Who do Bullies Target?

Don’t Let Anyone Bully You!

Sikhs stand for

• Courage
  
• Tolerance of others
  
• Standing up for what you believe in
  

Everybody is different

• Not everybody knows who Sikhs are. People see someone different and behave in an inappropriate manner towards them
  • They see a turban and think terrorist

  It is our job to let people know who we are and what we are about
  

• Everybody is different
  • Some people have blond hair, some wear braces, some are short, and others are tall
    
    

Be proud to be a Sikh

• Invite your friends and neighbors to gurdwara
  • Let them know you are not alone
    
    
• Celebrate your holidays with your classmates
  • Take sweets to school for Baisakhi
    
    
• Make a presentation to your school about Sikhs
  • You can ask CSC for help

Sikhism encourages you to be who YOU want to be…

• Being a Sikh is your identity. At the same time you are also just another American school boy or girl
• You can also be a soccer player, a ballerina, a math wiz, a rocket scientist, or a rock star

Sikhism encourages you to have friends of all kinds

• Guru Nanak had Muslim and Hindu followers
• Who are your friends?
• Tell them about your religion, your holidays, Bhangra dancing, etc. They tell you about Christmas and Hanukah; don’t they?
  
  
  

What if people still don’t understand you and bully you?

Types of bullying

• Physical
  
  • Touching your patka
    
  • Threatening to cut your hair
    
  • Hitting, pushing etc.
    
    
• Verbal
  
  • Name calling
    
    
• Emotional
  
  • Trying to take your friends away
    
  • Alienation
    

• Someone who appears insecure
  
• Someone who looks different from them
  
• Someone who looks like they could become upset easily
  
• Someone smaller than themselves

The bully may have:

• Low self esteem
  • Think controlling someone else will make them feel better about themselves
    
    
• No discipline enforced at home
  • May lack appropriate parental discipline
  • Think they can get away with whatever they want
  • Is reacting to home environment
    
    
• Been bullied in the past
  • Maybe very angry and resentful
    
    

WALK AWAY!!

• Walking away is the hardest yet one of the bravest things you can do
• Avoid physical confrontation unless you are in immediate harm
• Ignore them

Report the incident

• Make sure a school teacher or administrator is informed
• The incident should be followed up on

Inform your parents

• Do not suffer in silence

If the bullying is of a physical nature:

• Have your parents inform the school principal in writing
• Tell your parents. You don’t want them to find out from someone else. Keep them informed
• Inform CSC
• Take safety precautions
  • Stay in safe areas during recess
  • Stay with a group of kids as often as possible
  • Make sure a teacher is close by
    
    

Become an active part of your school and community

• Join an athletic, academic, or social club

Take a self defense class

• You have every right to defend yourself if physical harm is imminent

Know your heritage and be proud of it

• Learn about Sikh history and Sikh teachings

We understand that you still may be a little nervous or scared

• Don’t “hide” and stop trying to make friends
  
• Don’t be embarrassed about who you are

Do not let the bully get to you

• Don’t change your habits or act differently
  
• If they realize they are getting to you, they will keep doing it
  
• Tell your parents. Do not suffer in silence