NYC Schools Face Scheduling Confusion Over Eid al-Adha

NEW YORK CITY, NY — New York City’s Education Department made a scheduling mistake regarding the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, leading to confusion among school principals this week. The error was communicated late, causing frustration as the school year approaches its end.

All schools in the city will be closed on Thursday for Eid al-Adha and Anniversary Day. However, on Friday, high schools and grades 6-12 will remain open while elementary and middle schools will be closed to students, though staff are expected to report for a planned clerical day.

Traditionally, clerical days allow staff to grade and prepare for the upcoming academic year, while some schools utilize this time for student orientations. Yet, a note in the Education Department’s Tuesday email informed principals that Friday’s staff day would be altered due to Eid starting Thursday evening.

Several anonymous principals expressed their discontent regarding the lack of early communication. One principal from Manhattan questioned whether the department understood when the holiday began, as its timing varies based on moon sightings.

Chyann Tull, a spokeswoman for the Education Department, explained, “The change was made to provide greater flexibility for educators to complete various end-of-year tasks.” She added that students in grades 6-12 with scheduling conflicts due to Eid may be excused.

One middle school principal in Manhattan noted they had planned an in-person orientation for incoming sixth graders and had to quickly find teachers willing to volunteer to still hold the event. “Most of what we planned won’t translate to remote,” the principal said.

Another Brooklyn middle school principal conveyed similar concerns about lost productivity due to the last-minute adjustments. “While planning can happen remotely, it will greatly diminish productivity,” the principal stated.

Contrarily, some school leaders welcomed the change because it accommodates staff observing Eid. A Bronx assistant principal noted an overall relief from staff anticipating low attendance on Friday.

This is not the first instance of last-minute changes surrounding this date; a similar occurrence happened two years ago due to an external emergency. Another principal recalled past disruptions that led to canceling orientations, which resulted in ongoing frustrations from parents.

The Education Department has addressed next year’s calendar to avoid similar issues, although some school leaders still feel uneasy about the department’s communication practices. “It just doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence,” said a middle school principal in Manhattan.