A petition urging schools in the United States to recognize Muslim holidays amassed almost 60,000 signatures. Thursday, Jan. 16 was the deadline for the petition to reach its goal of 100,000 signatures. 

Organizers of the petition urged President Obama to support the effort. They say the move is necessary because it is important to accommodate the needs of the country’s growing Muslim population. Some Muslim American families say they are often forced to choose between sending their children to school or having them celebrate faith based holidays and meet their religious obligations.