A US school district has decided to add Diwali, Eid al-Adha and Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve in the school holiday calendar, for the first time in the school system's history.
Indian-American community is jubilant and hailed the decision by Howard County Public School System, which manages 71 schools and serves nearly 50,000 students, as "historic".
"I am extremely pleased by the Board's ability to discuss and unanimously agree to seek ways to recognise the diverse backgrounds of Howard County's students and families," Board of Education Chairwoman Christine O'Connor said in a statement after the eight member board unanimously supported such a motion.
"By taking this vote, the Howard County Board of Education has shown a great way forward in acknowledging diverse religious holidays without violating the spirit of church-state separation," said Murali Balaji education director of Hindu American Foundation.
Hindu American Foundation and Chinmaya Mission started a petition that collected over 250 signatures in under three weeks, while the Board received nearly 500 emails from parents asking for inclusion of Diwali.
Indian Students at Centennial High School (ISAC) also collected and submitted signatures for the effort, said Balaji, who along with several Chinmaya Mission members, testified at the Board's hearing last month.
Share
