Sikh teen pens book on bullying of community kids in U.S.

In this file photo, Guru Fateh Singh (6) waves American flags while on top of his father's shoulders during a candle-light vigil outside City Hall in Los Angeles in California in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. The boy was among the droves of local residents who came to express their solidarity with the victims of the terror strike that jolted America. Despite their peaceful and friendly nature, many Sikh children are victims of bullying in the U.S..

A Sikh-American teenager has penned a book about bullying of children from the community in the U.S. based on his experiences and that of others to raise awareness on the issue.

Karanveer Singh Pannu, an 18-year-old high school student from New Jersey, has written the book ‘Bullying of Sikh American Children: Through the Eyes of a Sikh American High School Student’

Largely unrepresented

“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,” Mr. 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,” he said.

Prologue about Sikhism, and how turban matters

In the book, Mr. Pannu introduces the Sikh faith and discusses the significance of the turban and the history of Sikhs in the United States.

He also 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 has some solutions

Mr. Pannu also suggests practical solutions drawn from interviews with several child psychiatrists and psychologists.

He said he hoped the book can help other Sikh-American children who have experienced bullying, as well as parents and school administrators trying to understand the students’ experiences.

According to a study by The Sikh Coalition, 67 per cent of turbaned Sikh youth in Fresno, California, have experienced emotional and physical bullying in schools and also cyber-bullying.

“A very emotional mother called me and thanked me profusely for writing this book,” Mr. 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,” he said.

In December, a 12-year-old Sikh boy in the U.S. had to spend three days in a juvenile detention centre after he jokingly told a classmate that he had a bomb in his school bag.