GOVERNANCE Project Citizen
Bridgeport Students fight for equality in their schools
I
n the search for equality, we often lean on established leaders in the community. Their commitment and experience help guide the general public through difficult decisions. But sometimes, our leaders come from students, like those in Bridgeport who are helping their fellow students celebrate holidays without getting behind. Part of a program called “Project Citizen,” the goal is to get students more involved in the democratic process. Each year eighth grade students in Bridgeport come together to effect policy change by tackling local issues they feel have not been addressed. From the Connecticut Post, this year they reviewed the proposals and whittled it down to focusing on the Eid holidays, which include Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Celebrated by Muslim students, the Eid holidays would cause a large amount of absences by students
42 | INNOVATIVE IDEAS 2022
who would then become behind in their lessons and even have a day marked absent against them.
This follows a pattern of schools becoming more inclusive of religious celebrations.
Considering the state already has day offs allotted for practitioners of other religions, there was room to make an argument that those same rights should be upheld not just for Muslim students in Bridgeport, but to prevent non-Muslim students from having to repeat a lesson due to a large number of classmates being out.
School districts around the state have added Eid al-Fitr and the Hindu and Sikh celebration of Diwali to the calendar as day-off holidays.
Research was done and presented to the board of education, including the fact that upwards of 11% of students in the Bridgeport system identified as Muslim. They also circulated a online letter which garnered more than 2000 signatures. Because Eid follows the lunar calendar, it does not fall on the same day each year. Students gave the dates for the holiday for the next 30 years, some of which will take place during summer vacation.
This is in large part because the state is diversifying as whole. Although Christmas and Good Friday are already worked into the school schedule, many communities with large Mexican or Puerto Rican populations are adopting Three Kings Day as part of their school closures. This includes Bridgeport where the Project Citizen helped students learn the civic process, getting involved, and doing the work that is required to affect change. These students presented their case and made a difference for their fellow students, as well as the general cause of equality in Connecticut.
