Washington, D.C. | February 21, 2023 – The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), in collaboration with the Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC) has submitted a records request seeking information about the San Francisco School Board’s recent reversal of its decision to have Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha official district holidays at schools across the city, a decision that shocked and frustrated community members.
In response to the reversal, the ADC has submitted a records request seeking information about the board’s decision-making process, including any communications, reports, or other documents related to the holiday decision, in order to gain a better understanding of the factors that led to the reversal and to determine if any discriminatory or biased practices were involved.
Abed Ayoub, ADC National Executive Director, said, “Access to information is crucial in holding public officials accountable and ensuring transparency in decision-making. We hope that this records request will shed light on the factors that led to the irreprehensible reversal of the decision to recognize Eid as a holiday in San Francisco schools, and help ensure that the Arab and Muslim community’s rights are respected in the future.”
Lara Kiswani, Executive Director of AROC, said, “SFUSD is turning their backs on Arabs and Muslims and going against their own commitment to centering San Francisco students and families. While we continue to demand that they make good on their promise and implement our Eid Resolution, the Board of Education has signaled that its priorities are rightwing pressure and racist lawsuits. We cannot allow this failure to protect students from racist backlash to go unanswered.”
ADC and AROC both anticipate that this request will be fulfilled in a timely manner in accordance with state rules and regulations.
AROC Press Contact: Wassim Hage
(832) 704-7660
wassim@araborganizing.org
ADC Press Contact: Jasmine Hawamdeh
(202) 244-2990
jasmine@adc.org