Push for Diwali holiday in Dallas area schools

Madhu Patel

DALLAS: Many Indian Americans in Dallas TX pitch for declaring Diwali as a Holiday in the Dallas area independent school districts; and private/independent, charter, parochial schools, and want them to close on the popular festival of Diwali.

Besides the largest Dallas Independent School District (ISD), they are also seeking a Diwali holiday in eight other area ISDs: Carrollton-Farmers Branch, Coppell, Duncanville, Garland, Highland Park, Mesquite, Plano, and Richardson. Diwali falls on October 24 in 2022.

The contention is it would only be fair with a large group ofIndian-origin pupils in the Dallas area, they have to be present at schools on the day of their most popular festival; while area schools were closed for other religious festivities.

RajanZed President of Universal Society of Hinduism, observed that since it was vital for many Indian families to celebrate Diwali day together at home with their children; closing schools on Diwali would ensure that and would also display how respectful and accommodating these schools were to their faith.

If schools declare holidays around other religious days, why not Diwali, Zed asked. Holidays of all major religions should be honored and no one should be penalized for practicing their religion, he added.

Dallas ISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie S. Elizalde, Trustees President Justin Henry; and superintendents and trustees presidents of other area eight ISDs to work towards adding Diwali as an official holiday in their schools, and persuading the area private/independent, charter, parochial schools to follow.

The wholehearted support of Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath, Texas Board of Education Chair Keven Ellis, Texas Private Schools Association Executive Director Laura Colangelo, Texas Private School Accreditation Commission, Roman Catholic Bishop of Dallas Edward J. Burns, on this issue.

Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.2 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in the USA.