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Teachers union applauds pro-Palestinian activism in class
2023-12-03 (#175)
Sky News host Sharri Markson reveals the NSW Teachers Federation is supporting a move for school teachers to wear the Palestinian Keffiyeh into public school classrooms in a show of support with Palestinians.
The Teachers and School Staff for Palestine Group wrote just two days ago: “From today, teachers can proudly and safely wear Keffiyeh to work with backing of the NSW Teachers Federation. Our week of action has been extended for a week, please take photos at work teachers wearing Keffiyeh or with signs calling to end the siege and bombing of Gaza and send to us. If any principal tries to stop you, get the NSWTF to speak to your principal.”
The post also talks about amendments to a motion that was passed at the Teachers Federation State Council.
Ms Markson blasted the support as “pure anti-Semitism” from public school teachers.
“It would unquestionably make Jewish children in public classrooms feel unsafe, threatened, alienated and bullied,” she said.
“This is disgusting bullying from teachers; this is racism from teachers against Jewish students.
“Those teachers can believe or think whatever they like, they can protest in their private time to their heart's content, but they have no right to bring it into the classroom and make the classroom an unsafe place for Jewish students.”
It's understood the Department of Education has reminded staff of their obligations to remain politically neutral and that any teacher found to be in breach of the code of conduct would be subject to appropriate action.
The department says they don't endorse the activity of the Teachers For Palestine group.
Video Transcription:
An exclusive story.
The New South Wales Teachers Federation is
supporting a move for schoolteachers to wear
the Palestinian Keffiyeh, the checkered black and
white scarf, into classrooms in public schools.
In a show of support with Palestinians, we can
reveal that the teachers and school staff for Palestine
group wrote on their Facebook page two days ago,
and I quote from today, teachers can proudly and
safely wear Keffiyeh to work with backing of the
New South Wales Teachers Federation.
Our week of action has been extended for a week.
Please take photos at work of teachers wearing Keffiyeh or
signs calling to end the siege and bombing of Gaza.
And send to us, they say, if any principal
tries to stop you, get the New South Wales
Teachers Federation to speak to your principal.
And then their post talks about amendments
to a motion that was passed at
the Teachers Federation State Council.
And these amendments are firstly, that the Teachers Federation
will work with the Education Department to ensure that
teachers will be free to show support to colleagues
and students in Gaza affected by the humanitarian catastrophe
without fear of code of conduct action.
I'm going to come back to the
code of conduct in a moment.
They say, secondly, that the Teachers Federation
will pursue with other unions sanctions against
those who finance aggression, and this includes
divestment by affiliated bodies.
Thirdly, they say the Teachers Federation will work with
the union movement to pressure the New South Wales
Mins government to advocate for a ceasefire.
And number four, that the Teachers
Federation will encourage teacher contingents at
the weekly protest for Geyser marches.
Now, to say this is all highly, highly
offensive and deeply troubling is an understatement.
This is pure anti Semitism from public school teachers.
It would unquestionably make Jewish
children in public classrooms feel
unsafe, threatened, alienated and bullied.
This is disgusting bullying from teachers.
This is racism from teachers against Jewish students.
Those teachers can believe or think whatever they like.
They can protest in their private time to
their heart's content, but they have no right
to bring it into the classroom and make
the classroom an unsafe place for Jewish students.
I actually can't believe this
has been allowed to happen.
The outgoing president of the New
South Wales Teachers Federation, angelo Gavrilatis.
Tweeted this.
How many more?
How many more children must be killed before the
world takes action against the state of Israel?
Action against the state of Israel?
What action is he actually demanding here?
Then there's another tweet he sent where
he said, hospitals, schools, the wanton destruction
and murder of innocent people continues unabated.
He says enough in capital
letters with an exclamation mark.
Well, sorry, but Israel is not
committing murder of innocent civilians.
That's what Hamas did to Israelis.
Israel is taking every step, making every
effort to protect civilian life, begging civilians
to leave the war zone.
He's also retweeted comments that Israel does
not have a right of defense under
international law, he's demanded a ceasefire.
Now he repeatedly demands a ceasefire.
He even claims there's a genocide underway.
Now, I always find it insightful to go
back to the terror attacks on October 7
to see what these people, like the outgoing
Teachers Federation president, were posting at that time.
I mean, he's posted prolifically in support of Palestinians,
but what did he say about Israelis on the
day that they came under a terrorist attack?
Well, for Angelo Gabrielitis, there was nothing on
October the 7th, nothing on October the 8th.
And then on October the 9th, he retweeted a Greens
politician who said it was disgraceful for Defense Minister Richard
Miles to claim that the attacks by Hamas were unprovoked
and that it's appalling that the opera house will be
lit up in support of Israel.
So very instructive to learn that the outgoing head
of the Teachers Federation was appalled about the opera
house being lit up in blue and white, the
colors of the Israeli flag in solidarity with Israel,
and that he didn't make a single comment about
the slaughter of Jewish life on October 7 in
the most barbaric fashion we've ever seen.
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