time of true equality and peace. It was hard to see my own kids struggle- should we celebrate our Eid holiday or go to school so we don't have all the make-up work? There are so many more Muslims in MCPS now, teachers, staff, students and community members. This is valuable to MCPS learning and environment. Please include Eid holiday to be supportive of everyone and to treat everyone equally. Let us move forward into the future and not backwards in maintaining discrimination. I hope the policy will change to include Eid like Christmas, Easter, and the Jewish holidays days off. Just like 1136 the way New York did. This is true equality and keeping of promises. Thanks. Saleha Ahmed 1137 Please close school on religious Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr. Rubina Hasanat 1138 Close school on religious holidays Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr. Jamila Hasanat 1139 Close school on religious holidays Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr. Abul Hasanat 1140 Close school on Muslim holidays Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha, please! Aniqa Islam 1141 Fatima Shaheed 1142 Please close should on religious holidays Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr. Rubina Hasanat 1143 Close schools on religious holidays Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr. Jamila Hasanat 1144 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Amal Muhtaseb 1145 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Rashed Ahmed 1146 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Shaista Khilji 1147 Please include the Eid holiday for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar Selam Abdulkadir 1148 Please include the eid holiday for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar Rabiya Hassen 1149 Please include the eid holiday for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar. Yasmin Said 1150 Please include the eid holiday for the Muslim students in the MCPS calender Hassen Said 1151 Please include the eid holiday for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar Amin Said 1152 Please include the eid holiday for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar Yusuf Abbamacha 1153 Please include the eid holiday for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar. Muhsin Abbamacha 1154 Samina Malik 1155 Please include the eid holiday for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar Said Mohammed 1156 School should be close for Eid on 9/12/16 and 9/1/17. Samina Malik 1157 Request Schools be closed for EID in the future in consideration of the muslim children of Montgomery County Syed Meer 1158 Islamic holiday Abdul Mamon 1159 This would be a great opportunity for muslim families to celebrate Eid with their families. Bushra Queraishi 1160 I would like to see our kids students have the opportunigy to cebrate and participate in our long ttaditional holiday. ahmed mohamed 1161 Please include Eid ul Adha holiday in the school calendar. Nazneen Khan I believe a religious holiday is a important day for a family to celebrate together their faith. However, when I was a student there were times when I had to go to school to take a test to avoid make up test later. As a kid, I was envious of the fact that during other religious holidays everyone had the day off and we were not required to make up school work. I hope future students can celebrate 1162 their holidays without having to worry about extra work waiting for them when they get back. Sadia Haque

1163 There needs to be a holiday on eid since it's difficult for the students to catch up on their work. in addition, we feel a sense of unfairness since other religions have holidays for them. Mohammad Alam 1164 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. It is unfair that all the other religions get their holidays off. Aliza Syyid

46 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 1165 I would want a holiday for Muslims kids. Abdul Aziz King We would like to get Muslim holidays for our children.Since we are teaching our kids the fairness of America and consideration of every religion you should think about that Best regards 1166 Mouhamadou Moustapha Sow Mouhamadou Sow 1167 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Dilhana Badurdeen 1168 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Binetou Fall 1169 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar Ibrahima Fall 1170 Zareena Nasreen 1171 To Whom It May Concern: Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha and Eid Ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Respectfullly, -Ayaz Haniffa Ayaz Haniffa 1172 Ahmed Haji 1173 Nadia Hussain 1174 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Soulafa Alchihan 1175 Please include the Eid holiday(Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS calendar. Damel Fall Recognizing all major holidays will honor the beautiful diversity of the community. Eid is a major holiday like Chirstmas. And it is very sad to go to school on Christmas, when you should be with 1176 family. Meryem Tangoren 1177 I support the closings of county schools on both Eid holidays Sukai Sey 1178 As a student, I would like to request that the Eid Halliday ( Eid ul Adha ) can be added to the mcps school calendar Sarah Elkahloun 1179 As a student, I would like to request that Eid ul Adha ( Eid Halliday ) can be added to the mcps calendar Yassine Elkahloun 1180 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim students in the MCPS Calendar Fizan Khan 1181 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Fiza Khan 1182 Masood Ahmad 1183 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Numairah Khan I live at 18915 Pine Ridge Lane, Germantown, Maryland 20874. I have two children who attend MCPS schools, Northwest High School and Roberto Clemente Middle School. I believe it is important to provide them the same experience that their Jewish and Christian peers when it comes to the observance of holidays. It is a sham to close school to blatantly accommodate the holidays of Christians and Jews and use "operational" reasons to legally justify it. There have been no further investigation into whether the supposed absence data used to justify closing on the Jewish holidays 1184 hold place despite highly different demographics. Muhammed Khan 1185 We would like to be able to celebrate our holiday without missing a school. Khadija Mohamed 1186 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Tubba Khan 1187 Request that School be closed for eid ul adah on 9/12/2016 and on 0/1/17.i am à résident of montgomery county and have children in MCPS Kadia Ndiong 1188 Sadia Khan 1189 Mohammad Zamin 1190 Aysha Zamin Eid should be a recognized day off of school. This past Eid my sons were unable to fully celebrate the holiday because they needed to attend school. Muslims are an important and growing part of 1191 the Montgomery County community and should not be treated as second class citizens. steve salchak 1192 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Fatma Onmus I'm a teacher in the county and if Eid is not designated as a holiday on the school calendar, then perhaps the personnel office should consider not marking these days as 'personal' for staff taking off. 1193 Perhaps it could be considered as a separate category and our personal hours aren't compromised. Thank you. Fariha Khan 1194 saira salamat 1195 Syed Meer

47 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 1196 arshi ali 1197 hiba akhtar 1198 harris akhtar 1199 arshi ali 1200 saleem akhtar 1201 Hello there on the behalf of my family I'd like to request the eid day as a holiday and school should be closed . Elhadji Niane 1202 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Mina Haque 1203 could you , please include EID holyday[EID UI ADHA] for muslims student in the mcps calendar. thank you very much. soule mouansie 1204 Robina Shoaib 1205 Greetings, We support Montgomery county schools be closed for Eid-ul-Adha on 9/12/2016 and 9/1/2017. Rockville, MD resident. Omar Hashmi 1206 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Arwa El hagrasy 1207 Doobity boop bop Deep Boop 1208 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Laila Ghorab 1209 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Ahmed Sidee 1210 Please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Kamal Hamud 1211 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Syed Shaukat 1212 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Ghulam Abbasi 1213 Please, include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you very much. Yemul Almecci

B1 As a parent, I would like to request the two Eid holidays (Fitr and Adha) be added to the MCPS Calendar. Regards. Eva Hafiz

B2 As a parent of a student, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Kamel Merzoug, Montgomery County MD resident. Thank you. Kamel Merzoug B3 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Azmat Zuberi As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. My name is Asra Kidwai. It's important for all students in the school system to know their religion and holidays are respected and understood and given their due importance. Their is a sizable muslim population in this district and it makes sense, and is the right thing to do. B4 Thanks very much. Best regards. Asra Kidwai B5 As a student, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Al Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you! Mariam Younis B6 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thanks. Radhia Jihane Guizani B7 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you! Marwa Ahmed B8 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Marwa As a community member, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. The muslims observe two essentially important holidays in every year, Eid ul Fitri and Eid ul Adha, while other religions observe numerous. Granting this holiday for muslim students would not only eliminate bickering, It would make the "play field" level. B9 Thank you. Suraj Tairu

B10 As a parent,community of two member, elementary I would students, like to requestI would thatlike toEid request holiday that (Eid Eid Ul Adha)Holiday for (Eid the Ul Muslim Adha) forStudents the Muslim is added Students in the MCPSis added Calendar. in the MCPS Thanks Calendar. for your It'sconsideration. important for Sincerely, our family to know that as Sara Husain B11 americain muslim, our holidays are recognized by MCPS. Thilandy Thiam, parent of two proud Gators. Thilandy Thiam

48 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015

Honorable MCPS Administration and Socio-political leaders; My humble request to you all - please include the Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Adha and Eid Ul Fitr; the sacred days for the Muslims) in the MCPS B12 Calendar. MCPS may be an example of an ideal community with equality, fairness, peaceful, and vibrant community. I'm (ISLAM, Mohammad S.) father of 2 students in MCPS. Mohammad Islam B13 Eid holiday Mama Gatta Gueye Ba

B14 As a parent of an elementary school student, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Sincerely, Shazmah Hakim

Hello, My son is a second grader at Rosemary Hills. I believe MCPS should recognize Muslim holidays so that my son doesn't have to choose between education and his religion. Particularly since B15 the holidays of Christian and Jewish students are already recognized. There is a sizable Muslim community in this area and this is the right next step. Best regards. Jawaria Gilani B16 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Regards, Osman Bangura B17 Eid; Muslim holidays No name amabint2 To Whom It May Concern: As a Muslim parent residing in Montgomery County, I request the county to please include the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students in the MCPS Calendar. I B18 currently have three children who will be going the the Montgomery County school system. Thank you very much, Maryam Khan B19 As a teacher, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Mona Hamdy B20 As a Moslem, I would like Eid Fitr and Eid Adha to be included as a holiday in the school year calendar in Montgomery County. Gatta mamemami2 B21 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Regards, Farhat Abbas

B22 As a aunt to 3 students enrolled in MCPS Schools, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thanks! Arooj Farooq B23 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you, Rizky Said B24 As a parents, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS calendar. Thank you. Nuri Nurjanah B25 As a parent, I would like to request that eid holiday (eidul adha) for the Muslim student is added in the MCPC calendar. Tank you, sincerely Kusmiatun Fnu Dear Montgomery County Public School System Board of Education, I Naveed Ahmed, as a community member, would like to request that the Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Additionally, if the Board can come to agreement to have a day off on school that day, that would be greatly appreciated by the Muslim Community. Thank you for B26 your consideration. Syed Naveed Ahmed B27 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you, Yayah Madekur B28 As a parents, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS calendar. Thank you. Winarsih Sumiyono

B29 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. My three kids had to skip school that day. Regards, Mona Ali

Dear policy makers, As a community member, I would like to request you to include the Eid Holiday (EidUL Adha) for the Muslim students in your school calendar so that they could enjoy the day B30 happily with their family and friends. I thank you gratefully for giving us this opportunity to express one of our much-felt need for our kids. Dil Banu B31 As a MCPS Student, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Haddijatou Jobe Dear Board Members: Please, I urge you to include Muslim holidays of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha on the County School calendar.This will go a long way to enhance the school experience for all and will nurture a sense of inclusivity and belonging amongst muslim students. Without this they have to choose between their faith obligations and education and it is unfair to subject them to this. B32 Thanks. Arshad Qureshi B33 As a parents, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS calendar. Thank you. Arif Said B34 I request the Montgomery County school authorities to add Eid and Bakhrid Muslim festivals as holidays in school calendar. Syed Haque

49 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 Mohammed B35 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you, Ashequr Rahman B36 As a parents, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS calendar. Thank you. Helmi Baisa Saima and B37 As a student/parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you, (Haaris Malik, Student at Watkins Mill High School) Muammad Malik

I am seriously wondering if you there have all lost your minds? Are you telling me that you are taking off all religious holidays to accommodate people that have moved here? Have you forgotten that we were here first???? This is a country founded on our principles on our laws on our holidays, on our belief systems and you were going to give them up and give in to these people that are requesting and demanding something else? You are the kind of people making these decisions that is going to force our country to change and not for the better. Answer me one question if we went to an Islamic country and we demanded that Christmas be put on their holiday calender or a manger scene with Jesus be put up in their markets do you seriously think they would do it? You people had better think this over because every time we change to accommodate someone else we lose ourselves and pretty soon there will be no more us!!!!!!!! Changing our way of life is the beginning B38 of the end.... Barbara Christy Barbara Christy B39 As a community member, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Zabir Khan As a community member I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. B40 thank you . Shaila Shah As a community member, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for Muslim Sudents be added in the MCPS Calendar. B41 Thanks. Taher Elkoshairi Montgomery B42 As a student and the parent, in Montgomery County, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Sincerely, County Residents B43 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you, Mahabuba Rahman B44 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you, Mohammad Oliullah

To whom it may concern: I am not a constituent of your school district, but I just read an article which, if true, is distressing to me as an American. Am I correct in understanding that your district is pandering to the Muslim minority of your students, by doing away with the traditional Jewish and Christian holidays? If so, then my purpose in writing is to ask just what in the heck is wrong with you? Have you no patriotism? You would throw away traditional holidays out of fear of offending a few Muslims? What is going on when we have a country where our schools and other institutions are pandering rather than just saying NO. Why not add THEIR holidays (or did you), in addition. If they don't want to participate in our holidays, tough. You cannot allow them to dictate to a predominantly Judeo-Christian culture, just because you're too chicken to confront them. Shame...on....You. I will be looking into supporting any legitimate entity that is willing to take you on, in B45 your pro-Islamic, anti-Judeo-Christian agenda. You are truly disgusting. Man/woman up and do the RIGHT, not expedient thing. Sincerely, John A. Bove I have a very simple comment, bring back Christmas to MCPS calendar. Maryland law clearly requires schools to be closed from Christmas Eve to New Years day. It so happens that America is a majority Christian nation and parents, students and teachers for the most part need to be away during this special holiday, ditto for Easter. Despite liberals and commies war on Christians, everyone knows why school is closed on Christmas week. So drop your political correctness nonsense and mark the calendars school closed for B46 Christmas and Easter. Thank You No name tugapasta

50 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015

Dear Members of MCPS Board: I trust the new academic year is going well. I refer to our previous communications on the matter of recognizing Eid Ul Adha on the MCPS calendar. To recap, I previously informed you through several emails that Saqib Ali, Sayed Naved or anyone else that were proclaiming that Eid Ul Adha in 2015 was to be on Wednesday September 23, 2015 were misleading MCPS. I should have went further and stated emphatically that they were lying by stating with such certitude that Eid Ul Adha was to be on Wednesday, September 23. I informed you that all they could do was make a projection as to the date of Eid. The only time we would know the correct date and day for Eid Ul Adha was ten days before the actual day based on the sighting of the moon. Well today is the ten days before and based on moon sighting, it has almost universally been proclaimed in the US that Eid Ul Adha will be on Thursday, September 24, 2015 and not on Wednesday September 23 as Saqib Ali et al misrepresented. If MCPS had declared as Saqib Ali, Sayed Naved et all demanded that Eid Ul Adha was to be recognized on the MCPS calendar to be on Wednesday September 23, the board members of MCCPS would have egg on their faces because of the misrepresentation of a vocal but truth challenged minority. Based on a gross misrepresentation, a lot of hours were wasted in misleading debates, ink spilled and members of the MCPS Board were unfortunately publicly maligned. A minority within the Muslim community wanted their way and projected a widespread sense of grievance in what was a misleading narrative. I refer to the pertinent part of an article in bold below (the link for the full article is contained below) from the Washington Post of December 8, 2014 quoting me and other community members that the date for Eid cannot be ascertained with certainty months ahead and Saqib Ali's response with certitude stating that Eid will be on September 23: “It’s a projection, and it could be one day off either way,” said Ziyad Motala, a Howard University law professor and Montgomery parent who recently wrote to school officials. Hamza Khan, who has been active in the county’s Muslim community, which he calls “remarkably diverse,” suggested “a more inclusive dialogue” among Muslim residents about when holidays are celebrated.Ali acknowledged differences on the issue but said that “for all practical purposes that I know of, Eid is going to be on September 23rd of 2015.”https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/muslim-leaders-in-montgomery-seek-answers-on-school-holiday- equality/2014/12/08/b85ba46a-740f-11e4-a589-1b102c2f81d0_story.html I doubt that Saqib Ali, Sayed Naved and the others that purveyed the misleading information with such gusto and certitude are going to show a trace of embarrassment or apologize to MCPS, the residents of Montgomery County and most importantly the Muslim community for misrepresenting their religion. At times, the campaign assumed quixotic proportions. Given the blatant disregard of the facts and the tenets of the faith, there are many that believe this project is more political to at all costs advance the interest of a few, rather than based on the truth that the real date of Eid Ul Adha could not be determined nine months in advance, as is proven today. Undoubtedly, I continue to urge MCPS that they must accommodate Muslim children and employees on Eid. The accommodation should be based on facts and not distortions. My child, like thousands of children in Montgomery County and around the country, will be celebrating Eid on Thursday September 24. I urge MCPS to grant them appropriate accommodations so that they will not suffer adverse consequences for celebrating their high holiday. Apart from being excused from school, tests should not be scheduled on this day. Nor should Muslim children have to make up for missed homework.Contrary to misrepresentations made for almost nine months, MCPS is also offered an opportunity to gauge Muslim absences this year, given that the overwhelming majority of Muslims will celebrate Eid Ul Adha on Thursday September 24. This will better enable MCPS to plan for future accommodation for Muslim students and employees during their high holidays. However, if our previous engagements on this matter has not made it clear, it should now be abundantly transparent that the date of Eid Ul Adha cannot be fixed on the MCPS calendar months in advance, simply because one does not know about the possibility of actual, physical moon sighting until ten days before the day of Eid Ul Adha, as has occurred once again this year.In conclusion, the vocal minority that petitioned, shouted and screamed that Eid Ul Adha in 2015 would be celebrated on Wednesday September 23 were misrepresenting the facts and the tenets of the faith, adhered to by the overwhelming adherents of Islam. MCPS were fortunate in not naming Wednesday September 23, 2015 as Eid Ul Adha on their calendar and should be careful in not designating any date in the future. Eid Ul Adha in 2015 will be celebrated on Thursday September 24, which date is only known from today. The determination of Eid has now been made It would be greatly appreciated if MCPS grants Muslim students and employees appropriate accommodation to celebrate their high holiday this year and in the future. B47 Please contact me if you require further information. Sincerely, Ziyad Motala

Dear Board Members I have been a resident of Montgomery County for more than 30 years and both my children attended County schools as do my grand children today. Based on recent articles in the press, you are under pressure by different religious groups (most recently the Muslim community) to close County schools to coincide with various religious holidays. I am against these efforts for several reasons: 1. On practical grounds. Montgomery County already has a large number of scheduled days without school, whether for holidays or teacher work days. The last two years snow days meant that you were unable to provide our students with the minimum number of days of education required by the state. I would rather have you exceed the minimum. More holidays is not a way to achieve this. 2. Political correctness. One side effect of a diverse society is that our political leadership finds it difficult to turn down requests from individual groups, regardless of perceived merits. I hope you will make decisions based on the greater good. 3. Separation of church state. The US Constitution makes it clear that we do not have a state religion. This has often been simplified as calling for a separation of church and state. I can see practical reasons for not having school on Christmas and Easter. I am Jewish, but I would rather have you open schools on the Jewish holidays rather than adding more religious holidays. Yours truly B48 Richard Mudge

51 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015

Two issues I just wanted to weigh in on. First, although my children would miss school on the first day of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, I would fully support eliminating these as days off from school, if it were feasible to do so. (I realize it might be difficult, since so many school staff members miss those days.) It would be far preferable to adding many more days off to the school calendar to keep other religious groups happy. To my mind, it just is not a big deal to make up work for an isolated day. Second, can you please set guidelines next year for when schools should hold Back-To-School (BTS) Night? I just learned that Oak View Elementary School and Blair High School have conflicting BTS nights, and they are in the same cluster! Also, Westland Middle School has the same BTS night, and I have a daughter at Westland and a son at Blair, and that’s not unusual, due to magnet and immersion programs. The problem could be greatly alleviated if different-level schools were assigned different days of the week, e.g., high schools on Tuesdays, middle schools on Wednesdays, and elementary schools on Thursdays. And elementary schools that are paired as (K-2 and 3-5 schools) could schedule in different weeks. Thank you for your attention to these two matters. B49 Sincerely, Leslie Hall

52 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015

Dear Members of the BoE, This letter repeats the content of the comment I submitted on the MCPS website with a few edits. Thank you for seeking community input on this matter. I feel extremely strongly that our effort to create a school calendar that acknowledges but does not advantage some religious traditions is a step in the right direction, but that we have not gone far enough. It is right that our calendar should name and observe shared national holidays such as Labor Day, MLK Day and even Thanksgiving (which, although originally an observance of thanks to the Christian God, could be argued is now an American holiday, not a Christian one). It is also right to have a comprehensive calendar that informs the community of the wide array of religious observances that may affect colleague and family participation in a "normal" day of school. The new calendar tool is terrific. However, it is wrong that our general working calendar should either name OR observe specific religious celebrations of ANY group. Examples are Rosh Hashanah and Good Friday. If we have Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and Good Friday as holidays without naming them, our Jewish and Christian colleagues and families are advantaged while we pretend that's not what's happening. (That's just a teeny tiny bit like claiming that drug laws are enforced equally for everyone and then finding our jails full of young black men.) Another reason to end religion-linked holiday observances is to bring consistency to our school calendar. Our winter break can continue to take place over the New Year, which is recognized secularly by all Americans (and indeed the world, despite the existence of other religious and culturally-based calendars). Similarly, our Spring Break should take place at a consistent time each year which is NOT based on the Christian observance of Easter (a moveable religious observation that can play havoc with our 4-quarter system). This would require Christians to fit their religious celebrations into the school calendar the best they can, just like Muslims and Buddhists and Sikhs and Hindus always have to. Finally, I'm going to make again my loud and persistent plea that we consider going to a YEAR-ROUND calendar similar to that of many European and other countries. We all know that summer learning loss is a big factor in our persistent achievement gap (please see research summary at http://www.summerlearning.org/?page=know_the_facts ). No amount of half-day, no-bus summer school is going to make a dent in that. Further, year-round school serves working families of all incomes by better matching the reality of a culture in which both parents working full-time is the norm. We would begin after Labor Day and finish at the end of July, making the summer break a much more manageable 4-5 weeks (during which some students could benefit from MCPS-run summer camps where they hold on to what they’ve got. Deduct another 4 weeks for mid-year breaks: 1 at the beginning of November to include Veteran’s or Election Day 1 at New Year 1 in mid-March 1 at the beginning of June to include Memorial Day That leaves 44 weeks of the year for school or 220 days. Take out the Monday holidays here and there, Thanksgiving and July 4th for a total of around 5-6 and we have a substantially increased opportunity to close that achievement gap. Alternatively, we could instate a 5th Enrichment Summer Term option for the students who need it, using a FARMS-type model. Yes, these changes would be expensive…but do we really mean to educate everyone, or do we not mean it? Yes, year-round school would play havoc with child care and summer camp providers... but do we really mean to educate everyone, or do we not mean it? B50 Thank you for your service on the Board. I would value a reply from each of you on both the observed holidays in the school calendar and on the year-round school concept. Sincerely, Heidi Mordhorst B51 To whom it may conern, As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Best regards, Sefat E. Khuda B52 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you for your time, Marwa Abdel Meguid B53 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammed Shamim B54 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Mohammed Shamim Hello, As a PARENT of TWO children who attend MCPS's and ALSO as a SUBSTITUTE TEACHER , I would like to request that Eid Holidays (Eid Ul Adhaa nd Eid Ul Fitr) for the Muslim Students is added B55 in all of the present and future MCPS Calendars. Thanks you, Kind Regards. Mohibullah Durrani B56 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Mst. Hasina Akter

53 Public Comments on Policy IDA, School Year Calendar September 8 to October 9, 2015 B57 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Omaira Mushtaq B58 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Iffat Fatima B59 As a community member, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Minnah Kedir B60 Hello, As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you. Kaiser Saifudin B61 As a community member, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you. Raza Hasan B62 As a community member, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Ali Faraz

Good afternoon, As a lifelong resident, former student, and future parent in Montgomery County, I would like to strongly urge the Board of Education to include the Eid Holiday in the MCPS Calendar. Growing up, I was consistently forced to sacrifice academics and extracurricular activities to practice my faith – a choice that my Jewish and Christian friends never had to make. There were times when I missed events that were core experiences such as field trips, playoff games, Homecoming, etc. More importantly – the perception of “otherness” and the resulting bigotry I faced from my peers in a post 9/11 climate was exacerbated by not being equally respected by the school board’s calendar. Being absent for an amorphous and mysterious religious reason from school activities only put up another obstacle to assimilating and to breaking down the racial/religious stereotypes of Muslims in the Post-9/11 world. When I would prioritize my religion, it made my lifestyle look “backward” and my religion “restrictive”. Where any Christian or Jew would make the same choice to practice their religion before attending school and community events on Christmas or Yom Kippur, they were spared this stigma by already having the day off. As a family, my husband (a teacher in Montgomery County) and our children will always be out of school two days a year (Eid –ul- Adha and Eid – ul – Fitr). Please pay Muslims the same courtesy afforded to Jews and Christians – let us have a carefree day to worship and celebrate - without needing to worry which emails we are missing, which tests we need to reschedule, which games or school community events we need to sit out of, which substitute will be teaching our class, etc… Furthermore, we would please like detailed clarification on the obligations school instructors and administrators have to students and staff in regards to accommodating religious holidays. Thank B63 you, Best regards, Surur Fatema Yonce As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students should be included in MCPS Calendars. It would be great to see our holiday be part of the system. Thanks B64 so much. Sumayya Ansari B65 As a community member, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Nadia Baten B66 As a student, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Fatma Elsayed B67 As a Muslim, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Cory Gallivan B68 As a parent, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Thank you. Mona Ibrahim B69 As a community member, I would like to request that Eid Holiday (Eid Ul Adha) for the Muslim Students is added in the MCPS Calendar. Agha Naqvi B70 Please include EID ALFETR and EID ALADHA as a 2 holiday for MOSLEM kids participate in MCPS starting from next calander year Ahmed Youssef

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