Broward County Public Schools in South Florida has recognized Diwali as an official school holiday, a decision that activists say is a result of their actions. On December 17, the Broward County School Board put out its 2025-26 calendar which includes October 20, which falls on a Monday in 2025, for Diwali. (visit browardschools.com)
According to the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), the measure reflects the district’s “commitment to honoring the rich cultural diversity of its student community.”
A CBSnews report notes that to accommodate the extra holiday, “the length of day for middle school students would extend from six hours and 30 minutes to six hours and 40 minutes. The length of day for high school and elementary school students would remain the same.” The news report also notes that the Broward County school district also has an off day for Eit ul-fitr on April 6, Rosh Hashanah on Sept. 23, and Yom Kippur Oct. 2.
In a press release December 19, 2024, CoHNA said it is “proud to have worked with the Hindu community and allies in Broward County to make this historic day happen!”
In the summer of 2023, local community leaders such as Shekar Reddy and community organizers like Fareida Rajkumar, launched an online petition and a toolkit for parents to reach out to the Broward County School District Board in order to advocate for Diwali as a school holiday. CoHNA partnered with these local activists, and helped develop scripts for parents to use when calling the board and urging them to consider making Diwali as an official school holiday.
In November 2023, CoHNA youth advocates such as Reva Kumar represented the youth voice and accepted the Hindu Heritage Month resolution issued by the school board to recognize the achievements of the Hindu community during a community event where the school board members were invited and honored.
“This is a great example of grassroots activism in partnership with local organizations and allies to make this historic day possible. Special thanks to the Hindu American PAC of Florida for their leadership in this initiative,” CoHNA said.
(Used with permission)
