Karanveer Singh Pannu, a Sikh-American high school student from New Jersey, has written a new book that looks at bullying from the point of view of the student.
“Sikh-American youth are largely unrepresented and do not seem to have a voice on the national stage or in the media, especially when it comes to bullying,” Pannu told NBC News. “I wanted to help in any way I could to alleviate this pain and suffering which children from my faith go through on a daily basis.”
In “Bullying of Sikh American Children: Through the Eyes of a Sikh American High School Student,” Pannu introduces the Sikh faith, which originated in the Punjab region of India, and discusses the significance of the turban and the history of Sikhs in the United States. He details the results of a bullying survey he conducted of Sikh-American children in order to draw from their experiences as well as his own. He also suggests practical solutions drawn from interviews with several child psychiatrists and psychologists.
According to a study by The Sikh Coalition, a non-profit advocacy organization, 67 percent of turbaned Sikh youth in Fresno, Calif., have experienced emotional and physical bullying in schools and also cyberbullying.
Pannu said he hopes the book can help other Sikh-American children who've experienced bullying, as well as parents and school administrators trying to understand the students' experiences.
“[A] couple of days ago, a very emotional mother called me and thanked me profusely for writing this book," Pannu said. "She wanted to help me in any way in order to get the book into the hands of the school authorities. Another non-Sikh reader after reading the book is gifting a book to the local school library.”
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