Bridgeport school officials are weighing whether to add Eid al-Adha to the district calendar following growing community advocacy and initial discussions by education leaders.
The issue was raised during a March 25 meeting of the Board of Education’s Instruction and Support Services Committee, where administrators emphasized that any change would require careful planning and review.
“There’s a lot more involved in developing a school calendar than just adding a day,” Interim Superintendent Royce Avery told the committee. Avery said the district would look at how neighboring districts handle the holiday and bring data back before any decision. “I think we can do a little bit more research before the next meeting and hopefully give those stats to the committee and the board to really dive deeper into that,” he said.
Members said the proposal would be considered as part of future calendar planning, with attention to districtwide impact, scheduling requirements and state guidelines.
Bridgeport currently recognizes Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan, along with religious observances including Good Friday, Christmas, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Bridgeport Board of Education voted in 2015 to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day in place of Columbus Day, the first such action by a Connecticut district, though the current school calendar designates the day Italian Heritage Day.
Momentum around the issue continued at an April 13 Board of Education meeting, where community members urged the district to formally recognize Eid al-Adha, one of the two major Islamic holidays. The holiday commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God and is marked by prayer, charity and community gatherings.
The most substantial presentation came from Khaled Elleithy, president of the Bridgeport Islamic Community Center, who led the community’s successful 2022 effort to add Eid al-Fitr to the district calendar. Elleithy presented a 15-year projection of Eid dates and told the board the impact on the school calendar would be minimal. Of 30 Eid occasions between 2026 and 2040, he said, 10 fall on weekends or existing school breaks, and Eid al-Fitr is already recognized. That leaves Eid al-Adha dates falling on school days in a limited number of years, by his count, six years in which both Islamic holidays would land on school days, eight in which only one would, and one in which neither would. “This is a small adjustment with a meaningful and lasting impact,” he said.
Elsewhere in Connecticut, Waterbury began recognizing both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha starting in the 2023-24 school year, closing schools to allow students to observe the holidays. The move followed advocacy from local Muslim residents and civil rights groups seeking greater parity in school calendars.
Marwan Majeed, a Bridgeport resident, described Eid al-Adha as a “deeply meaningful religious obligation” and said recognizing it would affirm the district’s commitment to inclusion.
“Recognizing it would send a powerful message that every child in Bridgeport is seen, respected and valued,” Majeed said.
Other speakers echoed that message, emphasizing both cultural recognition and educational value. Jeffrey Schwartz of Congregation B’nai Israel of Bridgeport said acknowledging diverse religious traditions helps broaden students’ perspectives.
“I’m well aware of how important it is for children to learn about different religious traditions,” Schwartz said. “It broadens our points of view and increases open-mindedness.”
Mostafa Hassan, co-coordinator of the teacher residency program at the University of Bridgeport, said adding the holiday could also help address misconceptions about Islam.
“It would send a clear message to Muslim students that their identities and traditions are valued just as others are,” he said.
Amina Lawani, a 10th grader at Capital Prep Harbor School in Bridgeport, told the board that recognizing the holiday would both allow Muslim students to observe it and help educate others about Islamic traditions.
After public comment, Andre Woodson, who chairs the board’s policy committee, proposed creating an ad hoc committee to study the calendar question. The proposal did not come up at the board’s next regular meeting, on May 11, where the policy committee’s report dealt with other matters.
In a statement to Fairfield County News, Interim Superintendent Royce Avery said, “We are a very diverse community, and supporting our students and families remains a top priority,” adding that the district planned to bring the proposal to the board as a potential option for discussion in the coming months.