Washington:As New York City public schools added two Muslim holidays -
Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr - to the school calendar, a US lawmaker
asked Mayor Bill de Blasio to do the same for Diwali too.
"Adding these holidays to the school calendar reflects and recognizes the
rich and vibrant diversity that exists in our great city," said Democrat
Grace Meng, who represents Queens, a New
York borough with a large concentration of
Indian-Americans, in the US House of Representatives.
"I also renew my call to make Diwali a school holiday as well, and I hope
that will happen soon," she said.
"The time has come for our school system to recognize all these important
holidays, just as it rightly does for holidays of other cultures and
ethnicities."
The new law requiring New York City
to consider closing schools for Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr, Lunar New Year and
Diwali was a measure Meng sponsored when she served in the New York State
Assembly.
Meng's comments came hours after de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina
announced Wednesday that New York City, the
largest school district in the US,
will now close for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
"We are committed to having a school calendar that reflects and honours the
extraordinary diversity of our students," said Farina.
De Blasio said the change means that Muslim families won't be forced to choose
between observing the holidays and sending their kids to school.
The announcement was made at a school in Brooklyn,
where officials said 36 percent of students were absent the last time Eid
al-Adha fell on a school day.
"We're here today to make good on a promise to our Muslim brothers and
sisters that a holiday of supreme importance to the Muslim community will be
recognized in our school calendar so that children can honour the holiday
without missing school," the mayor said.
Eid al-Adha will be observed for the first time on September 24. Eid-al-Fitr,
which falls over the summer, will be designated a holiday for those attending
summer school.
Other school districts in Vermont, Massachusetts and New
Jersey already close public schools in observance of
Muslim holidays, according to the city.
Leaders at the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) expressed deep disappointment with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to exclude Diwali from the 2016-17 public school calendars. Earlier today, the Mayor announced that the new public school calendar will include two Muslim holidays, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, but will not include the proposed holidays of Diwali and the Chinese New Year.
“While the addition of two Muslim holidays is commendable, the Mayor’s decision to exclude Diwali, a festival that is celebrated by thousands of Hindu, Jain, and Sikhs in NYC is beyond disappointing,” said Sheetal Shah, HAF’s NYC-based Senior Director. “These communities are a vibrant and integral part of this city and deserve to be able to celebrate their festivals. In excluding Diwali, the Mayor is falling short on his responsibility to equally represent all New Yorkers.”
Last year, HAF joined hands with a broad-based Diwali Coalition of almost 40 organizations and NYC temples that urged the Mayor to include Diwali alongside two proposed Muslim holidays and Lunar New Year. Organizations forming the Diwali Coalition range the full spectrum, from faith-based national groups such as the International Jain Mission and United Sikhs to local faith-based organizations like Judson Memorial Church to interfaith organizations such as the Interfaith Center of New York.
"We are truly disappointed by the Mayor's exclusion of Diwali as a public school holiday," said Dr. Uma Mysorekar, President of the Ganesh Temple in Flushing, Queens. "Diwali is widely celebrated in this city and is an important time for families to be together. Our students should not have to worry about missing school work or exams in order to practice their faith.