Hilliard City Schools closes for first time Wednesday for Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday

Cole Behrens, Columbus Dispatch
Updated ·2 min read
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Hilliard City Schools will be the first school in the state to close Wednesday in observation of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday.

In 2022, the Hilliard Board of Education unanimously approved school calendars through the 2025-26 school year including Eid as a district holiday beginning this school year, The Dispatch previously reported. The board action came following a campaign from Islamic students appealing to the board to allow the day as a school holiday, similar to Good Friday.

While the district does not track the religious affiliation of students, board members previously said as many as 20% of Hilliard students were absent during the Eid holiday, and that it only made logistical sense for the district to remain closed, The Dispatch previously reported.

Hilliard Davidson High School, 5100 Davidson Road, is a public high school in the Hilliard City School District in Hilliard, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. It is the first of three high schools in the district, the other two being Hilliard Darby High School and Hilliard Bradley High School.
Hilliard Davidson High School, 5100 Davidson Road, is a public high school in the Hilliard City School District in Hilliard, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. It is the first of three high schools in the district, the other two being Hilliard Darby High School and Hilliard Bradley High School.

Local Muslim parents and organizations like the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations praised the district at the time for recognizing the important Muslim holiday and listening to the Muslim students. CAIR at the time said the district was the first public school system in Ohio to close for the holiday.

Last month, Noor Mosque, one of central Ohio's largest, announced it would be opening a YMCA-like center for the Hilliard Muslim and non-Muslim community to use, potentially featuring a cafe, a day care, an arcade for kids, a salon, STEM lab and an events venue, The Dispatch previously reported.

What is Eid al-Fitr?

Eid is a term denoting holiday or festival, and Muslims celebrate two major holidays, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. Eid al-Fitr is a holiday that celebrates the breaking of the month of fasting during Ramadan. The day is celebrated with prayer, gift-giving and sharing a meal with family members and neighbors.

More: What to know about Eid al-Fitr

The first day of Shawwal, or the first the sighting of the crescent moon, brings Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.

Eid al-Adha occurs about two and a half months after Eid al-Fitr and observes the time of the pilgrimage to Mecca.

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Cbehrens@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Hilliard schools close Wednesday; first for Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday