The president of the Baltimore chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee is calling for the resignations of two Baltimore County school board members after their walk-out during his presentation at a board meeting on Aug. 22.
Dr. Bash Pharoan and other Baltimore County Muslim parents and students have been seeking to close public schools on two Islamic Holy days, as the system does with two Jewish holidays. Toward the end of Pharoan?s three-minute presentation last month, which included a poster with photos of Israeli children signing their names on missiles headed toward Lebanon, board members Joy Shillman and Frances Harris left their seats and did not return.
In his Aug. 22 address, Pharoan spoke of the loss of American soldiers in Iraq, the billions spent, and a policy that, he said, has brought Iraq to the brink of civil war. He then derided local, state and national officials who supported Israel?s invasion of Lebanon July 12.
“You can raise the percentage of successful and achieving students,” said Pharoan, whose three children graduated from Dulaney High School. “The outcome will be smart future leaders that will wage more wars for money or for personal reasons. Leaders that are smart, but cannot see.”
Pharoan said at Wednesday night?s board meeting that Shillman and Harris had “insulted the board” and its mission by walking out, and could not fulfill their obligation to listen to public concerns “if their ears and hearts are closed.”
Shillman said after the meeting that she “would not dignify” Pharoan?s remarks with a response. Harris was not present, apparently for reasons unrelated to controversy.
School board president Donald Arnold added after the meeting that schools were not closed on Jewish holidays Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, nor on Christmas or Easter for religious reasons, but for secular criteria. He pointed to significantly lower attendance figures ? a legal distinction courts have held up.
Pharoan said he has asked for data to back up that decision, but he has not received any. Pharoan also said Arnold has previously offered to bring Muhammad Jameel, a Baltimore County parent and Islamic Society of Baltimore member, and superintendent Joe Hairston together for a meeting, but that has not happened yet. Pharoan and others have been pushing for the inclusion of the Muslim holidays Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, and Eid-al-Adha, signifying the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
