Statistically significant bullying of Sikh children: Sikh Coalition Report

April 20 :
A report on the experiences of community youth in schools was released on April 18, 2024, by the advocacy group the Sikh Coalition.
The current report, titled "Where Are You Really From: A National Sikh School Climate Report" (thesikh.co/WAYRF), is the second instalment of the same series that was released in 2014 by the same authority. Welcome to WAYRF, the place where you truly originate from.

To provide fresh light on bullying and school climate, the new research drew its data from surveys filled out by over 2,000 Sikh students (ranging in age from 9 to 18) in 2022. Sikh Coalition members Dr. Kavita Kaur Atwal and Dr. Erin Knight collaborated with California academics to carry out the study.

"We believe the study to be the most comprehensive examination of U.S.-based Sikh youth's school experiences," stated the Sikh Coalition in a news release.

The primary results show that whereas 49% of students reported being bullied, 78% reported seeing bullying behaviour; There was a correlation between the prevalence of discrimination against Sikh students and the prevalence of aggressive bullying, with 77% of Sikh male students who wore dastaars or patkas reporting bullying on at least one occasion. Even among the "adults charged with educating and protecting them," 11% of Sikh kids said they had experienced bullying or prejudice; While 74% of Sikh students are aware of the procedures for reporting bullying on campus, 46% say they "never" or "almost never" do so. This could be because 63% of Sikh students said that faculty or staff "almost never" or "never" intervened when they witnessed bullying; Among Sikh pupils, over half said their school is "not at all" welcoming of their faith when questioned about Sikhi (Sikhism) taught in the classroom and in school policy.

Sikh Coalition members noted, "Data shows that bullying incidents (actual and perceived) are significantly related to higher scores on tests that measure a depressed mood." They went on to say, "Data also indicate that less inclusivity significantly predicts more bullying incidents."
While 82% of Sikh students reported encountering microaggressions, most of those who did not self-report bullying were nevertheless affected by the phenomenon. More than fifty policy proposals have been drafted by the group, which it claims would assist state and federal education authorities, as well as school administrators and teachers, in making a positive difference.