Khalsakids.org to help Sikh students fight bullies

New York based community sikh organization initiates facility

A New York based community organization Sikh Coalition has started Khalsakids.org in response to an incident earlier this year in which a Sikh boy's turban was forcibly removed and his hair cut by a schoolmate in New York's Queens area. The boy has since changed schools for safety reasons and a jury has indicted the culprit. The website dedicated to helping Sikh students fight bullying in school. Designed as an interactive resource tool, it features a discussion forum, videos, and downloadable presentations. Parents and teachers can also use the website's sample lesson plans and games to teach others about the Sikh community

Earlier, the Sikh Coalition had issued a civil rights report "Hatred in the Hallways" on the problems Sikh children face in school. The report, based on a survey of New York City Sikhs, revealed that nearly 75 per cent of Sikh boys in the Queens borough, which has a concentration of Sikh households, are harassed or intimidated because of their long hair and turban. People call them "Osama bin Laden" or "terrorists", often threatening or physically harassing them. According to its founder, the new website will help sikh children to feel proud of their identity and to give them the tools to combat bias in school.