Additionally, if you have family or friends who are primarily Punjabi speakers, feel free to share with them Sikh Coalition Community Development Director Rucha Kaur’s
discussing the importance of the ESMC.
While you are sending emails and making calls to the California Department of Education, the Sikh Coalition and the Jakara Movement are working to rally elected officials to our cause. Over the course of this month, we have been working to secure a letter signed by California assembly members and state senators who are speaking out about the lack of meaningful representation for our community in the ESMC. The letter argues that these legislators “deem it critically important to add a lesson plan about Sikhism in order to combat bullying, discrimination, hate crimes, and profiling against the community--but also to celebrate the community’s positive contributions to the history of California.”
Even after the close of this most recent public comment period, the Sikh Coalition and the Jakara Movement--who have been our partners in this effort since it began in March--will continue to provide updates on the path forward, including regarding the next hearing scheduled in November. While fighting for positive Sikh representation, we also continue to support efforts by other communities to be specifically represented in the Model Curriculum.
As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.
