Newton School Committee Should Add the Lunar New Year as a Category I Holiday

Petition

Lunar New Year is celebrated in many countries in Asia. Many Asian Americans follow in this cultural tradition and treat this half-month long holiday with equal importance as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year holidays here. In this most important holiday focusing on family reunion, parents are able to ask for a day off from work; however, most children cannot do the same, due to the concern that they will miss classwork and lack the support to catch up in their studies. Families are then unable to truly celebrate this important holiday in full scale without a complete family unit present. 

Newton Public Schools is one of the few large school districts in the state where Asian students make up more than 20% of the total student population. Given this significant proportion, the Newton Public School  school committee should highly consider our proposal to change the lunar new year to a recognized Category I holiday in the public schools calendar. Such an action would be a historic milestone in Newton’s commitment to an all inclusive and well-represented educational environment, and will resonate with many Newton citizens’ commitment to recognizing and supporting multiculturalism in America. 

Thank You,

Newton Education Support Network

Chinese American Association of Newton

Newton Chinese Language School 

The Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association

New England Chinese School Association