India Post News Service
CHICAGO: Indian Americans across the country have welcomed the inclusion of Diwali holiday (November four, 2021) in the Draft Calendars 2021-2022 of Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in Virginia.
The Fairfax County School Board is urged to unanimously approve this Diwali holiday, as included in the calendar drafts presented to them, when it takes final action on the calendar on July 23; thus respecting the feelings of Indian American community.
RajanZed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, suggested that all other public-school districts and private-charter-independent schools in Virginia should seriously look into declaring Diwali as an official holiday, thus recognizing the intersection of spirituality and education. He observed that it would be a positive thing to do in view of presence of a substantial number of Hindu students at schools around the state, as it was important to meet the religious and spiritual needs of these pupils.
It is also urged that the Virginia Governor Ralph S. Northam, Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. James F. Lane and Board of Education President Daniel A. Gecker; to work towards adding Diwali as an official holiday in all the state’s public schools, and persuading the private-charter-independent schools to follow. There are about three million Hindus in USA.
FCPS, headquartered in Falls Church and whose tagline is “Engage-Inspire-Thrive”; is 10th largest school division in USA with over 188,000 students speaking over 200 languages in 198 schools and centers. Karen Corbett Sanders and Scott Brabrand are Board Chair and Division Superintendent respectively.
