VOA慢速英语2015 美国学校应承认穆斯林假日吗?

 

AS IT IS 2015-01-25 Should Schools in US Recognize Muslim Holidays? 美国学校应承认穆斯林假日吗?

As religious minorities increase in the United States, some want public schools to close not only on Christmas, but also on their religious holidays. The issue is being debated in Montgomery County, Maryland, near Washington, D.C. It has become a difficult issue for local school boards, which set education policy in cities or towns. Unlike in many countries, in the United States public schools are under the control of local officials -- not state or federal governments.

In most U.S. public school districts, the number of religious minorities is small. But in Montgomery County, about 10 percent of students are Muslim.

Musa Siddiqi is in the fourth grade. He says school should be closed on the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice.

“Whenever I have Eid on school days, I have to be dropped off of school (be absent) and then it goes on my report card, and I do not like how that goes.”

Some Muslims also want schools to close on Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan. At least six U.S. school districts already close on both Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.

Zeinab Chaudry is a member of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. She welcomes the fact that school officials have given Muslim students permission to miss classes on religious holidays. But she thinks it is unfair for Muslim children to miss class when other children are in school.

“Classes are still in session, so they still miss classroom instruction. Teachers will still teach. If there is exams that will be scheduled for that day, there will still be exams the students will miss out on if they decide to take off from school.”

Montgomery County has some of the best schools in the United States. People from around the world live in the county. Local residents celebrate many different holidays.

This year, Eid al-Adha will be celebrated¹ at the same time as the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur. Schools in the county have been closed on Yom Kippur since the 1970s. Back then, school board officials found that 15 percent of the students and teachers were out of school on the holiday.

Recently, parents of Muslim students attend a meeting of Montgomery County board of education. Batya Steinlauf is a Jewish religious leader and a member of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Washington. She supported the Muslim parents.

“To communicate an appreciation² of the rich diversity of Montgomery County.”

But the board’s chairman, Phil Kauffman, said a government agency should not recognize any religious holiday.

“I do not think we should have any mention of specific religious holidays in our calendar because we are a public school.”

The board voted to remove all of the names of religious holidays -- including Christmas -- from the official school schedule. However, schools will still be closed on those days.

Saqib Ali is a parent and member of the “Equality for Eid Coalition³.” He was not happy about the vote.

“It seems like someone’s bending over backwards⁴ really, really hard to try not to give equality to the Muslim community.”

He said many residents will reject the board’s decision.

“It is going to cause significant backlash in the wider community against the school board, and against this administration.”

Some people reacted to the decision on social media. They accused the school board and Muslims of opposing Christmas.

Charles Haynes works at the Religious Freedom Center. He says the school board is in a difficult position.

“…because the United States is now one of the most religiously diverse places in the world. And more and more religious minorities in the United States are speaking up and saying, ‘We are here too. You have accommodated the Christians⁵ and the Jews on the calendar. What about us?’”

Mr. Haynes says if a religious group is large enough, it may be able to pressure a school to close because so many students will be absent on that faith’s holiday.

“But absent that argument, the school board may not do it, without violating the First Amendment⁶.”  

Among other things, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution requires a separation between religion and government.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio promised during his campaign last year to close schools in America’s largest city for Eid. If he does, it may help Muslim parents in Montgomery County and other places.

Words in this Story

district – n. an area or section of a country, city or town; an area established by a government for official government business

absent – adj. not present at a usual or expected place

report card – n. a written statement of a student’s grades that is given to the student’s parents

bending over backwards – idiom to work very hard to accomplish something for someone; to go out of one's way (to do something) (for someone)

backlash – n. a strong public reaction against something

1 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

2 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

5 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

6 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。