First Ever Report on Bias-Based Harassment of Sikh School Children

Four New York City Council Members joined the Sikh Coalition today to release a first ever research report on bias against Sikh children in New York City Schools. The report, "Hatred in the Hallways: A Preliminary Report on Bias Against Sikh Students in New York City's Public Schools," presents data from over 200 surveys conducted by the Sikh Coalition on the experience of Sikh children in New York City schools.

Some of the report's key findings are:

• Three out of four Sikh boys who go to school in Queens have been teased or harassed on account of their religious identity.


• More than half the over 200 Sikh students surveyed had experienced some form of harassment in school based on their religion or national origin.


• Over 40% of Sikh students who wear turbans or patkas have been subjected to some form of physical harassment, either hitting, punching, or disrespectful touching of the head.

Though Sikh students often complain to school personnel, nearly a third of their complaints go unheeded, and nothing is ever done.

The report's findings are a sobering reminder that Sikh children in the United States suffer from significant issues of bias and discrimination in schools. It is the Coalition's intention to continue to address these issues both through education and ensuring that school anti-bias policies are enforced. [Sikh Coalition Press Release]