Burlington School District to consult Hindus regarding possibility of Diwali holiday
Burlington School District (Vermont, USA) will reportedly consult with Hindu community leaders in the area regarding the possibility of declaring Diwali as a school holiday.
In a reply to the communiqué of Bhavna Shinde of Forum for Hindu Awakening, District Superintendent Jeanne Collins said that they would consult with Hindu community leaders in the area but added: “I cannot answer as to when Diwali may be added as a school holiday”.
Burlington School Board has reportedly declared Yom Kippur and Eid al-Fitr as school holidays recently.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, while congratulating the Board for additional school holidays Yom Kippur and Eid-al-Fitr, urged it to also add Diwali, the most important Hindu holy day, to the holiday calendar.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, called it “a step in the right direction”. Awareness about other religions thus created by these holidays would make the Burlington pupils well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow, Zed said and added that it would make District look good also besides bringing cohesion and unity in the community. It would also go well with the District “mission”, which is “to ensure that all students achieve their highest intellectual and personal potential, and are prepared to contribute as global citizens in the 21st century”.
Rajan Zed further said that since it was important for Hindu families to celebrate Diwali day together at home with their children, we did not want our children to be deprived of any privileges at the school because of thus resulting absences on this day. Diwali, the festival of lights, which falls on November five this year, aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil.
Children's Health Magazine reportedly rated Burlington the best place to raise a family. Burlington is the largest and most diverse city in Vermont, where 47 different languages are reportedly spoken. Frederick S. Lane is the School Board Chairman. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.
