Overlap of Prom and Ramadan Sparks Debate at Brooklyn Tech

It just so happens that nearly the entire last month of public school in New York City this year coincides with Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, prayer and introspection. Because of Ramadan's emphasis on self-restraint, the timing means that some Muslim students will sit out prom and other end-of-year festivities. 

The issue sparked a debate at Brooklyn Technical High School, which is holding its senior prom this Saturday at Chelsea Piers. Some Tech students circulated a petition this spring to move prom earlier by a couple of weeks, before the May 26 beginning of Ramadan. The petition was first reported by The New York Post. 

Paola Soto, a senior who is not Muslim, signed the petition. She said her school should have anticipated the conflict when it set the prom date, or at least should have changed the arrangement after the fact. 

"Ramadan isn't a new thing," said Soto. "It's been around for freakin' centuries." 

Soto added, "I think it’s really messed up that Tech wasn’t able to make accommodations knowing that a lot of students are Muslim."

The date for prom was established last year under a previous principal. The current principal, David Newman, declined an interview. But students said that Brooklyn Tech traditionally held its prom on the first Saturday of June at Chelsea Piers, and that a deposit on the space was paid long ago. 

One student government officer, who asked not to be named, added that it would have been difficult to move prom ahead of Ramadan because the celebration would have conflicted with students' Advanced Placement exams, which run through the month of May. 

The president of the Muslim Student Association, Helal Chowdhury, dismissed the idea that the school was being unaccommodating to Muslims. He said Brooklyn Tech is supportive of Muslims and sensitive to daily prayer needs.

He agreed that some Muslim students would be sitting prom out. But he said that in a school with 5,700 people, accommodating all students is not simple. 

“If you think about it," said Chowdhury, "even though prom is during Ramadan, there are still some Muslim students who are still going to prom."

Meanwhile, he said, other very observant students, like himself, would not attend prom — regardless of its overlap with Ramadan.  

"It’s kind of hard to address everyone,” he said.

Ervin Taveras, who is not Muslim, said he was excited about prom but felt "ashamed" that Brooklyn Tech did not change the date. 

His solution for Muslim students who may be left out?

"Invite them to after-prom," said Taveras. "I have a lot of Muslim friends and I want them to have fun on that night."

Though prom will carry on as usual this weekend, city education officials said that food would not be served until after sundown. They also said that Brooklyn Tech is working to schedule prom after Ramadan next year, later in June.