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New York, USA: A family court judge in Queens, New York ruled against a young student July 22, who had been charged with attacking a Sikh high school boy on campus.
Jagmohan Singh Premi, 18, was attacked by an unnamed fellow student in an ESL classroom at Richmond Hill High School on June 3, 2008. The attacker, 15, had apparently harassed Premi for several months before the attack, making fun of his patka — a small turban worn by young Sikhs — and his beard.
While partially untying Premi’s patka, the attacker used keys wound through his knuckles to punch Premi in the eye. School administrators intervened, and sent Premi home, rather than to the hospital, following the attack. Premi’s family later took him to a local hospital, where doctors said he had suffered a facial contusion and possibly an orbital fracture.
Queens Family Court Judge Fran Lubow found the student guilty on three counts, including aggravated assault, possession of a criminal weapon and hate crime assault. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 9.
The student — who is not being named because he is a minor — faces a maximum of 18 months in juvenile detention.
Speaking through an interpreter, Jagmohan’s mother Dilip Kaur Premi told India-West in an earlier story that the attacker had harassed Premi in class for several months, initially throwing paper at him, then escalating to verbal attacks and pulls of his beard.
“He complained many times to his teachers but nothing was done,” said Kaur.
Premi’s father brought the harassment to the attention of school officials, but the high school allegedly did nothing to protect him.
The family filed a civil suit June 3 against the New York Department of Education for failing to protect their son from harassment. The suit states that Premi was subjected to nearly daily abuse from a fellow student, and that the school system did not effectively respond to the matter.
Both boys were back in school and in the same classroom following the attack; Premi is now at a different school.
Source: Sunita Sohrabji, India West
THERE IS LOT OF DISCREMATION IN USA ABOUT THE PEOPLE WITH OTHER ORIGIN FROM USA THEY MAY BE CITIZENS OR GREEN CARD HOLDERS. AT PRESENT I AM AT USA AND FEELING AND SEEING THE DISCREMATION.THE SIKHS ARE FACING THE MAJOR PART OF IT DUE TO THEIR TURBANS AND FIVE KAKARS’.WE SHOULD FACE IT POSITIVELY WITH PEACE AND COOL MIND. BUT TWO THINGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT IN MY OPINION, ONE SIKHS INVITE THE MAYERS AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVING HIGH RANK AND FILE AT OCCASIONS IN GURDWARAS AND OTHER SIKH INSTITUTIONS AND TELL THEM AND GIVE THEM SETS OF BOOKS RELATED HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SIKH RELIGION AND MAKE THEM REQUEST TO TELL ABOUT SIKHISM TO THEIR SUBORTINATES ABOUT SIKHISM AND INVITE THEM AT GURPURABS AND OTHER DAILY RELEGIOUS SATSANGS. THE SECOND WHICH IS MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT ALL BELONGING TO SIKH FAMILIES MUST BE BAPTISED. ONE POINT MORE EQUALY IMPORTANT THAT OUR PREACHERS INSIDE AND OUT SIDE INDIA THROUGH OUT THE WORLD ARE HAVING LESS EDUCATED AND THEIR LIFE STYLE IS NOT ACCORDING TO THAT WHAT THEY PREACH.SO WE REMAINED VERY VERY LESS CONVINCING TO THE PEOPLE OF OTHER CUM.MINITIES. SO THE CONCLUSION IS THAT WE HAVE NINETY PERCENT (90%) SIKHS ARE FALLEN SILKHS AND IN MANY COUNTRIES SIKHS LIVING THEY CAN NOT MAKE LOCAL CITIZENS KNOWN ABOUT SIKHISM THIRDLY OUR PARCHARAKS AND MANAGMENTS HAVE NOT THEIR LIVES ACCORDING WHAT THEY PREACH. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE TO FACE PROBLEMS ABOUT OUR IDENTITY.