All Religious Celebrations Should be Acknowledged Equally by All
(CHAKRA) On Christmas, Vaisakhi or Diwali we wish one another out of respect whether or not we celebrate. Such cultural etiquette is the norm and should remain this way. In a world made up of various religions as well as non-believers the ideal way to survive amongst each other is through respect for one another’s beliefs so long as they do not infringe on anyone’s rights and are not offensive.
This should remain true in the public school system as well. Children more than any other age group are prone to isolation and it is the duty of adults, especially parents and those involved in the school system to make themselves aware of the religions and cultures their classroom encompasses.
Many schools claim to be secular with no mention of religion but they continue to celebrate cultural traditions, which are based on religion. Many North American schools continue to decorate trees, sing secular Christmas carols, have Christmas parties in the classroom and wish one another Merry Christmas. There is no wrong in celebrating a culture, which is immensely a part of the population’s way of life. These are the traditions that form accepting individuals who celebrate with one another. However, the same should be done for other cultural traditions that are based on other religions as well. It is important to celebrate with others but it is also important not to leave out those who celebrate Vaisakhi, Diwali or any other celebrations with their families.
When children are exposed to only one cultural tradition within the school system from a very young age they may start to believe that is the only way to celebrate because the values are instilled into them from a very young age.
If other religions and cultures are not equally taught about in a public school system, children will be put in a situation of isolation in which they cannot completely relate or in which they refuse to share their own traditions because they are unheard of in the school they spend a great deal of their day in.
This is not to say that individuals cannot choose whether or not they would like to participate in festivities related to a certain tradition. While it is a positive to accept one another’s cultural beliefs it should never be made mandatory that one should participate in something they choose not to. A Sikh or Hindu child that celebrates Vaisakhi or Diwali at home may chose not to participate in a Christmas activity at school or vice versa. This should be left up to them. This choice, however, should be made without hurting the religious sentiment of anyone else.
The real world after school requires us to acknowledge one another’s religious beliefs and so it is important that we learn and practice how to live with each other by celebrating all or no beliefs in our school system. There should be no in between which could leave a child behind.
By K. Cherian