Two prayer rooms reopen to meet Muslim students' spiritual needs

The prayer rooms are coordinated by Ahmed Ali in the South Building and Carolyn McCulloch in the North Building's  "We See You Center”. In the beginning of the year, the number of students praying in the South Building were approximately 15 per day, and 30 per day in the North Building. Numbers have drastically decreased since the reboot of the prayer room and have now evened out to approximately 25 students praying a day on both buildings during the two hour praying window.  Since 2016, Muslim students have been asking for an official prayer space. 

"This project has been in the making for a while,"  said Assistant Principal and Prayer Space Coordinator Rolando Florez.  "Students have been asking for this since 2015, 2016. Students started here and graduated without realizing there were students who were underclassmen at the time. Some of the students who are new to us, many have not been on campus due to Covid, may not know the struggle that it took to get this and that it's an accommodation. I appreciate the work it took to get this space, because I think that it's unique. I do know that a number of public high schools have a prayer spaces, but I don't think that any one on this side of the country has one. It's us trying to be progressive and meet our kiddos where they're at.¨ 

The prayer rooms are new as of this year, so they do not have a lot of prayer rugs.  Yoga mats are being used temporarily and prayer rugs have been donated. Student who would like to donate prayer rugs should contact Carolyn McCulloch. 

Muslim students in the past found ways to set up prayer times in teachers' rooms. Now, students may leave class to go to a prayer room if they sign up via a Google Forum. Invites to the Google Forum were sent to students in certain clubs. Muslim students seem to be the only students who need the prayer room, as other religions don't require prayer at certain times of the day. 

Teachers have been informed about the prayer rooms and the prayer windows. Students are expected to arrive with their student ID. If a student is in the wrong prayer room, meaning they have class in the north but are in the south building, they will be sent to the office. Student arrival to the prayer room is recorded and students are expected to return within five minutes of the prayer window closing. Students are asked to agree that the prayer rooms are  technology free zones. They are told to whisper if talking is necessary. Upon arrival, they are to join the prayer group. Students are also asked to use appropriate language at respectful volumes.  Due to religious principles, female students are not allowed to use a prayer room during menstruation.