October 21, 2021 (New York, NY) --- Earlier this year, the Sikh Coalition released
Sikh Celebrations: Lessons & Activities for Inclusive Classrooms. Ahead of Bandi Chhor Divas, which will fall on November 4th of this year, parents can share this free resource with their elementary school-aged children’s teachers to provide accurate, constitutionally appropriate and informative learning materials about Sikh celebrations.
“Whether they are learning in-person or online, bringing Bandi Chhor Divas to the classroom can help Sikh students feel celebrated, included and represented,” said Sikh Coalition Education Director Pritpal Kaur. “Our priority is to ensure that Sikh children, like all other students, are safe in their classrooms and experiencing school curriculums that accurately and meaningfully reflect the diversity of our communities.”
In addition to Bandi Chhor Divas,
Sikh Celebrations includes classroom materials about Vaisakhi, Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Gurpurab, and Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s Gurpurab. Each celebration section in this resource includes three components that children, parents or teachers can use: a greeting card, a presentation, and a classroom activity. The sections are customizable depending on how much time is allocated in class, and they can be shared virtually or in person.
The Sikh Coalition continues the fight to push for safety and inclusion in learning environments. As part of our Vaccine ਵੀਰਵਾਰ initiative to share COVID-19 and vaccine updates, we spoke with
Pediatric Infectious Disease and Subspecialist Dr. Jasjit Kaur and teacher Amrit Kaur to answer questions about back-to-school precautions and safety. On October 26, the Sikh Coalition will be hosting an Instagram live to discuss Bullying Prevention with Sikh Coalition staff and Sikh parents with experience in public education. Additionally,
Sikh Celebrations is just one of many resources available in our
Back to School toolkit, which includes everything from lesson plans to anti-bullying materials and educational brochures to accommodation letters for articles of faith.
As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.
