(NY Daily News) The International Baccalaureate program, which offers rigorous high school classes, is holding its high-stakes end-of-year exams — including one on world religions — during an Islamic holiday when Muslim students may not be able to participate.
IB has scheduled 14 capstone assessments May 2-3, when Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr, sparking concerns that Muslim students will be unfairly penalized.
“Eid al-Fitr comes at the end of Ramadan and is a joyous time for the entire Muslim community — it would be a very difficult time for Muslim students to concentrate and do their best on this day,” said Ibrahim Hooper, the national communications director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization. May 2, the first day of Eid al-Fitr, is also a public school holiday.
