Tuesday, July 1, 2008

NYC Sikhs Protest Attacks on Students -- Newsday.com

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The Sikh community is protesting an attack on a 12-year-old girl who had her long hair cut off by a fellow student.

The June 9 incident at Public School 219 in Flushing is the third incident in two months targeting a Sikh student in Queens. The hair cutting violates Sikh religious beliefs. School officials say the accused student was immediately suspended.

Sikhs and elected officials are marching through Richmond Hill, Queens, on Monday, then holding a rally at Richmond Hill High School.

On June 3, a student tried to remove a Sikh's turban and punched him in the face at Richmond Hill High School. In May, a student at another Queens school had his turban removed and his hair cut off.

Schools Chancellor Joel Klein has previously met with the Sikh community and said new bias regulations were being implemented.