ISTOCK.COM/SMARTBOY10

Some Christians attend church on Easter and others do not. Similarly, Muslim students and families observe Ramadan in different ways. Some students fast during the school day for the entire month of Ramadan, while other students may not. Some families request that schools provide rooms so their children can pray during the day, and others may not. School leaders often take these differences into account but may still encounter various challenges when providing religious accommodations, including space constraints, scheduling conflicts, supervision difficulties, and parental complaints. Administrators may also struggle with fully understanding Ramadan and the ways it is observed. To prepare you for Ramadan this year—predicted to occur February 28 to March 30—this article describes the holiday, summarizes the relevant law, and concludes with practical recommendations.

What Is Ramadan?

Ramadan is one of the most important religious celebrations in Islam with more than 3.45 million individuals in the U.S. observing it every year (USA for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR], 2024). Unlike holidays that occur on a specific date, Ramadan occurs depending on the lunar cycle. It marks the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (Al-Arshani, 2024).

Ramadan is a spiritual time of deep religious reflection and increased generosity. It is also a social month where families and friends gather frequently. Many Muslims fast during daylight hours and engage in extra prayers in the evening at their local mosque. Fasting is one of the five central tenets of Islam. Muslim students may wake up early for a pre-dawn meal (Sahur) and go to bed late after the breaking of the fast at sundown (Iftar) (UNHCR, 2024). For students, Ramadan affects sleep routines, eating habits, and physical activity levels. Although children who have not reached puberty are not expected to fast, many do so because they want to be a part of their religious community. The idea of children fasting causes some to worry, but Muslims often provide extra nutritional supports during Ramadan. For example, Dietitian Sumiya Khan explained that children who fast are given high-protein foods for sustained energy, multivitamins, and hydration (Tseng, 2022). Also,
some youth fast for only part of the day or have an occasional snack.

It is also important for non-Muslims to recognize the significance of fasting. Khan said, “Ramadan is meant to be a time of reflection, discipline and gratitude for our blessings” and when Muslims break the fast surrounded by family and friends, it highlights how fortunate one is (Tseng, 2022). Ramadan ends with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, which is the “Festival of the Breaking of the Fast” (UNHCR, 2024). This celebration spans three days, and many Muslims travel to spend it with family members.

Relevant Law

Public schools cannot promote or prohibit the practice of one’s religious beliefs. Students and school employees have a constitutional right to freely exercise their religion, but schools are only required to provide reasonable accommodations for religious expression or practice.

Specifically, the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause protects students’ and employees’ rights to exercise their religion. For example, the U.S. Supreme Court clarified that non-disruptive prayer is permissible and stated, “nothing in the Constitution . . . prohibits any public school student from voluntarily praying at any time before, during, or after the schoolday” (Sante Fe Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Doe, 2000, p. 302). Educators can impose rules to maintain order in school, but they cannot “discriminate against student prayer or religious perspectives in applying such rules and restrictions” (U.S. Dept. of Educ., 2023a).

Additionally, under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, schools are prohibited from engaging in religious discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Title VI of this federal law protects students and Title VII protects employees. According to policy guidance from the Office for Civil Rights, discrimination could involve:

    racial, ethnic, or ancestral slurs or stereotypes; when the discrimination is based on a student’s skin color, physical features, or style of dress that reflects both ethnic and religious traditions; and when the discrimination is based on where a student came from or is perceived to have come from, including discrimination based on a student’s foreign accent; a student’s foreign name…; or a student speaking a foreign language (U.S. Dept. of Educ., 2023b, p. 2).

Private schools are typically not bound by the Free Exercise Clause but could be under the Civil Rights Act by accepting federal funding.

The U.S. Supreme Court has recognized parents’ legal right to control their children’s education and that the government cannot burden the free exercise of religion. Specifically, in Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972), the Court determined that because attending high school was contrary to the Amish religion, parents were permitted to remove their children from public education at age 14. Thus, there are multiple examples when parents may request that their children opt-out of aspects of school that would significantly burden their sincerely held religious beliefs (e.g., sex education).

When families, students, and/or employees believe that schools have discriminated against them or have not been neutral in applying the school’s policies, then these parties could file lawsuits claiming their constitutional rights were violated. They also could file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights or the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.

Recommendations

Increasing your understanding of Ramadan and/or your legal responsibilities is only a start. When educators learn more about the common practices and beliefs for multiple religious holidays, they demonstrate their dedication to family and community collaboration. Although the below recommendations are specific to Ramadan, they may inform how your school could become more inclusive of various non-Christian holidays such as the High Holidays of Judaism, Bodhi Day of Buddhism, and Diwali which is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs.

  • Educate yourself and the school community. Make it clear to staff that intolerance of religious beliefs will not be tolerated and that promoting their own religious values to their students is prohibited by law. Encourage employees to actively engage with fellow staff and community members to learn more about various religious holidays/practices to strengthen relationships and increase tolerance. Some schools have student/staff equity clubs/committees, and these organizations can increase awareness. Another way to learn more about Ramadan is for non-Muslims to join Iftar, the breaking of the fast. Or some schools host events like a global potluck where the school community shares their diverse cultures.
  • Identify what is and is not reasonable under the law and discuss with families, students, and staff. While school leaders must accept reasonable accommodations, they should also be clear about what may not be reasonable. To remove burdens from students to practice their religion, a reasonable accommodation could be for teachers to excuse students from class so that students may fulfill their religious obligations to pray or attend prayer off school property at a specified time. Additionally, Muslim students and staff may be more hungry, tired, and dehydrated and could benefit from increased opportunities to take breaks. Teachers may consider making accommodations for their entire classroom, such as providing headphones to students when listening to music because some Muslims opt to listen to certain music during Ramadan. On the other hand, it is likely unreasonable for teachers to waive all due dates during Ramadan. Instead, families/students can work with teachers to identify if certain assignments could have flexible deadlines (e.g., if there is a test scheduled during Eid, then the teacher could arrange an alternative time to complete the test without penalty). School leaders should notify students/families that even with accommodations for prayer and fasting, that students are still be responsible for any missed assignments/classroom activities.
  • Accommodate fasting. For example, it would be insensitive to host a waffle day complete with the sweet aroma of batter and syrup wafting through the school during a month when students/employees are fasting (Wong, 2024). Teachers should also choose non-food rewards. And, because there are exceptions to fasting such as menstruation or illness, staff should not ask, “Why aren’t you fasting today?” because students should not have to disclose personal information. One way to increase awareness is to display “Accommodating Muslim Students During Ramadan,” a poster (available at bit.ly/4e1fNsc) that provides practical tips for educators. These include reminders to:
    • Contact parents to identify if their children are fasting.
    • Provide a safe alternative space during lunch for fasting students (e.g., library).
    • Recognize that physical activities like P.E. and academic activities like standardized testing may be more challenging for fasting students.
  • Accommodate prayer. School leaders must remember their obligations under the First Amendment, the Civil Rights Act, and, if relevant, state law to ensure that they do not infringe on staff/students’ ability to exercise their religion. While educators must not refuse a family’s request for their child to pray, they can explain that the prayer should not disrupt classroom activities. Therefore, it is reasonable—and likely preferable to families/students—for educators to request that students pray in a private space that the school organizes (e.g., empty classroom, office). However, if students are not using prayer time properly, staff should let the family know.

Overall, school leaders should proactively communicate with students, families, and employees. Some Muslims have felt ostracized by schools’ lack of awareness and been frustrated when the onus is on them to educate educators and staff about Ramadan.

Janet R. Decker, JD, PhD, is an associate professor of education law at Indiana University and co-author of Legal Rights of School Leaders, Teachers, and Students. Morgan S. Kelly, JD, is a visiting assistant librarian at Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law. Garrett M. Carter, PhD, is a middle school principal in Columbus, OH.

References

Al-Arshani, S. (2024, March 16). When is Ramadan 2024? What is it? Muslims set to mark a month of spirituality, reflection. USA Today. usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/03/08/ramadan-2024-when-what/72866014007/

Sante Fe Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Doe, 530 U.S. 290 (2000).

Tseng, A. (April 9, 2022). Kids are balancing fasting and school during Ramadan: How to support them. Los Angeles Times. latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2022-04-09/kids-are-balancing-fasting-and-school-during-ramadan-how-to-support-them#:~:text=school%20during%20Ramadan.-,How%20to%20support%20them,end%20during%20regular%20Wednesday%20potlucks

USA for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR]. (2024, March 11). What to know about Ramadan and how refugees celebrate. admin.unrefugees.org/news/what-to-know-about-ramadan-and-how-refugees-celebrate/

U.S. Department of Education (2023a, May 15). Guidance on constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression in public elementary and secondary schools. ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html

U.S. Department of Education (2023b, November 7). Dear Colleague Letter: Discrimination, including harassment, based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics. Office for Civil Rights. ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-202311-discrimination-harassment-shared-ancestry.pdf

Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205 (1972).

Wong, A. (March 19, 2024). Muslim students face tough challenges during Ramadan. Here’s what teachers can do to help. USA Today. usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/03/19/how-to-support-muslim-students-ramadan/72970070007/