Milpitas High School is a melting pot of cultures and religions, with students hailing from various parts of the world. However, the school calendar plans days-off primarily based on Christian holidays such as Christmas which arrives during winter break, leaving students of other cultures feeling excluded. I strongly believe that our district should implement holidays that reflect the diversity within our schools. According to US News, Milpitas Unified School District enrolls approximately 67.8% Asian students. Therefore, district should have more days off in recognition of Asian holidays. In the 2023-2024 calendar, Lunar New Year has been implemented as a holiday on February 9th, but that is only one step toward the goal.
Holidays such as Diwali and Eid are just as important to students with a Hindu and Muslim background, respectively, who make up a hefty population within our school. The widely celebrated Muslim holiday, Eid, marks the end of Ramadan, a month-long fast.. This day marks an extremely important point in the year for Muslims, with participants engaging in celebrations and feasts. A majority of Muslim students skip school on this particular day to join in on festivities, which affects school attendance as well as their education. Instead of students having to miss school and create excuses in order to celebrate a culturally significant holiday, the holiday should be recognized by the district itself. Diwali, a significant day for Hindu students, is another day that is not reflected on our calendar. Recognizing these holidays can help foster a sense of community and understanding among students of different backgrounds.
It’s an opportunity to appreciate different cultures, which only benefits students of all backgrounds in the long run.
Some may argue that adding more holidays would disrupt the school calendar and affect learning. However, just a day off for a holiday is a small price to pay for the benefits of inclusivity and cultural understanding. Especially living in the diverse Bay Area, recognizing various cultures and backgrounds would foster a true community.
Places around the United States have already begun diversifying their calendars. Just last year twenty-three public schools in New Jersey closed for Diwali, so this idea is definitely feasible. In order to make space for these days in our district, Thanksgiving break could be shortened back down to three days, leaving a few more days to add Eid, Diwali, or other holidays to the calendar.
Adding non-Christian holidays to the school calendar is an important and feasible step towards creating a more diverse and inclusive communitywhere all students feel valued and represented.