Get involved in your child’s school

• Attend PTA meetings, school outings and programs. Get to know administrators, principal, teachers, and support staff.
  
  
• Volunteer in your child’s classroom. Get to know the children and how they interact.
  
  
• Get to know as many parents as possible.
  
  
• Dads need to get involved, too. Be visible!
  
  
• Get your child involved in team sports.
  
  
• Enroll in martial arts or other self-defense class. This can really build self-confidence.
  
  
• Give a brief presentation at the beginning of the year about the Sikh religion.
  
  
• For younger children, keep it 10-15 mins.
  
  
• Focus on long hair, patka, turban, traditions, etc. since “religion” per se is not supposed to be discussed in school.
  
  
• Send a note home with parents discussing what was said.
  
  
• This information is also available under the heading “community” in the MediaPoint section of Sikhpoint at www.sikhpoint.com.
  
  
• Talk to your child.
  
  
• Know who they are socializing with and their parents.
  
  
• Observe their interactions with other children
  
  
• Ask them how they are doing with their peers.
  
  
• Let them know they should come to you if anyone harasses, bullies or makes them feel uncomfortable in any way.
  
  
• Give educational literature to your child’s teacher and school library, e.g., “The Boy with Long Hair”.
  
  
• Write a letter to the teacher and school administrators about Sikhism and your child, particularly in sensitive times such as these.

Get the entire story from your child

• Let him calm down first.
  
  
• Don’t bias the story with leading questions.
  
  
• Decide how big an issue it really is.
  
  
• For minor issues, talk to the child’s teacher.
  
  
• For bigger issues, also communicate to the teacher in writing with a copy to the school administration.
  
  
• Depending on the situation, also consider speaking with the other children’s parents directly
  
  

If the concerns are not addressed and the problem persists,

• For your child’s sake, don’t drop the issue and hope the problem will go away.
  
  
• Notify higher authorities.
  
  
• Notify the CSC. Community support always helps.
  
  
• Be an example for your child of Khalsa pride, self-confidence, and integrity!