FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: media@sikhcoalition.org
Sikh Youth are Bullied at Alarming Rates, per New Sikh Coalition Report
April 18, 2024 (New York, NY) — Today, the Sikh Coalition reveals the organization’s landmark study: Where Are You Really From: A National Sikh School Climate Report. The report is available online here, with key findings and other resources consolidated at thesikh.co/WAYRF.
The new report is the Sikh Coalition’s first comprehensive report on the experiences of Sikh youth since the organization’s 2014 report Go Home, Terrorist. Where Are You Really From (WAYRF) received its data from more than 2,000 Sikh students ages 9 to 18 who completed surveys in 2022 to offer a new insight into bullying and school climate. In the survey, students were asked questions about bullying, their interactions with both peers and staff, their knowledge of bullying reporting procedures, the microaggressions they face, and whether the classroom policies and conversations allow them to not just practice their faith freely, but share and celebrate it.
The study was conducted by the Sikh Coalition and our academic partners from California: research partner Dr. Kavita Kaur Atwal and research consultant Dr. Erin Knight. We believe the study to be the most comprehensive examination of U.S.-based Sikh youth’s school experiences. Key findings include:
- Sikh students continue to be bullied at alarmingly high rates, yet don’t always describe what they experience as bullying. 78% of students reported experiencing behavior that qualifies as bullying, but only 49% said they were bullied.
- Sikh male students with religious head coverings are highly likely to be bullied. 77% of Sikh male students with dastaars (turbans) or patkas (religious head-coverings) reported being bullied at least once, and the data further showed that male Sikh students are generally facing higher rates of discrimination and more violent forms of bullying in schools.
- Sikh students are bullied by school staff. A shocking 11% of Sikh students reported being bullied by or facing discrimination from the very adults charged with educating and protecting them.
- Sikh students somewhat understand how to report bullying, but often face inaction when they do. 74% of Sikh students said they know how to report bullying at their school, but 46% report “never” or “almost never” doing so—perhaps because 63% said that teachers or staff “almost never” or “never” intervened when bullying happened in front of them.
- Sikh students are less safe in less inclusive schools. When asked about inclusion of Sikhi (Sikhism) in educational materials and school policies, more than 50% of Sikh students reported that their school is “not at all” inclusive of their religion. Data also indicate that less inclusivity significantly predicts more bullying incidents.
- Sikh students who are bullied face poorer mental health outcomes. Data shows that bullying incidents (actual and perceived) are significantly related to higher scores on tests that measure a depressed mood.
- Sikh students face high rates of microaggressions, but may not recognize them as bullying. 82% of Sikh students reported experiencing at least one microaggression, but the majority who did so did not self-report being bullied; conversely, 73% of students who said they were never bullied reported at least one microaggression. Even if Sikh students don’t consider microaggressions to be bullying, however, those who faced higher levels of microaggressions also reported worse mental health outcomes.
“Our findings in Where Are You Really From? validate years of our work alongside Sikh students, parents, and community members across the nation,” said Rucha Kaur, Sikh Coalition’s Community Development Director and principal author of WAYRF. “We know that our youth experience bullying; now, we have the data to show the depth of the problem—and to back up a wide range of solutions to make our schools safer and more inclusive for all students. With this report as our latest tool, we will continue to fight for Sikh students to feel safe and seen in their educational environments.”
Based on the findings in WAYRF, the Sikh Coalition has developed more than 50 policy recommendations that fall into four broad categories: reducing bias-based bullying, creating inclusive education resources, facilitating data collection, and prioritizing mental health measures. The report identifies specific ways in which federal and state officials, state and local education authorities, and school administrators and educators can have a positive impact in each of these areas. Additionally, WAYRF includes an updated step-by-step guide for parents who are concerned that their child is facing bullying, as well as a visual glossary of terms related to Sikhi for non-community member audiences.
In the months and years ahead, the Sikh Coalition intends to use the data and recommendations in WAYRF as an essential tool in support of our education work. Our ongoing campaigns in this space include the push to get Sikhi included in state social studies standards, our efforts to create and curate free educational materials about Sikhi, our professional trainings for teachers from coast to coast, and our pro bono legal work to families dealing with severe bullying cases. To read the full report and view our other education resources, visit thesikh.co/WAYRF.
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For more than 20 years, the Sikh Coalition has fought to defend and expand Sikh civil rights and ensure a generational shift in Sikh awareness within the United States—including via our education work. For more information about WAYRF and its insights, contact media@sikhcoalition.org.
