<p>More than half of Sikh children in US schools endure bullying with over two-thirds of turbaned Sikh children among its worst victims, according to a new national report. Sikh children have been punched kicked, and had their turbans ripped off by fellow students, it found.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Focused on Seattle, Indianapolis, Boston, and Fresno, California metropolitan Areas, the report, entitled "Go Home Terrorist," - A Report on Bullying Against Sikh American School Children," was released last week on Capitol Hill, seat of US Congress.<br /><br />The bullying of Sikh children is often associated with post-9/11 bias, the report found with epithets such as "terrorist" or "Bin Laden" frequently accompanying verbal and physical abuse.<br /><br />According to the National Centre for Education Statistics, 32 percent of all students ages 12 to 18 report that they are bullied in school.<br /><br />Turbaned Sikh children therefore likely experience bullying at more than double the national rate, the report said.<br /><br />Consistently Sikh children have called on educators and administrators to teach more about Sikhs and the Sikh religion in order to build understanding in school, it noted.<br /><br />The report cites lack of federal data on the bullying of Sikh school children as a systematic concern that should be addressed in order to better diagnose and target efforts to solve the issue.<br /><br />In addition, the absence of or negative representation of Sikhs in school textbooks nationwide was cited by the report as an opportunity to better combat or mitigate school bullying.<br /><br />The report is based on surveys and focus groups of over 700 Sikh school children and interviews of over 50 Sikh students in four metropolitan areas: Seattle, Indianapolis, Boston, and Fresno, California during 2012 and 2013.<br /><br />Mike Honda, Democratic chair of the Congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus joined the American Sikh Congressional Caucus, and The Sikh Coalition, an umbrella community organisation at the release event.<br /><br />"The Sikh Coalition's study and report reinforces the need for research, attention, and education to address bullying," Honda said.<br /><br />"It would not be an exaggeration to call school bullying, particularly as it applies to turbaned Sikh youth, 'widespread,'" said Amardeep Singh, Director of Programmes at the Sikh Coalition.<br /><br />"We have a long-term, institutional commitment to ensuring our children reach their full human potential," said Sapreet Kaur, executive director of the Sikh Coalition.</p>
<p>More than half of Sikh children in US schools endure bullying with over two-thirds of turbaned Sikh children among its worst victims, according to a new national report. Sikh children have been punched kicked, and had their turbans ripped off by fellow students, it found.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Focused on Seattle, Indianapolis, Boston, and Fresno, California metropolitan Areas, the report, entitled "Go Home Terrorist," - A Report on Bullying Against Sikh American School Children," was released last week on Capitol Hill, seat of US Congress.<br /><br />The bullying of Sikh children is often associated with post-9/11 bias, the report found with epithets such as "terrorist" or "Bin Laden" frequently accompanying verbal and physical abuse.<br /><br />According to the National Centre for Education Statistics, 32 percent of all students ages 12 to 18 report that they are bullied in school.<br /><br />Turbaned Sikh children therefore likely experience bullying at more than double the national rate, the report said.<br /><br />Consistently Sikh children have called on educators and administrators to teach more about Sikhs and the Sikh religion in order to build understanding in school, it noted.<br /><br />The report cites lack of federal data on the bullying of Sikh school children as a systematic concern that should be addressed in order to better diagnose and target efforts to solve the issue.<br /><br />In addition, the absence of or negative representation of Sikhs in school textbooks nationwide was cited by the report as an opportunity to better combat or mitigate school bullying.<br /><br />The report is based on surveys and focus groups of over 700 Sikh school children and interviews of over 50 Sikh students in four metropolitan areas: Seattle, Indianapolis, Boston, and Fresno, California during 2012 and 2013.<br /><br />Mike Honda, Democratic chair of the Congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus joined the American Sikh Congressional Caucus, and The Sikh Coalition, an umbrella community organisation at the release event.<br /><br />"The Sikh Coalition's study and report reinforces the need for research, attention, and education to address bullying," Honda said.<br /><br />"It would not be an exaggeration to call school bullying, particularly as it applies to turbaned Sikh youth, 'widespread,'" said Amardeep Singh, Director of Programmes at the Sikh Coalition.<br /><br />"We have a long-term, institutional commitment to ensuring our children reach their full human potential," said Sapreet Kaur, executive director of the Sikh Coalition.</p>