A Message from the Howard County Board of Education on Eid al-Fitr

March 31st, 2025

The Board of Education sincerely apologizes to members of the Muslim community for our communication failures around the decision to open schools on March 31st. The process and subsequent communication were insensitive, lacked transparency, and ultimately undermined the spirit of inclusivity and respect that the Board is committed to upholding. While our intention was to uplift and celebrate all those observing Eid, we fell well short of that goal in our mishandling of this situation.

We recognize that the Eid al-Fitr holiday holds deep cultural and religious significance for many families in our community, representing a time of reflection, joy, and togetherness. The holidays, the time together with families that they offer, and the sprit and goodwill that they represent, that are important to many of us are important to all of us. The Board of Education highly values diversity, including religious diversity, and strives to nurture an environment that respects and honors the varied traditions of our students and staff.

The Board of Education recognizes the importance of improving processes to ensure that all families feel heard, respected, and valued, not only with words, but through action as well. We are committed to learning from this experience and nurturing a school environment and culture that values the diversity of all our students and families. We sincerely apologize for adding to the sense of ostracization and disregard that Muslim members of our community may be feeling in these times. We wish our students, staff, and families a joyful and peaceful holiday filled with blessings.