Hindus are urging all Seattle public, private, charter, and parochial schools to close during Diwali, which falls on Oct. 24 this year.
Diwali, the festival of lights, aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a July 19 statement, said that it was simply not fair with Hindu pupils in Seattle schools as they had to be at school on this most popular festival, while schools were closed around other religious days.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, stated that since it was vital for Hindu 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 these schools were to their faith.
“If schools had declared holidays around other religious days, why not Diwali?” Zed asked. “Holidays of all major religions should be honored and no one should be penalized for practicing their religion,” Zed added.