John Schaefer: Ramadan through middle-school eyes ...

As the number of Muslims grows in the U.S., the customs of Ramadan weave their way into the fabric of public schools. Here are the thoughts of a 12-year-old Muslim, John Schaefer, who attends a public middle school. In the cafeteria each day, he watches classmates dig into sandwiches, chips and other goodies. His mind is on the fast, though, so he doesn’t indulge. Here are his thoughts …

   There’s not a lot of Muslims at my school, so fasting is a little harder.
   I’m really tired in gym class because I can’t eat or drink. They give me a break sometimes. I just try to stay awake.
    At lunch, I sit down with my friends and start talking. They ask me why I’m not eating and I tell them I’m fasting because it’s part of my religion. They don’t really ask me any more questions.
    After school, I do my homework, play outside, and break my fast. That’s my favorite part of Ramadan. I like the holiday at the end (Eid al-Fitr) because we make a lot of food that’s really good, and we exchange gifts.

PLEASE, share your thoughts—and your stories.

  We have convenient links on this page—above at right to share your
Comments or to share this story with a friend—and a link at left to
“Share Your Story” with us.