An advocacy group is welcoming New London's recognition of Muslim school holidays in its calendar for the next school year.
The calendar lists certain Muslim and Jewish holidays as days when observing students can be excused for absences. It also asks teachers not to schedule tests on those dates.
The Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said Monday that including the Islamic holidays will serve to enhance the learning environment for Muslim students.
"We welcome the inclusion of Islamic holidays in the school calendar because it will serve to enhance the learning environment for Muslim students," said CAIR-CT Executive Director Mongi Dhaouadi, in a statement.
Council spokesman Ibrahim Cooper says there is a growing movement toward recognizing Muslim holidays in school districts nationwide. He says it reflects the growth and maturity of the Muslim community as more parents don't want to see students marked absent when observing holidays.
CAIR is the country's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization, according to a release.
