A US school district has unanimously voted 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 hailed the decision by Howard County Public School System, which manages 71 schools and serves nearly 50,000 students, as “historic”.
Christine O’Connor, Chairwoman, Board of EducationI 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.
An eight member board unanimously supported the motion which was proposed by board member Janet Siddiqui.
Christine O’Connor, Chairwoman, Board of EducationWe want to do our best to find flexibility within the calendar to provide opportunities for all students to experience all cultures within our community.
HAF 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.
Murali Balaji, Education Director, Hindu American FoundationBy 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.
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.
Zainab Chaudry, the outreach manager of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) of Maryland has submitted testimony on the holiday inclusion issue.
Zainab Chaudry, Outreach Manager, CAIR MarylandThis vote is proof that it is indeed possible to accommodate the religious needs of multiple faith communities in diverse school districts.
According to Baltimore Sun, as of the 2014-2015 school year, 42 percent of Howard County students were white, 22 percent were black, 19 percent were Asian, nine per cent were Hispanic and six per cent were of two or more races.
Zainab Chaudry, Outreach Manager, CAIR MarylandReligious pluralism is the hallmark of an integrated and inclusive society. We see that reflected in the Howard County Board of Education’s decision.
The school system does not record the religious backgrounds of its students, it said.
(With agency inputs)
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