Calgary student asks CBE to consider school holiday for Diwali

Calgary Junior High student asks the Calgary Board of Education to honor Holi and Diwali as traditional holidays in CBE schools.

Pujeet, a grade 8 student in Grade 13, is at Fairview School. He recently wrote a letter for the CBE trustees.

“Making Holi and Diwali holidays in the CBE will immensely impact students in a positive manner. It will be a beacon of multiculturalism across Canada, celebrating South Asian culture during Asian heritage month,” Garg wrote.

He saidIndian culture considers Diwali and Holi important because they celebrate goodness and holiness triumphing over sin and evil.

Garg said this year his class alone has 10 Hindu students out of 27.

Garg’s parents moved to Calgary from India, where students and workers normally get time off to celebrate Diwali.

He says it’s tough for Hindu kids like him to be sitting at school during Diwali.

“On those days when you are stuck in a chair, you don’t feel as good because you feel like you’re supposed to be home with your loved ones celebrating this massively important holiday but instead you’re just stuck there.

“It’s very disheartening to those that have to go through this,” Garg said.

He saidMany Hindus living in Calgary have their children attending public schools.

“Most of them go to CBE schools. This will be a beacon to multiculturalism and it will help make Hindus feel more connected to Calgary,” Garg said.

“I don’t think it’s fair to have only Christian holidays because I understand those days are important and they do make up a majority of Calgary but they’re not the only ones,” the Grade 8 student said.

He’s created an online petition to support the cause.

Next year, students enrolled at Grasslands Public Schools in southeast Alberta will get a day off to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. The University of Calgary researchers and students collaborated to make this decision.

“I think it’s extremely empowering for them. They feel like they’ve been heard,” saidRahat Zaidi, chair of Language and Literacy at The Werklund School of Education University of Calgary.

Zaidi saidThis decision shows how the district is trying build community in the school division that has around 35% Muslim population.

“It is identity affirming for minority groups to be heard within the context of broader society in today’s day and age, and it is connected to feeling like you belong and to not feel like you have to perhaps take a day off,” Zaidi said.

Zaidi said it was a “big deal” for the students at Brooks Composite High School to approach the district superintendent to propose changes.  She calls the students emerging leaders.

“As a researcher, I saw the impact of engaging with the community and providing students from minority groups with a platform to express some of their ideas and seeing how administrators can empower students wonderfully by providing them with platforms where they feel safe enough to actually even begin to approach something like this,” Zaidi said.

Global News received a statement from the CBE. said:

“We heard from students, staff and our community that recognizing holidays from all religions is meaningful and would contribute to a welcoming, caring and safe school and work environment.

“At this time, CBE leaders have not had any formal conversations about adding any holidays to the calendar.”

“Christian holidays are just as important as Hindu holidays,” Garg said.

“I just think that Hindu holidays would be a good way to celebrate multiculturalism and help us move forward.”