School districts in New Jersey have approved days off for Islamic holidays.

Excuse me; according to this AP release, that should be “sacred” Islamic holidays. Without the quotes.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) _ Atlantic City has become the fourth school district in New Jersey to recognize Muslim holidays. The city’s board of education approved districtwide days off for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, two sacred Islamic holidays, for the upcoming school year.

Previously, under state law Muslim students and teachers were allowed to take off Islamic holidays without being penalized. According to Superintendent Fredrick P. Nickles, about 560 of the city’s 7,800 children are Muslim.

Board member Cornell Davis, who is Muslim, called the decision “courageous” in light of current tensions between Americans and Islamic extremists.

“It shows a lot of character about us as Americans,” Davis told The Press of Atlantic City.

Eid al-Fitr, a festival celebrating the breaking of the fast of Ramadan, will be observed on Nov. 15. Eid al-Adha, a festival of sacrifice and pilgrimage, will be observed on Jan. 21.

To fit the two holidays into the school calendar, officials reduced the number of days schools can take off for emergencies from six to four. That means if schools close for snow or other emergencies more than four days, the days would have to be made up during spring recess or on Saturdays in June, Nickles said.

School districts in Trenton, Paterson and Irvington already recognize Islamic holidays.