Seeking Diwali holiday for Pennsylvania schools

Spring-Ford Area School District

Harish Rao

CHICAGO: Welcoming Spring-Ford Area School District (SFASD) in Pennsylvania for proposing holiday on Diwali in its 2022-23 calendar; Indians have urged all public school districts and private-charter-independent schools in Pennsylvania to close on this popular festival of Diwali.

Rajan Zed President of Universal Society of Hinduism, observed that holiday on Diwali in Pennsylvania schools would be a step in the positive direction in view of presence of a substantial number of Indian students at schools around the State, as it was important to meet the religious and spiritual needs of Hindu pupils.

It is important for 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 Pennsylvania schools were to their faith.

If schools had declared other religious holidays, why not Diwali. Holidays of all major religions should be honored and no one should be penalized for practicing their religion. It was pointed out that all Pennsylvania schools, public-private-charter-independent, to seriously look into declaring Diwali as an official holiday, thus recognizing the intersection of spirituality and education. Awareness about other religions is also created by holidays such as Diwali. It would make Pennsylvania students well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow.

SFASD, headquartered in Royersford, is comprised of the townships of Limerick and Upper Providence and the boroughs of Royersford and Spring City; and has a combined land area of 44.4 square miles. “Where today’s achievements equal tomorrow’s successes” is its tagline.