Watkins Mill High School’s prom 2023 is taking place at the Marriott in Rio on Friday, April 21, which is a professional day for Montgomery County Public Schools.

While this may appear convenient for many students, April 21 is also Eid-al-Fitr—the largest Islamic holiday of the year, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.  Last year, prom took place on April 29, 2022, which was also during Ramadan. (Editor’s Note: The date was not selected by Class Council or Student Government Association.)

Ramadan is a month of fasting for Muslims, in which they do not eat and drink between dawn and sunset. Throughout the month of Ramadan, Muslims observe the ninth month in the Islamic calendar by abstaining from indulgence. They pray to become closer to Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala (God).  The translation for Eid in Arabic is “Festival” or “Feast.”

It is a time where Muslims come together, pray, eat and participate in the joyous festivities surrounding this holiday. On the morning of Eid, Muslims attend the morning Eid prayer at the mosque, and the prayer is then followed by the holiday festivities throughout the day.

In short, Ramadan and Eid are holy periods dedicated to strengthening relationships with Allah SWT, which begs the question: why has Watkins Mill—a school with a high Muslim student population—hosted its prom during those dates for the past two years?

While ostensibly an oversight, this decision reflects a step backward from cultural inclusivity, which deviates from the norm at Watkins Mill.

In a school that prides itself on diversity, allowing prom to be held on Eid feels culturally tone-deaf. In an already predominantly Christian society, it is imperative that we ensure religious inclusivity remains at the forefront of our minds as we plan events intended to bring the school community together.

To some Muslim students at Watkins Mill, this prom date serves as an insensitive inconvenience as they won’t be able to attend prom and still partake in the Eid festivities. Many Muslims also abstain from certain activities like video games and attending parties in addition to fasting during Ramadan, which prohibited some students from attending prom last year. And this year, although Eid is a celebration, it is still a sacred time for Muslim students and their families.

Many students are members of host families, who have been preparing for this big day, finally opening their doors to the many guests that they’ve been expecting. This includes helping their families cook large quantities of food for the feast. It is often seen as disrespectful in the Islamic culture if a member of a host family leaves their house while the guests are still in attendance. Having prom on Eid will push some Muslim students to choose between offending their families on this holiest day or participating in a milestone celebration of their high school careers.

Regardless of whether Muslim students attend, placing prom on Eid unfairly burdens them with the task of choosing between prom and their time designated for Allah SWT. Students who decide to attend after praying with their family, in particular, are forced to wrestle with the idea that choosing to attend prom too makes it seem like they are prioritizing a high school tradition over their religion. 

While there are some Muslim students who are unbothered by the prom date, this doesn’t reduce the gravity of this cultural infliction.

It is important to recognize that an event like prom would never even be considered for a day like Christmas or Easter, as everyone recognizes these dates as days of religious celebration with loved ones. Muslim holidays, especially Eid, should be afforded the same recognition. Watkins Mill must ensure that we will not make this mistake again for the third time to show the Muslim community that the school doesn’t just tolerate them, but recognizes them and their values with the more developed cultural competence that they deserve.

In a school system that doesn’t recognize other religions’ holidays with the same reverence as Christian holidays, the absolute least we can do is not plan major events on days where it is difficult for observant students to attend.

MCPS’ core values on equity and respect state that “We believe that each and every student matters…the diversity of our culture, interests, skills, and backgrounds is an asset that makes us stronger.”  Having prom on Eid-al-Fitr contradicts two of MCPS’ core values. The Watkins Mill community needs to take an equitable approach if we are to embody MCPS tenets and demonstrate that we value our Muslim students.