The controversy over the school closed for the end of Ramadan in Milan

The principal asks us not to make a political controversy about an event, the end party Ramadan, which is linked to inclusion and daily management of a school. The criticism, however, arrived and came mainly from the League after the decision of the Iqbal Masih comprehensive institute, dedicated to the Pakistani child symbol of the fight against the exploitation of child labour, by Pioltello to schedule a day off on April 10, the day Ramadan ends.

The school has over 1250 pupils from nursery to middle school: oOver 40% are of foreign origin and there are many second and third generation Italians. Already in past years on this day, Eid al-Fitr, the celebration of the end of the fast at the end of Ramadan, the classrooms were practically empty and already in the last school year the inclusion of a public holiday had been hypothesized if the celebration had fallen during the week. Each school has the autonomy to establish its own calendar choosing where to use the days available, despite the obligation to reach 200 days of lessons per year.

The head teacher Alessandro Fanfoni explained to the newspaper The print: «There are 500 Muslim students in our school. 40 percent. Two years ago, during the Ramadan holiday, in many classes there were only 4 or 5 students. So we decided to undertake this journey in a peaceful and shared way. We didn't expect it to cause such a stir. Those who speak of submission to Islam demonstrate that they do not know the reality of our institute: a multicultural school where everyone's needs are listened to».

The proposal of the teaching body was voted unanimously by the school council which has an all-Italian parent component. In Pioltello we went to school a day early to include this holiday, some schools add days to make bridges or to extend the Easter holidays. The mayor of the municipality supports the choice and speaks of an act of civility that happens for the first time in an Italian public school.

The biggest criticisms come from the League. For Matteo Salvini it is “unacceptable choice against the values, identity and traditions of our country”. Northern League MEP Silvia Sardone adds: «For school managers, this choice helps inclusion. I believe instead that it is a dangerous setback to our identity. By closing schools for parties that are not part of our culture and history, we give even more strength to the process of Islamization that is spreading forcefully throughout Europe. Over the years, the Union of Islamic Communities of Italy has asked that Islamic holidays be included in the school calendar. It is an unacceptable drift, while we hide our symbols and our traditions, we go and close the schools to celebrate Ramadan. This is not the future we want.”