New York, New York (September 26, 2007) – This weekend’s New York Times featured an op-ed piece written jointly by the Sikh Coalition and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund. The editorial discussed the shortcomings of the New York City Department of Education in protecting students from bias-based bullying. You can read the editorial online by clicking here.

The editorial was part of the Sikh Coalition’s ongoing campaign to make New York City schools safer for Sikh children. In June 2007, the Sikh Coalition released a report, Hatred in the Hallways, documenting the widespread harassment and intimidation of Sikh children. The report revealed that over 75% of Sikh boys who study in the borough of Queens are regularly harassed and intimidated by classmates.

In response to that report, the Department of Education and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein have been working with the Sikh Coalition and other groups over the last few months. We hope to soon report on changes on how New York City schools deals with anti-Sikh bias and harassment in school.