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Read the press release here.

City Will Now Close Schools for 2 Muslim Holidays

By  Sybile Penhirin and Jeff Mays | March 4, 2015 10:57am 

 Mayor Bill de Blasio added two Muslim holidays to the public school calendar on March 4, 2014.
Mayor Bill de Blasio added two Muslim holidays to the public school calendar on March 4, 2014.
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DNAinfo/Ben Fractenberg

CIVIC CENTER — Two Muslim holidays, Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr, will be added to the city's public school holiday schedule, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in Brooklyn Wednesday morning.

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and, starting in 2016, it will be a public school holiday.

Eid al-Adha, during which Muslims honor the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son, is celebrated from Sept. 23 to 24 this year.

Schools will be closed on Sept. 24, 2015 and summer school will not be in session for Eid al-Fitr, starting in 2016.

"This is about respect, respect for one of the great faiths of this earth," de Blasio said during a press conference at PS/IS 30 in Brooklyn.

Thirty-six percent of students at the school were absent the last time Eid al-Adha fell on a school day, according to the Department of Education.

"This is about respect for the families of this city," the mayor added.

The city's Muslim community has long lobbied for the change because they say it forces families to choose between their faith and the education of their children.

Muslim children missed important tests, were marked absent and missed assignments because they were out of school celebrating the holidays.

'This is a win for our children and future generations in this country," said Linda Sarsour, executive director of the Arab American Association of New York.

Officials said that one in eight New York City school children are Muslim. The decision makes New York the largest school district in the country to honor the holidays.

Other states such as New Jersey, Massachusetts and Vermont already observe them.

"The more we celebrate diversity, the better we are as a city," said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña.

There must be at least 180 instructional school days per year, according to state rules. De Blasio and Fariña both said they were confident they could meet that goal while adding in the two Muslim holidays.

"It's just was a matter of fairness. It's as simple as that," said de Blasio.