How many Muslims does it take to close New York City Public Schools? The answer is 69,985 — roughly 21/2500 of the total population of the Big Apple — going by the most recent demographic breakdown (2000 Census).
The scant size of the Muslim community hasn’t deterred the city’s new absurdly liberal mayor, Bill de Blasio, from pushing to close city schools for two Muslim holidays and the Lunar New Year. The Daily News reports (h/t Weasel Zippers) that hizzoner appeared on WNYC’s “Brian Lehrer Show” on Monday, where he announced his plan to publicly observe the Muslim holy days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, as well as the Islamic New Year, with school closures. Said the mayor:
It is complicated in terms of logistics and school calendar and budget. But it’s something I want to get done in a reasonable time frame.
Reactions were not solicited from the 99% of students who aren’t Muslim, though it is doubtful many of them will complain about extra days off from school. Their parents — especially those in families where both work and need to make special arrangement for school closures — are likely a different story.
Read more: libertyunyielding.com
