The Howard County Board of Education apologized to the district’s Muslim community this week for “communication failures” when deciding to schedule March 31 — the holiday Eid al-Fitr — as a full school day.

“The process and subsequent communication were insensitive, lacked transparency, and ultimately undermined the spirit of inclusivity and respect that the board is committed to upholding. While our intention was to uplift and celebrate all those observing Eid, we fell well short of that goal in our mishandling of this situation,” the board said in an email sent to the Howard County Public School System community.

In February, the board voted to make March 31 a full school day to account for a sixth inclement weather closure after using all five makeup days in this year’s school calendar.

This year, Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, fell on March 31. The school system sent an email on Saturday explaining that any student absence on Monday for religious reasons would be excused, no tests or quizzes would be given, no graded assignments would be due and students could be excused from extracurricular activities so the community could celebrate the holiday. Families were encouraged to provide a letter saying a student was absent to celebrate the holiday.

“We apologize that our communications about the changes related to March 31, and specifically related to Eid al-Fitr, have been incomplete and lacking empathy. We ask for our Muslim community’s grace as we continue to strive to give our students and staff the opportunity to honor and celebrate their culture and religion with families,” HCPSS said in Saturday’s email.

In a post in a Howard County group on Facebook, one parent said students were upset about being marked absent Monday even though it was excused, and those who went to school “had their time wasted.”

On Monday, the Board of Education sent an email apologizing and emphasizing its commitment to uplifting the voices of all communities and to fostering an environment that values all cultural and religious diversity. Time spent with families and the positive spirit of the holidays that is important to many is important to all, the email said.

The board promised to learn from the situation and work to guarantee that all families have their voices heard and respected through action.

“We sincerely apologize for adding to the sense of ostracization and disregard that Muslim members of our community may be feeling in these times,” the email said.