SF Board approves Eid observance in 2023–24 school calendar after months of student-led push

The San Francisco Board of Education voted Aug. 9 to include observance of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha in development of the 2023–24 SFUSD academic calendar, a change supporters said would allow Muslim students to celebrate without academic penalty.

Student organizers and parents filled the board chamber and Zoom lines with testimonies that the district’s calendar prioritizes Christian holidays and leaves Muslim students forced to choose between family observance and schoolwork. Student delegate Hanson told the board: “Muslim students and families should not have to choose between celebrating a cultural holiday or attending school.” Community groups including the Arab Resource and Organizing Center and the San Francisco Human Rights Commission also urged adoption.

Board members debated whether to approve the resolution immediately or to delay so staff could produce a process and criteria for future calendar requests. Commissioner Kevin Alexander, who sponsored the resolution, said the item followed a long history of student advocacy and was the established route for calendar changes. Commissioner Hsu said the board should adopt written criteria for any holiday request, asking for standards such as whether a holiday affects a significant share of students or aligns with state or federal recognitions.

The motion ultimately passed on a roll call of recorded votes: Alexander yes, Vice President Bogus yes, Commissioner Hsu no, Commissioner Wiseman Ward yes and President Lam yes. Board leadership and Superintendent Wayne said staff will now factor the Eid observance into the calendar-development process and return to the board with operational details, including whether the school year would end later or start earlier to accommodate the added holiday.

Supporters framed the change as a matter of belonging and equity. Lara Kaswani, executive director of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, said recognizing Eid was “a concrete way” to put the district’s stated values into practice. Opponents and some board members requested a transparent process to evaluate other holiday requests in the future, and asked the administration to present fiscal and operational impacts alongside proposed criteria.

Next steps: staff will integrate the Eid observance into the 2023–24 calendar development, consult labor partners and return with a timeline and recommended operational adjustments before calendar adoption. The board did not set a specific effective date for a final calendar during the meeting.