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Summary of Question:	Racism In Public School?
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Thursday, 1/10/2002 7:54 PM MST

i have been in a private skool and i have reached gr 7

i still am goin to be in that skool intil grade 10
when i finish grade 10 i will have to go to a public skool
i dont really like to go there bcause christian can somtimes
be harsh and make fun but anyways i like to be in a private skool
with all sikhs bcause i dont like racism so tell me good advice where i can succed and not be scared when i change skools

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REPLY
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Sat Siri Akaal. By the time you are in grade 10 you will be different than you are now. You will be more certain of who you are and what is important to you. If at that time you are (still) strong believer in SIkhi and you keep that projection about you, you will probably not be troubled. Sometimes it is our insecurities about who we are that open us up to harrassment. If you are the ONLY Sikh in this school then your parents should meet with the principal and teachers and be told IN ADVANCE what Sikhs believe and how we dress.

There are other things as well. If the school is a PUBLIC school anywhere near a large population, then it is likely not made up ONLY of Christians. I would be willing to bet the school will have plenty of people from other faiths or ethnic backgrounds. SO, you will probably will be in quite a mixed company. I have to add that prejudice knows NO bounds: I have met racist Sikhs and all-embracing Christians; all-embracing Muslims and prejudiced Christians. Prejudice is NOT about faith or race; it is about what a young person is TAUGHT to believe by the adults around him or her. Prejudice and racism and class hatred are taught, not innate. Do not judge people automatically as biased or racist or prejudiced against others just because they are white and Christian or some other color or faith for that matter.
Guru rakha,
-DKK