Issue

The New Jersey public school curriculum lacks the proper representation for an inclusive and diverse enrionment in classrooms. Without education on Sikhism, students may rely on assumptions and stereotypoes around Sikhism beliefs and practices. This lack of education in curriculum can contribute to the targeting of Sikh children for bullying. For example, they may assume that all Sikhs are terrorists or that they are not fully American. Such stereotypes can fuel bullying and discrimination, to name a few.

Solution

Our organization believes that education is vaccine to violence, rising hate and polarization in the society. To addressing this issue we drafted and successfully introduced resolution on mainstreaming Sikhism instructrion into social studies curriculum. The resolution urges the State Board of education to require school districts to incorporate Sikhism instruction into the social studies curriculum and development of certain course materials. During the COVID-19 pandemic, racist and discriminatory attacks have risen against Asian communities, including Sikhs, a majority of which are attributed to lack of knowledge.

NJ State House Session 2022- 2023

Assembly Resolution 172:

 Please click the link below: 

• NJ AR 172

Sponsors: 21

Assembly Members: Carol Muprhy, Sadaf F Jaffer, Raj Mukherji, Pamela R. Lampitt, Annette Quijano, Wayne P. DeAngelo, Sterley S. Stanley, Herb Conaway JR, Thomas P. Giblin, Shama A. Haider, Louis D. Greenwald, Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Shanique Speight, William F. Moen Jr, Reginald W. Atkins, Angela V. McKnight, Daniel R. Benson, Christopher P. Tully, Lisa Swain, Anthony S. Verrelli, Benjie E. Wimberly 

Senate Resolution 108: 

• NJ SR 108

Sponsors: 7

Senate Members: Linda R. Greenstein, Teresa M. Ruiz, Patrick J. Diegnan Jr, Troy Singleton, Samuel D. Thompson, Renee C Burgess, Joseph A. Lagana