California Adopts Landmark Legislation Affecting Sikh American Students

Governor Signs Bill Requiring Educators to Provide Anti-Bullying Materials

Sikh Americans in California commend Governor Jerry Brown, who recently signed a historic bill to counter school bullying. The Safe Place to Learn Act will now protect Sikh, Muslim, and other students when they are harassed in schools.

The legislation (AB 2845) will require the California Department of Education to assess whether schools adequately provide information to educators and community members regarding students who are subject to discrimination and bullying based on actual or perceived religious affiliation.

“When we reached out to Sikh Americans in California to contact their elected officials, they responded,” said SALDEF Executive Director Deepinder Singh. “We’ll use the momentum from this legislative victory to continue expanding our work so every student can achieve their full potential without fear of harassment.”

AB 2845 was introduced by Assemblymember Das Williams. SALDEF advocated for its passage as part of a diverse coalition that includes Asian Americans Advancing Justice – California, Council on American-Islamic Relations, California Chapter, and the Sikh Coalition.

The bill also requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to post anti-bullying resources related to affiliation or perceived affiliation with any religion, nationality, race, or ethnicity on its website.

If you have any questions about bullying and harassment in schools, please email info@saldef.org or call our national office at 202-393-2700. Thank You

CALIFORNIA SANGAT: YOUR HELP AND VOICE IS NEEDED URGENTLY Call Assembly Member Mike Gatto and Assembly Member John Perez to offer your support for SB1540 (Hancock), for revised curriculum framework in History and Social Science. Take Action Now! The Revised Curriculum Framework Bill was introduced in the California State Senate by Senator Hancock, and co-authored by Senators De Leon and Wyland, and Assembly Members Alego, Davis, Eng, Portantino, and Yamada.  This legislation aims at updating the history and social science curriculum in the State of California, it will allow completion of K-12 History Social-Science Curriculum Framework (H/SS-CF).  This is important to Sikh Americans because it will give the opportunity to create awareness and education around Sikhism. ACTION NEEDED NOW—ONLY 48 HOURS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE Why is it important to Sikh Americans? With recent tragedies, as well as issues that the Sikh American community has been facing for decades, we need to ensure that Sikh American history and voices are included to be taught to the youth of tomorrow. Lack of education and awareness about who Sikh Americans are is a large factor in the discrimination, hate and violence that our community has seen. The current History-Social Science Curriculum Framework does not include Sikh Americans.  This means publishers are not required to include Sikhs in K-12 history and social science textbooks, and teachers are not required to teach about Sikh culture, identity and faith. The draft 2010 Framework, approved by the Curriculum Commission for Public Review, includes the following Sikh items and basic theology: – The Boy with Long Hair, A children’s story authored by Pushpinder Kaur – Historical information on Bhagat Singh Thind, Congressman Dalip S. Saund, and more – Facts on Guru Nanak as a Reformer – Option for Sikhism in World Religions elective This draft cannot be adopted by the State Board of Education without legislative action. To email Assembly Member Gatto and Assembly Member Perez with this message, please click here. What is the Bill About? This bill is simply geared at ensuring that the educational curriculum in History and Social Sciences that is currently being taught in all California schools be updated. The content has not been revisited and updated since 1998, which means all students in California are being denied a fair education with current information. Where is it? The bill has so far been unopposed, but is now in the Suspense File of the Assembly Appropriations Committee and needs to be pulled out and passed to the Assembly Floor. ACTION NEEDED NOW—ONLY 48 HOURS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. TAKE ACTION: Contact the following within the next 48 HOURS: Mike Gatto, Chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee Capital Office: Tel: (916) 319-2043 Fax: (916) 319-2143 District Office: Tel: (818) 558-3043 Fax: (818) 558-3042 John Perez, Speaker of the Assembly Capitol Office: Tel: (916) 319-2046 Fax: (916) 319-2146 District Office: Tel: (213) 620-4646 Fax: (213) 620-6319 Use the following script: My name is _________ AND PHONE # IS _____________________. Please support SB1540 (Hancock) and ensure that it gets out from the SUSPENSE FILE of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. It is essential to allow COMPLETION of REVISION of the History-Social Science Framework. It will create awareness about Sikh Americans, the need for which has been emphasized by ACR181(Logue, 2010) and ACR97(Perea, 2012). As you might know observant Sikhs are distinguished by dastaars (Sikh turbans) and other articles of faith and are regrettably subjected to hate crimes, racial profiling, discrimination, and denial of public accommodation because of their perceived race, ethnicity, religion, and national origin.  Last week’s killing of six peaceful Sikhs, inside their place of worship is a horrific tragedy that underscores the urgent need to educate the public about Sikhs.  Additionally, the Mesa, Arizona killing of Balbir Singh Sodhi on 9/15/2001, the beating of a Sikh American cab driver in West Sacramento in Nov. 2010 and the Elk-Grove, California shooting of two elderly Sikhs provide additional context for our request.  Thus, we encourage you to pass SB1540 (Hancock).   All these emphasize the urgency of passing of at the earliest. To email Assembly Member Gatto and Assembly Member Perez with this message, please click here. To print and fax, please download the statement here. Special thanks to Dr.Onkar Bindra for spearheading this cause & Amar Shergill and the West Sacramento Gurdwara Sahib for their leadership.

  • SALDEF Responds to India Abroad Commentary
  • White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Bullying Summit
  • Share Your Stories – Racial Profiling And School Bullying
  • Newly Released FBI Hate Crimes Statistics
  • Scholarship Announced–Deadline Approaching
  • SikhLEAD Congressional Internship Program–Summer 2012
  • Know Your Rights Forums to be hosted throughout California
  • Upcoming Events

    • SALDEF Responds to India Abroad Letter to the Editor On October 14, 2011 India Abroad published a highly offensive commentary in the Letter to the Editor section of the paper. The author of a piece called “Beyond Bias” stated that “Sikhs living in western countries who are not baptized would do well to consider discarding the[ir]uncut hair and turbans so that they will not look like Osama and so suffer.”  Read the full article here. SALDEF immediately contacted India Abroad to question the editor’s discretion in publishing the comments.  Additionally, SALDEF responded to the comments in the November 11 edition of the publication.  Click here to read the full letter. White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Bullying Summit On October 29, 2011, SALDEF attended the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Bullying Summit in New York City. Newly released statistics indicate that Asian Americans reported the highest rate of bullying in classrooms, nearly 20% higher than any other racial or ethnic group, further stressing the importance of this issue within the Sikh American community. Senior members for the Obama administration, public health professionals, community advocates, students and parents attended the summit and discussed the effects of bullying, needed response, and prevention. Share Your Stories – Racial Profiling and School Bullying Have you or someone you know ever been a victim of school bullying or racial profiling?  If so, please share your story with us.  SALDEF is currently advocating for both the End Racial Profiling Act (ERPA) and the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA).  If passed, ERPA will better protect the community from racial profiling and SSIA will help ensure Sikh American children are protected from bullying in Schools. It is important to express to lawmakers how important these issues are to the Sikh American Community and we need your help. SHARE your story about racial profiling. SHARE your story about school bullying. TAKE ACTION: Urge Your Senator to Support ERPA FBI LogoNewly Released FBI Hate Crimes Statistics The FBI recently released their annual Hate Crimes Statistics for 2010. The publication details reported hate crimes by states, cities, towns, and colleges and universities. Of note, the statistics illustrate a jump in crimes motivated by anti-Islamic bias.  This of course, affects Sikh Americans because of misconceptions about our identity.  Currently, the FBI does not collect data on the number of Anti-Sikh hate-crimes.  SALDEF is actively working with the FBI to create a separate category which accurately reflects crimes committed against Sikh Americans. You can access the complete report of the FBI’s annual Hate Crimes Statistics for 2010 here. Scholarship for Northern California Students –Deadline Approaching The Indus Valley American Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the second year of the IVACC Scholarship Program.  Scholarships are being awarded to college students who are residents of Northern California and who have shown a commitment to the South Asian community and culture. The IVACC Scholarship Committee is now accepting applications with a deadline of November 22, 2011.  SALDEF encourages all interested members to apply today.  For more information, click here. SikhLEAD LogoSikhLEAD Congressional Internship Program–Summer 2012 As part of the SikhLEAD youth development initiative, SALDEF has partnered with congressional offices to offer Sikh American students internships on Capitol Hill. Applications will be available by mid December and close in mid February for Summer 2012 internship in Washington, DC. To learn more about the internship program visit www.sikhlead.org and subscribe to the SikhLEAD mailing list.Know Your Rights Forums to be Hosted Throughout California As a part of SALDEF’s ongoing efforts to empower the community and strengthen partnerships with government, we are pleased to announce a series of  Know Your Rights (KYR) Forums for the Sikh American communities of Northern and Southern California in the months of December and January.  For additional information, or if you would like to organize a Know Your Rights Forum for your local community, please contact Birpal Kaur via email at info@saldef.org. Upcoming Events:

    The Know Your Rights program creates an open forum encouraging all Sikh Americans to understand their rights.

    As a part of SALDEF”s ongoing effort to empower the community and strengthen partnerships with government, we are pleased to announce a Know Your Rights (KYR) Forum for the Sikh American community of Las Vegas and Clark County, NV in cooperation with the Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh on Sunday, March 20th from 2-4pm.

    The following government agencies and representatives will provide community members with important information about employment discrimination, hate crimes, and government resources. Additionally, this will be an opportunity to network with government recruiters and discuss employment opportunities.

    Lucy Orta
    Director
    U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

    		Superintendent Dwight Jones (Invited)
    Superintendent
    Clark County School District
    Nevada Department of Education

    Holly James
    Community Outreach Specialist
    Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)


    Kenneth Mead
    Detective
    Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

    Since 2002, SALDEF has organized numerous educational workshops for Sikh American communities in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

    SALDEF would like to thank the management of the Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh and the leaders of the local Sikh American community, as well as the participating government agencies for their support.

    For additional information about this event or if you would like to organize a Know Your Rights Forum for your community, please contact Birpal Kaur by email at info@saldef.org or via phone at 213.985.1116.

    Please distribute this widely to family, friends and at the local Gurdwara.

    A new law, S.L. 2010-112, has gone into effect which requires public schools and colleges in North Carolina to give their students at least two days off during the academic year for religious observances.  Schools may require advance written notice of the absence but they are required to allow students to make-up any work they miss. This means that Sikh American students in North Carolina can get a day off to observe Vaisakhi or Gurpurab.  They just need to give written notice to the school beforehand. SALDEF has contacted some schools in North Carolina to make them aware of a few Sikh holidays. Read More:

    •    Sikhs Attend White House Reception for AAPI Month •    Panel Discussion on Post 9/11 Era at U.S. Social Forum •    Arizona’s Immigration Law: SALDEF gives an opinion to the Court •    Meeting Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez •    Presentation at the Chaplaincy Institute •    SALDEF Invited to Participate on Diversity Panel at California High School •    Follow us on Twitter Sikhs Attend White House Reception for AAPI Month Earlier this summer, SALDEF was invited to attend a White House reception celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage month.  In his remarks, President Obama highlighted the Whitehouse’s engagement with Sikh Americans by saying, “[W]e’re always welcoming your input – from meetings with Sikh Americans to Native Hawaiians. The goal is to make sure that our government is successfully working to address disparities in health care, in education, and economic opportunity that exists within various AAPI communities.” The reception, held in the East Room, was also attended by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), and Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA).  We were pleased to be joined by members of the Sikh Coalition and UNITED SIKHS. Panel Discussion on Post 9/11 Era at U.S. Social Forum During this year’s US Social Forum Conference, SALDEF Community Relations Associate Birpal Kaur was a panelist on a session entitled “The 9/11 Movement: Intersections and Movement Building Strategies”. The Forum brought together more than 10,000 activists from across the country who are interested in social justice. Panel attendees learned about challenges affecting the South Asian communities in the post 9/11 era. Topics of discussion included hate crimes, racial profiling and the mental and social abuses that have increased dramatically since the attacks. To read more about the experience on, please click here to visit our blog. SALDEF Signs on to Amicus Brief to Inform Department of Justice about SB1070 Earlier this month, SALDEF joined a national coalition of civil rights groups to voice concern over Arizona’s controversial SB 1070 law by signing on to an amicus brief.  The document, which provides useful information for the judge evaluating a case, highlighted the consequences of the law on minority and immigrant communities.  Taking our brief into consideration, Judge Susan Bolton prevented the most concerning aspects of the Law from being implemented on July 28th. To read more about SB1070 click here. To read more about the Judge’s ruling, click here. Meeting Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez On July 12, 2010 members of the SALDEF team attended a reception hosted by the America Constitution Law Society. Among the presenters in attendence was Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez. Mr. Perez delivered an inspiring speech on the need to push the frontiers of civil rights in America and later, acknowledged SALDEF’s strong relationship with the Department of Justice. SALDEF Conducts Presentation for Students of the Chaplaincy Institute in California On June 27, 2010, SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh delivered a presentation to over a dozen ministers and chaplains from the Chaplaincy Institute on the Sikh religion at the El Sobrante Gurdwara in California’s Bay Area. The presentation covered the core Sikh beliefs and traditions, discussed the manners in which Sikhs pray and conduct services, and also addressed the history of Sikhs in the United States, including post-9/11 challenges facing the Sikh American community. Prior to the presentation, attendees watched the SALDEF produced DVD On Common Ground as a primer. Students also received copies of SALDEF’s 2010 Pocket Calendars and Who are the Sikhs educational brochures and took a tour of the Gurdwara, partaking in langar and sitting with the congregation. SALDEF Invited to Participate on Diversity Panel at California High School Last month, SALDEF was invited to participate in an interfaith religious panel at Laguna Hills High School in Orange County, CA.   The panel was an opportunity to educate students about Sikh beliefs and practices and also build connections with local leaders of other faiths. The students were engaged throughout the presentation and received SALDEF publications. The high school administration also agreed to keep SALDEF posted on future educational opportunities as they arise and utilize SALDEF as a content expert going forward.  If you would like to coordinate a presentation at your high school, or in your local community, please contact us. Follow us on Twitter Become a follower of SALDEF on Twitter and get realtime updates about issues we are working on, meetings we are attending and the people we are working with.  Check out recent activity and signup at twitter.com/saldef.

    • SALDEF Announces Job Openings for New Positions
    • USCIS to Issue Redesigned Green Cards
    • SALDEF Presents at California High School Diversity Event
    • Dept of Homeland Security and Dept of Justice Training in Boston
    • SSA Spotlight: Princeton Sikh Student Association Celebrates Vaisakhi
    • College Students – Apply for a Scholarship
    • SALDEF Remembers Life and Contributions of Dr. Dorothy Height

    SALDEF Announces Job Openings for New Positions SALDEF is pleased to announce the opening of three new positions. We are looking for experienced candidates to fill the positions of Executive Director, Community Relations Associate/Manager and Grant Writer. Candidates applying must be able to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, and have a passion for working towards the strengthening of the Sikh American community. To read more about the positions, click here. USCIS to Issue Redesigned Green Cards U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has redesigned the Permanent Resident Card – commonly known as the “Green Card” – to incorporate several major new security features. The Green Card redesign is the latest advance in USCIS’s ongoing efforts to deter immigration fraud. State-of-the-art technology incorporated into the new card prevents counterfeiting, obstructs tampering, and facilitates quick and accurate authentication. Beginning May 11, 2010, USCIS will issue all Green Cards in the new, more secure format. In keeping with the Permanent Resident Card’s nickname, it will now be colored green for easy recognition. USCIS will replace Green Cards already in circulation as individuals apply for renewal or replacement. For more information on permanent residency and other immigration benefits, visit www.uscis.gov, or call USCIS’s National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283 SALDEF Presents at California High School Diversity Event This past March, SALDEF Representative Gaganpreet Kaur and Managing Director Kavneet Singh, conducted four one-hour workshops for students at Castro Valley High School in Castro Valley, CA as part of their annual Days of Diversity program. This is the fourth straight year that SALDEF has been invited to participate at this forum. The first workshops introduced students to Sikh culture and the history of Sikhs in the United States and was followed by a question and answer session. The following workshops discussed specific civil rights issues faced by Sikh Americans. Students also engaged in an interactive discussion about how law and policy affect people of faith and received copies of SALDEF educational resources. If you would like a SALDEF volunteer or staff member to conduct an anti-bullying and cultural awareness presentation for students at your children’s school, please contact us. Dept of Homeland Security and Dept of Justice Training in Boston On April 8th, SALDEF Board Member Navjeet Singh, trained roughly 40 members of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency Office of Investigations along with special guests from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Relations Service. The Cultural Awareness training seminar consisted of an overview of the Sikh faith, religious practices and culturally sensitive protocol for interactions with Sikh Americans. The training was hosted by the DHS ICE Office of Investigations and the DOJ Office of Community Relations in Boston, MA. SSA Spotlight: Princeton Sikh Student Association Celebrates Vaisakhi Last month, like Sikh Student Associations (SSA) across the country, the Princeton SSA took the opportunity to educate their fellow students about the Sikh faith. They invited attendees to learn about Sikh practices, theology and history through a slideshow presentation. Following the presentation, Langar was served while Kirtan played in the background. During the presentation, the SSA distributed SALDEF’s Who are the Sikhs brochures and 2010 Sikh American Pockets Calendars to the attendees. Congratulations to the Princeton SSA on a great event. If we can assist your SSA in any way – by providing speakers, materials, etc – please contact us. College Students – Apply for a Scholarship The Sikh Education Fund, a project of the Association of Sikh Professional has been granting scholarships and interest free loans to college students since 1989. The Association is now receiving applications for the academic year 2010-2011. The last date for receiving applications for new applicants is June 1, 2010. Apply here or email the Association for more information SALDEF Remembers Life and Contributions of Dr. Dorothy Height On April 20th, the civil rights community, and the country lost a pioneering voice for civil, women’s, and human rights. Dr. Dorothy Height, passed away at the age of 98 from natural causes. She will be remembered for her legacy of empowerment and over seven decades of community service. Throughout her distinguished career, she served as President Emeritus of the National Council of Negro Women and Chair of The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, where she worked closely with a broad coalition of groups for several decades.  Read more here.

    Washington D.C., April 2, 2010 — Yesterday, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed legislation reversing an 87-year old law preventing public school teachers in the state from wearing religious clothing and articles of faith. The repeal of the long standing law now allows observant Americans from Sikh, Jewish, Muslim and other faith groups who wear religiously mandated clothing to teach in public schools.

    “House Bill 3686 received passage through the culmination of deep dedication and hard work of legislators, elected officials, local teachers and students, and state and national organizations,” said Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt, chief sponsor of the bill. “The commitment and effort of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund played a key role in ensuring that every Oregon citizen has the right to teach in our classrooms while maintaining religious free exercise.”

    Governor Kulongoski signing HB 3686 into law, surrounded by community advocates and civic officals, along with SALDEF Regional Director Sat Hanuman Singh Khalsa.

    In the summer of 2009, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the nation’s oldest Sikh civil rights advocacy organization, initiated a campaign to overturn ORS 342.650, which effectively forbids Sikh teachers from serving in Oregon public schools.  Over the past several months, SALDEF has worked closely with  Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt and a broad coalition of Oregon faith groups and individuals to engage in outreach to Oregon legislators, provide testimony at House hearings, and mobilize community support for the repeal of this law. “For the first time in 87 years, an observant Sikh, Muslim, Jew or Christian will not have to decide between their faith and their profession,” said Sathanuman Singh Khalsa, Northwest Regional Director of SALDEF, immediately after the signing of the bill by the Governor. “These are the moments in our collective histories that mark progress. It was truly an interfaith effort.”

    The commitment and effort of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund played a key role in ensuring that every Oregon citizen has the right to teach in our classrooms while maintaining religious free exercise.”

    — Oregon Speaker Dave Hunt

    Last week, SALDEF initiated a final letter writing campaign urging community members of all faiths to write to the Governor to sign the legislation. Supporters wrote thousands of letters in support of the repealing of this law dating back to the Ku Klux Klan era of the 1920’s. “SALDEF has worked consistently to defend the right of all Americans to wear religious attire in the workplace, in schools, in courtrooms, and as customers in public venues,” said SALDEF Associate Executive Director Jasjit Singh.  “We congratulate the State of Oregon on the repeal of the ban on teachers’ religious attire and look to legislators in Pennsylvania and Nebraska (the two remaining states who have such statues) to follow Oregon’s lead of respect for religious freedom and diversity.” Additionally, SALDEF would like to thank Oregon Speaker Dave Hunt and his staff, Oregon attorney and advocate Saba Ahmed for her tireless efforts in leading this campaign, Ravitej Singh Khalsa for his stallworth dedication to this effort for nearly 20 years, and the numerous organizations and individuals that supported this tremendous victory. Finally, prior to the new law being enacted in 2011, Oregon’s state administrative agenencies will develop guidelines as to how the law will be rolled out and applied to the State’s schools.  SALDEF will be closely monitoring these discussions to ensure that the intent of the Oregon Legislature and Governor is met and that no teacher’s are subject to religious discrimination in Oregon. To read about other legislative efforts SALDEF has been or is currently engaged with over the past year, please see below:

    (Washington DC) January 6, 2010 – The Oregon state legislature is likely to take action in the next month to repeal ORS 342.650, an Oregon law that effectively forbids turbaned Sikhs from working as public school teachers. In the Summer of 2009, SALDEF initiated a campaign to overturn this discriminatory legislation and has since been working to publicize and repeal ORS 342.650. Historical Background – From the KKK to Today KKK CartoonORS 342.650 originated in the 1920s as an anti-Catholic measure and was supported by the Ku Klux Klan at a time of overt hostility toward racial and religious minorities. Other laws enacted by the Oregon legislature during this period included the Compulsory Education Act (a measure designed to close parochial schools) and the Alien Property Act of 1923 (a law that prohibited Japanese immigrants from purchasing or leasing land in Oregon). Although these two bigoted laws have since been repealed, ORS 342.650 is still enforced against religious minorities, and Oregon is one of only three states in the country that continue to impose such discriminatory restrictions on public school teachers. In 2009, a diverse coalition of interfaith groups spearheaded an effort to overturn the law, and the Oregon legislature has a historic opportunity to do so in February 2010. Impact on Sikhs A Sikh American University ProfessorORS 342.650 resembles laws in France that forbid Sikhs from working as public school teachers. At a time when Sikhs are struggling to overcome the challenges of hate crimes, workplace discrimination, and school bullying, Sikhs are being segregated from serving in an important public service profession. It is a thin line between excluding Sikhs from teaching and excluding Sikhs from any government employment in the state of Oregon.

    TAKE ACTION IN OREGON If you live in Oregon, please click here to write to your Oregon state representative. TAKE ACTION NATIONWIDE If you live outside of Oregon, please click here to write to key members of the Oregon legislature.
    A Sikh American University Professor

    Earlier this year, the State of Oregon effectively rubber stamped a law which prevents observant Sikh Americans from working as public school teachers in the state of Oregon. Although the law was originally enacted by followers of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in the 1920s to keep Catholic nuns out of public schools, today it is undermining the civil rights of Sikhs, Jews, Muslims, and Christians.

    SALDEF is working hard to ensure that when the Oregon legislature addresses this issue in February 2010, we give a final burial to the KKK in Oregon and move one step closer to giving all Americans the right to practice their faith.

    LEARN ABOUT THE ISSUE:

  • Sikhs protest school exemption in Oregon religious freedom bill (The Oregonian)
  • Law denying teachers religious freedom is repugnant and should be repealed (Mail Tribune Editorial)
  • Oregon law is too strict on teachers” religious garb (The Oregonian Editorial)
  • Does religious clothing have a place in the classroom (KATU TV – Portland)
  • (Dave Ross Show – KIRO 97.3 FM)
  • Oregon’s Fashion Police (Washington Post)

    • Timeline of SALDEF initiated efforts to get Sikh Americans the right to teach in Oregon public schools:

  • July 14, 2009 – SALDEF issues protest letter to Oregon Governor
  • July 15, 2009 – Oregonian newspaper covers SALDEF”s protest
  • July 16, 2009 – Oregonian editorial board condemns the KKK law
  • July 24, 2009 – SALDEF writes to the Department of Justice
  • August 31, 2009 – Department of Justice responds
  • November 19, 2009 – Oregon state agencies condemn the KKK law
  • November 23, 2009 – Oregon House Speaker spearheads effort to overturn the KKK law

    • This issue has received mainstream print, radio and television exposure including the Daily Oregonian,KATU-TV Portland, National Public Radio, New York Times, New York Newsday, the Mail Tribune, and the Washington Post.