Long Island Town Reverses Decision, Blocks Dormitory for All-Boys Muslim School

The town of Islip, New York, has reversed a previous decision and will not allow an all-boys Muslim school to house its students in a dormitory. The United American Muslim Association's school in Bay Shore, which plans to serve grades 7 through 12, had initially received approval for a boarding component that would accommodate 120 students.

However, the Islip Zoning Board of Appeals voted 3-1 on Tuesday to overturn the Building Division's interpretation of the town's zoning code. The board determined that the proposed dormitory use is not a permitted accessory to a parochial school under the current zoning regulations. The decision means the school can open on its 13-acre waterfront campus, but students will no longer be permitted to live on-site.

The board's decision, released Thursday, stated that while a parochial school is an expressly permitted principal use in the district, the property owner "has not demonstrated that the proposed residential boarding component satisfies the requirements of [Town code] under the facts presented."

The plan had faced significant opposition from local residents, with hundreds attending a contentious meeting in July where their concerns about noise and the impact on the predominantly residential and senior living community were voiced. The meeting reportedly became raucous, with some attendees escorted out and instances of Islamophobic remarks.

One resident, who identified herself only as Barbara, expressed concerns about the potential noise from a large number of students. "I don’t care what religion the school teaches, it could be Jewish, Catholic, whatever — we just don’t want it — imagine the noise of 120 school children day and night," she was quoted as saying.

Despite the protests, some board members had initially believed the dormitory complied with town law, making the reversal a significant win for the opposition. The property was formerly the site of the Montfort Spiritual Center Seminary and, prior to that, a Catholic boarding school that operated from the 1920s until 1972. The United American Muslim Association purchased the property in June, with plans to offer early childhood programs alongside the secondary school and community activities.

Tuition for the school is expected to range between $750 and $1,250 per month. The United American Muslim Association did not respond to a request for comment.