Skip to main content
Tags: Muslim Prayer in Schools | Religion | Students

5 Public Schools That Have Installed Muslim Prayer Rooms

By    |   Wednesday, 25 March 2015 10:29 AM EDT

Muslims pray five times a day according to the requirements of their religion. Students might be in class during a specified time, which results in Muslim prayer in schools. Schools have tried to accommodate their beliefs through different arrangements, such as Muslim prayer rooms.

Here are five public schools or districts attempted to satisfy Muslim prayer requirements without disturbing people of other faiths or interfering with policies regarding religion:

ALERT: Should Prayer Be Allowed in Public Schools? Vote Now

1. Desert View High School in Tucson, Arizona, established a prayer room near its library for several Muslim students in 2014. A scheduled prayer time falls early in the afternoon when those students were still in school.

School administrators allowed the students to pray in the room for about 10 minutes during their lunch period. The Desert View principal notified the Sunnyside Unified School District of the prayer room in an email to Dr. Eugenia Favela, the acting superintendent.

Favela told TV station KVOA she didn't think a public notice on the separate room was necessary. She told the station she had not received direct complaints, but heard about complaints second-hand.

2. Muslims were allowed "prayer accommodations" in 2013 in the public schools of Dearborn, Michigan. The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations had negotiated an arrangement with school officials in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit.

The Dearborn school board implemented a policy that allowed a place for student prayers in all public schools and also permission to leave early on Friday for scheduled prayers, according to The Christian Post.

VOTE NOW: Do You Support Prayer in Public Schools?

3. Christian teachers became upset when Muslim students began praying during class at Parkdale High School in Riverdale, Maryland. It was at time of required prayer.

Principal Cheryl J. Logan told the students that public schools were not allowed to participate in religion practices during class. She came up with the idea of excusing Muslim students for eight minutes each day to pray together on campus, according to The Washington Post.

4.
At Carver Elementary School in San Diego, administrators allowed Muslims to go on a short break for prayer during one of the scheduled times in 2007. Parents protested the scheduled recess. Although all children were allowed to take breaks at that time, critics charged it was arranged to meet Muslim demands.

So to satisfy all sides, the school rescheduled its lunch period in order to meet the requirements for Muslim prayer and to allow students of any faith to prayer if they choose, according to The Christian Science Monitor.

5. The city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada allows prayer rooms for Muslims in public schools, such as Sir Robert Borden High School. The high schools offer available classrooms to Muslim students during their time of prayer. Several high schools offer Friday prayer services for Muslims shortly after noon for their most important prayer, reports the Toronto Sun.

URGENT: Should Students Be Allowed to Pray in Public Schools? Vote Here Now!

© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


FastFeatures
Muslims pray five times a day according to the requirements of their religion. Students might be in class during a specified time, which results in Muslim prayer in schools.
Muslim Prayer in Schools, Religion, Students
501
2015-29-25
Wednesday, 25 March 2015 10:29 AM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.

PLEASE NOTE: All information presented on Newsmax.com is for informational purposes only. It is not specific medical advice for any individual. All answers to reader questions are provided for informational purposes only. All information presented on our websites should not be construed as medical consultation or instruction. You should take no action solely on the basis of this publication’s contents. Readers are advised to consult a health professional about any issue regarding their health and well-being. While the information found on our websites is believed to be sensible and accurate based on the author’s best judgment, readers who fail to seek counsel from appropriate health professionals assume risk of any potential ill effects. The opinions expressed in Newsmaxhealth.com and Newsmax.com do not necessarily reflect those of Newsmax Media. Please note that this advice is generic and not specific to any individual. You should consult with your doctor before undertaking any medical or nutritional course of action.

 

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© 2025 Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© 2025 Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved