Anonymous
Post 10/27/2022 15:51     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm really glad that there are other Indians who appreciate having Diwali off. But I am not one of them. I have never celebrated on the day of Diwali in a way that makes school difficult. In fact, growing up and today, everyone I know, celebrates on the weekend before. I know no one who was born in the US who goes to temple or otherwise spends the day in religious observance.

I would personally prefer an extra day tacked onto winter or spring break.


For the past decade, I have had always had several South Asian middle school students who are observant. It’s not just Diwali. They miss school for major festivals and also life events like the family buying a new house. I’ve also had students come to school on test days after a visit to temple with powder applied to their head. They tell me it is a ceremony to get blessings for success. I believe they are sincerely religious because no middle schooler is willing to risk being bullied or even just standing out as religious if they don’t really believe.


Ok, I should have been clearer. Are the parents of your students born in the US? I'm referring to parents who control how kids observe. It's really really rare for a US born Indian to still do all of this, particularly on a weekday.


DP. What's the point of this exercise? Over 70% of Asian adults were born outside the US, so most parents are likely not born in the US.


My point is that there are so few people who actually use the day for religious observance that it does not make sense taking it off.

Also, Indians are just one group of Asians. Do you mean 70% of Indians were born outside the US? I don't believe, Chinese immigrants, for example, celebrate Diwali. So I guess that right there is a reason to keep the holiday, to educate folks a bit better.


From a Carnegie Endowment Study

Religion plays a central role in the lives of Indian Americans but religious practice varies. While nearly three-quarters of Indian Americans state that religion plays an important role in their lives, religious practice is less pronounced. Forty percent of respondents pray at least once a day and 27 percent attend religious services at least once a week.

Thirty-nine percent of all respondents immigrated to the United States and later became naturalized U.S. citizens. Thirty-three percent were born in the United States but with at least one parent who was born outside of the United States. Another 4 percent were born in the United States to parents also born in the United States. The remaining 23 percent of the sample consists of immigrants residing in the United States who do not hold U.S. citizenship.

https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/06/09/social-realities-of-indian-americans-results-from-2020-indian-american-attitudes-survey-pub-84667
Anonymous
Post 10/27/2022 15:47     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm really glad that there are other Indians who appreciate having Diwali off. But I am not one of them. I have never celebrated on the day of Diwali in a way that makes school difficult. In fact, growing up and today, everyone I know, celebrates on the weekend before. I know no one who was born in the US who goes to temple or otherwise spends the day in religious observance.

I would personally prefer an extra day tacked onto winter or spring break.


For the past decade, I have had always had several South Asian middle school students who are observant. It’s not just Diwali. They miss school for major festivals and also life events like the family buying a new house. I’ve also had students come to school on test days after a visit to temple with powder applied to their head. They tell me it is a ceremony to get blessings for success. I believe they are sincerely religious because no middle schooler is willing to risk being bullied or even just standing out as religious if they don’t really believe.


Ok, I should have been clearer. Are the parents of your students born in the US? I'm referring to parents who control how kids observe. It's really really rare for a US born Indian to still do all of this, particularly on a weekday.


DP. What's the point of this exercise? Over 70% of Asian adults were born outside the US, so most parents are likely not born in the US.


Diwali isn't a holiday celebrated by "Asians" generally.


The majority of South Asian adults are born outside of the US.
Anonymous
Post 10/27/2022 09:58     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm really glad that there are other Indians who appreciate having Diwali off. But I am not one of them. I have never celebrated on the day of Diwali in a way that makes school difficult. In fact, growing up and today, everyone I know, celebrates on the weekend before. I know no one who was born in the US who goes to temple or otherwise spends the day in religious observance.

I would personally prefer an extra day tacked onto winter or spring break.


For the past decade, I have had always had several South Asian middle school students who are observant. It’s not just Diwali. They miss school for major festivals and also life events like the family buying a new house. I’ve also had students come to school on test days after a visit to temple with powder applied to their head. They tell me it is a ceremony to get blessings for success. I believe they are sincerely religious because no middle schooler is willing to risk being bullied or even just standing out as religious if they don’t really believe.


Ok, I should have been clearer. Are the parents of your students born in the US? I'm referring to parents who control how kids observe. It's really really rare for a US born Indian to still do all of this, particularly on a weekday.


DP. What's the point of this exercise? Over 70% of Asian adults were born outside the US, so most parents are likely not born in the US.


My point is that there are so few people who actually use the day for religious observance that it does not make sense taking it off.

Also, Indians are just one group of Asians. Do you mean 70% of Indians were born outside the US? I don't believe, Chinese immigrants, for example, celebrate Diwali. So I guess that right there is a reason to keep the holiday, to educate folks a bit better.
Anonymous
Post 10/27/2022 09:50     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm really glad that there are other Indians who appreciate having Diwali off. But I am not one of them. I have never celebrated on the day of Diwali in a way that makes school difficult. In fact, growing up and today, everyone I know, celebrates on the weekend before. I know no one who was born in the US who goes to temple or otherwise spends the day in religious observance.

I would personally prefer an extra day tacked onto winter or spring break.


For the past decade, I have had always had several South Asian middle school students who are observant. It’s not just Diwali. They miss school for major festivals and also life events like the family buying a new house. I’ve also had students come to school on test days after a visit to temple with powder applied to their head. They tell me it is a ceremony to get blessings for success. I believe they are sincerely religious because no middle schooler is willing to risk being bullied or even just standing out as religious if they don’t really believe.


Ok, I should have been clearer. Are the parents of your students born in the US? I'm referring to parents who control how kids observe. It's really really rare for a US born Indian to still do all of this, particularly on a weekday.


DP. What's the point of this exercise? Over 70% of Asian adults were born outside the US, so most parents are likely not born in the US.


Diwali isn't a holiday celebrated by "Asians" generally.
Anonymous
Post 10/27/2022 00:17     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Anonymous wrote:No school for students and minimal to no work for teachers.


You're boring. Get a new schtick.
Anonymous
Post 10/27/2022 00:11     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm really glad that there are other Indians who appreciate having Diwali off. But I am not one of them. I have never celebrated on the day of Diwali in a way that makes school difficult. In fact, growing up and today, everyone I know, celebrates on the weekend before. I know no one who was born in the US who goes to temple or otherwise spends the day in religious observance.

I would personally prefer an extra day tacked onto winter or spring break.


For the past decade, I have had always had several South Asian middle school students who are observant. It’s not just Diwali. They miss school for major festivals and also life events like the family buying a new house. I’ve also had students come to school on test days after a visit to temple with powder applied to their head. They tell me it is a ceremony to get blessings for success. I believe they are sincerely religious because no middle schooler is willing to risk being bullied or even just standing out as religious if they don’t really believe.


Ok, I should have been clearer. Are the parents of your students born in the US? I'm referring to parents who control how kids observe. It's really really rare for a US born Indian to still do all of this, particularly on a weekday.


DP. What's the point of this exercise? Over 70% of Asian adults were born outside the US, so most parents are likely not born in the US.
Anonymous
Post 10/26/2022 21:08     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm really glad that there are other Indians who appreciate having Diwali off. But I am not one of them. I have never celebrated on the day of Diwali in a way that makes school difficult. In fact, growing up and today, everyone I know, celebrates on the weekend before. I know no one who was born in the US who goes to temple or otherwise spends the day in religious observance.

I would personally prefer an extra day tacked onto winter or spring break.


For the past decade, I have had always had several South Asian middle school students who are observant. It’s not just Diwali. They miss school for major festivals and also life events like the family buying a new house. I’ve also had students come to school on test days after a visit to temple with powder applied to their head. They tell me it is a ceremony to get blessings for success. I believe they are sincerely religious because no middle schooler is willing to risk being bullied or even just standing out as religious if they don’t really believe.


Ok, I should have been clearer. Are the parents of your students born in the US? I'm referring to parents who control how kids observe. It's really really rare for a US born Indian to still do all of this, particularly on a weekday.
Anonymous
Post 10/26/2022 19:57     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Anonymous wrote:Next up: Nowruz (aka Persian New Year). Not sure why MCPS has not already given all students off on this day considering there are A LOT of Persians attending MCPS!

Not fair at all that Divali, Eid, Jewish Holidays are off, but not Nowruz.


It’s often a professional day. We had two Persians in staff at my last school and they always missed one professional day.
Anonymous
Post 10/26/2022 19:56     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Anonymous wrote:I'm really glad that there are other Indians who appreciate having Diwali off. But I am not one of them. I have never celebrated on the day of Diwali in a way that makes school difficult. In fact, growing up and today, everyone I know, celebrates on the weekend before. I know no one who was born in the US who goes to temple or otherwise spends the day in religious observance.

I would personally prefer an extra day tacked onto winter or spring break.


For the past decade, I have had always had several South Asian middle school students who are observant. It’s not just Diwali. They miss school for major festivals and also life events like the family buying a new house. I’ve also had students come to school on test days after a visit to temple with powder applied to their head. They tell me it is a ceremony to get blessings for success. I believe they are sincerely religious because no middle schooler is willing to risk being bullied or even just standing out as religious if they don’t really believe.
Anonymous
Post 10/26/2022 18:09     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Next up: Nowruz (aka Persian New Year). Not sure why MCPS has not already given all students off on this day considering there are A LOT of Persians attending MCPS!

Not fair at all that Divali, Eid, Jewish Holidays are off, but not Nowruz.
Anonymous
Post 10/26/2022 17:47     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
I'm really glad that there are other Indians who appreciate having Diwali off. But I am not one of them. I have never celebrated on the day of Diwali in a way that makes school difficult. In fact, growing up and today, everyone I know, celebrates on the weekend before. I know no one who was born in the US who goes to temple or otherwise spends the day in religious observance.

I would personally prefer an extra day tacked onto winter or spring break.
Anonymous
Post 10/26/2022 17:23     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Yes, they schedule professional days to accommodate religious holidays.


We didn’t have a PD day on any of the Jewish holidays. Doesn’t seem fair. Either we are off for holidays or not.

True. But we can take a personal day with no repercussions.
Anonymous
Post 10/26/2022 09:29     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Anonymous wrote:What if this group of MCPS students start to deliberately bomb on MAPs? When the entire prestige of MCPS hangs on this tiny group of minority students, you try and coincide the professional days with their major holiday(s). It is a minor ask from them.


sheer arrogance !!
Anonymous
Post 10/25/2022 14:55     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I was surprised. Is the Indian or Hindu population that large in MoCo? Where in the county do Diwali celebrants live?


WE ARE *EVERYWHERE*. Muwh-ha-ha!


THIS. Especially CLARKSBURG.
Anonymous
Post 10/25/2022 14:03     Subject: MCPS closed for Diwali?
What if this group of MCPS students start to deliberately bomb on MAPs? When the entire prestige of MCPS hangs on this tiny group of minority students, you try and coincide the professional days with their major holiday(s). It is a minor ask from them.