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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]NP, and another Hindu. I know not all jobs work this way, but in the case of my work (research-based), I could easily work Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, etc, and take off Hindu holidays. Most of my colleagues are similarly working on research projects with flexible due dates. 
I do wish more companies would just give vacation time/holidays as a 'bank'. If the work gets done, why does it matter? I would happily work Xmas Eve/Xmas in exchange for Diwali. I realize not all jobs are like this, but a fair number of them are already, or could be, with some tweaking.

I understand the concern about kids getting off for Diwali/Eid in MCPS and their parents having to arrange for care (who don't get off from work), but there is probably some work-around if we looked for it. A single-day camp? or perhaps still having school as scheduled, but not making it a day where kids have tests, for example, and maybe instead focusing on cross-cultural studies.  IDK what the solution is, but just saying 'you're such a small group, your holidays don't matter' is rather sad for such a supposedly pluralistic society.

The strong reactions are baffling. In India, where Christians make up only 3% of the population, my parents always got off from school/work for Xmas Eve and Xmas (and this was in the 50s and 60s!).  And I don't actually think of India as an open-minded place but in this instance, its far ahead of the States. [/quote]

First off no one here is saying your holidays do not matter, or at least what I read.

Two, the reason you are able to bank around and get off on your holidays IS because kids are in school and those not celebrating Diwali will work while you are at home celebrating your holiday.

Three, religious holidays have always been an excused absence in the school system.  I have never met a teacher that did allow a child 2 or usually more days to make up any work or tests they may have missed.

Four, the reason your family probably had off is similar to many reasons people are off on Christmas worldwide.  Many countries declare it a holiday.  There is no international or national business going on. It is an easy day for employers to not pay their employees to come in.   There are however many jobs in the US and outside the US that do not have off on their own holidays.  Retail, emergency, medical, drug stores, etc...  That is just how life is.

Five, I honestly agree that having no tests and a more cultural day at school for minority holidays sounds like a wonderful idea.  [/quote]

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