Washington, DC – October 7, 2008: Last week, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the nation’s oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization, was alerted to incidents of bullying and harassment at a San Francisco Bay Area junior high school, involving Sikh American students who wear daastars (Sikh turbans) and maintain their long kesh (uncut hair). School officials proactively contacted SALDEF to arrange a presentation for the entire student body, numbering over 300, about the Sikh faith, customs and articles of faith. The presentation, conducted by SALDEF’s Managing Director Kavneet Singh, was extremely well received by both the students and faculty alike. In fact, at the request of SALDEF, the faculty and administration of the school have agreed to organize an internal presentation which will:
- Familiarize school officials with the religious practices and beliefs of Sikhs;
- Better position teachers and administrators to identify how Sikhs are targeted by and subjected to harassment and bullying by their fellow classmates; and,
- Learn strategies to prevent this harassment from happening in their school.
“We commend the school officials for their vigilance in meeting the needs of their Sikh American children, and in making sure that these incidents didn’t escalate into something much bigger,” said SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh. “Knowing how to interact with the community and develop greater partnerships before something happens is the key to ensuring safety and greater appreciation for the diversity of our nation’s communities.” SALDEF has worked with school districts in the past, most notably in 2004 when the Fremont School District in California’s Bay Area, required their entire staff and faculty to view a taped presentation of SALDEF’s Introduction to Sikhism and How to Best Interact with Sikh American School Children. Also earlier this year, SALDEF was requested to make presentations to three Montgomery County Maryland Schools to prevent hate and bias attacks, in the wake of an attack on two elder Sikh American men. SALDEF will continue to work with school officials to help them develop better understanding and appreciation for the Sikh American community. If you believe that your child is experiencing difficulties in school, contact SALDEF immediately at education@saldef.org so that your concerns can be addressed before the incidents escalate.