Long Island Residents Fume Over All-Boy, Muslim Boarding School in Residential Neighborhood
24th July 2026
Fuming Long Island residents are fighting to the opening of a Muslim boarding school for boys that’s expected to house 120 teenage students — claiming it will destroy a quiet suburban neighborhood.
A group of Bay Shore homeowners claims the proposal for an overnight dorm is illegal under codes for the suburban Saxon Avenue, on a 13-acre waterfront property that housed a Catholic seminary years ago.
“The proposed use by the new property owner is far more intensive than what is appropriate for a quiet residential neighborhood,” Kevin Colgan, an Islip resident and leader of the anti-boarding school movement in the neighborhood, known as “Saxon Says No,” said in a statement.
“This is about protecting the integrity of our zoning laws — not opposing any individual or organization — zoning laws exist to preserve the character, integrity, and quality of life within our neighborhoods while ensuring that land uses are appropriate for their surroundings,” Colgan said.