Diwali recognized as NYC public school holiday.

Diwali has been added to the NYC public school calendar as a holiday, joining Lunar New Year and Eid. The addition of Diwali will require adjustments to the already packed school calendar, but education officials have stated that they will be able to meet the statutory requirement of 180 days of instruction. The bill now moves onto the governor for her signature, and education officials will have at least a year to finalize the scheduling challenges. The addition of Diwali is seen as a way to make Hindu children feel more included and to open minds to different cultures.