The U.S. Department of Justice last week released a new Punjabi-language fact sheet to help Sikh American parents protect their children against school bullying.
According to a press release issued by the Sikh Coalition, the request for the advisory was made by the community at the group’s White House policy briefing this past summer.
Based on our research, Sikh American children experience high rates of bullying, but these incidents are usually not reported to authorities, the press release said. In some cases, parents may not be aware that bullying is a civil rights issue or that there are free resources available to address this problem. The information in the new fact sheet will help bridge these gaps, the press release added.
This new document is the latest achievement in our community’s ongoing efforts to end and prevent school bullying, following a new research report, a Congressional briefing, and a letter from 30 members of Congress, the Sikh Coalition said in a statement.
The Sikh Coalition also urged its members to email the advisory to their friends and families, distribute the fact sheet at their local gurdwara or Khalsa School, and learn about the Justice Department’s process for filing bullying complaints.