As a group of people who value staying connected to our roots, celebrating Diwali is of utmost importance to our families and many others within our school district. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is a major cultural and spiritual event for millions of people worldwide, particularly for those of Hindu, Jain, and Sikh faiths. In the spirit of inclusivity, it is essential that Diwali be officially recognized as a school district holiday.

Our school district champions diversity and understanding of different cultures. According to the Pew Research Center, Hinduism alone is the third-largest religion in the world, with over a billion adherents. Celebrating Diwali is thus important for a significant proportion of our children, parents, and staff, and acknowledging this on an official level would be a gesture of inclusivity and understanding.

We firmly believe that acknowledging Diwali as a school holiday would not just allow the students of our district to observe and cherish this festival, but it would also present a wonderful opportunity for all students and staff to learn about and appreciate the richness of other cultures and traditions. They could reflect on the universal theme of the victory of light over darkness, which Diwali represents.

Let's take a step towards understanding and appreciating the richness of the diverse cultural heritages that make up our school district. By declaring Diwali an official school district holiday, we honor this understanding. Please, sign this petition and help us reach our goal.