The New Hyde Park-Garden City Park (NHP-GCP) School District Board of Education has responded to a request about having schools closed for Diwali—a popular Hindu holiday—starting during the 2021-22 school year and beyond.
“The topic of Diwali has been discussed and deliberated by the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park Board of Education in the past,” the board said in a statement. “The district has made accommodations for these holidays by not assigning homework or tests for students on such days. The board is committed to considering all community requests and will discuss and deliberate any petitions it receives on the matter.”
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed said that Hinduism is rich in festivals and religious ceremonies that are very dear and sacred to Hindus. Diwali, the festival of lights, aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Diwali falls on Thursday, Nov. 4 in 2021.
Hinduism is oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.1 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about 3 million Hindus in the U.S.
