Hindu students across the United States are pushing schools to distinguish the ancient swastika from the Nazi Hakenkreuz, highlighting a wider debate over how schools should teach the history and meaning of a symbol that carries very different meanings across cultures.
The swastika is a sacred symbol associated with well-being and good fortune in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The campaign has grown after students faced cases where religious swastikas were mistaken for Nazi symbols. In New Jersey, 15-year-old Mira Trivedi persuaded her school board to educate teachers about the distinction. Two Hindu students in Maryland also helped change their district’s policy.
Mira Trivedi’s campaign began after an eighth-grade social studies lesson. Her teacher described the swastika as a hate symbol linked to Hitler’s antisemitism. Trivedi had grown up seeing the symbol during Hindu religious celebrations. Her family used it during festivals and auspicious occasions. A priest also drew it on her newborn cousin’s forehead and relatives wore jewellery featuring the symbol.
She approached her teacher after class and explained its much older religious history. When the teacher said only senior officials could change what was taught, Trivedi took the issue further. In May 2025, she presented her concerns to her vice principal, principal and school board in central New Jersey. Her efforts led the board to educate 35 teachers about the difference between the Hindu swastika and the Nazi symbol.
A similar campaign took place in Maryland’s Howard County Public School System. Hindu students Saisha Vyas and Priya Bakshi began challenging the district’s treatment of the swastika. Bakshi said she wanted to wear a necklace bearing the religious symbol at school but that it was prohibited under district rules. The two students prepared educational material and met with school officials and Jewish groups to explain the difference between the symbols. Their campaign resulted in a policy change in February.
The district changed its rules to specifically prohibit the Nazi Hakenkreuz rather than the religious swastika. The change affects nearly 50,000 students. The students also stressed that they understood the fear and trauma that Nazi imagery can cause, especially among Jewish students.
The issue has also affected Hindu families and workers outside classrooms. Some Hindu Americans have been mistaken for neo-Nazis after displaying swastikas for religious purposes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, workers who displayed religious symbols in their homes during video calls were sometimes reported to human resources. Neighbours have also called police after seeing swastikas used during Hindu festivals.
The students involved in the campaigns say they respect the trauma associated with Nazi imagery. At the same time, they argue that schools should recognise the swastika’s much older religious significance and consider the context in which a symbol is displayed.
US schools: Hindu students campaign to distinguish sacred swastika from Nazi Hakenkreuz; New Jersey and Maryland districts adopt policy changes affecting thousands.
