Illinois Muslim group launches awareness about religious rights in schools
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – A Muslim group is raising awareness about the laws that allow students to observe religious rights in the U.S. State of Illinois.
Illinois had adopted two landmark laws in 2021 that require public schools to accommodate students’ religious observances.
House Bill 169 amended the school code to allow students to be absent from public school for religious reasons, including the observance of a religious holiday.
Another House Bill 160 allows students to be excused from participating in a physical education course during a period of religious fasting if a parent or guardian notifies the school’s principal in writing.
But it has been observed that many Muslim families are not aware of these provisions.
Illinois is among the first states to adopt such laws.
These laws, which came into effect in August 2021, were initiated by the Northern Illinois American Muslim Alliance (NIAMA).
NIAMA chairman Vaseem Iftekhar said these laws not only benefit Muslim students but also students of other faiths.
They allow children to celebrate religious holidays with their parents without worrying about school consequences.
Before these laws were enacted, Muslim students needed a waiver for observing religious festivals such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
“This law is a milestone not only for Muslim students but students belonging to other faiths,” Iftekhar said.
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