Little Miss Keffiyah: ‘Teachers 4 Palestine’ group slammed for bias

Parents say they are “disheartened” by an attempt by a group of activist teachers to promote a one-sided view of the Israel-Hamas conflict in classroom.

Crowds join a pro-Palestinian protest and march in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer

Parents have described themselves as “disheartened” by an attempt by a group of activist teachers to promote a one sided view of the Israel-Hamas conflict in classroom.

The group, calling itself Teachers 4 Palestine, has through its social media accounts accused Israel of “genocide” online while encouraging teachers to “light up our schools for Palestine”.

The group not only encourages students to skip school for a planned unauthorised protest on Friday, but also tells teachers to “wear Khaffiyehs”, “Palestine badges” and “make Palestine visible in our schools” by, for example, taking group photos with pro-Palestine signs.

According to the NSW Department of Education’s policy on controversial issues, “the study of controversial issues will be consistent with curriculum objectives and is not intended to advance the interest of any particular group, political or otherwise.”

Despite this, in one Instagram post the group writes, “There is no reason students and staff shouldn’t proudly display their support for Palestine in the workplace.”

A screenshot of an Instagram post by the group Teachers 4 Palestine

“As teachers we have a responsibility to advocate for justice, and we should encourage our students to do the same.”

“Both-sides statements such as those issues by the NSW DOE that frame this as a ‘conflict’ serve only one purpose — to obfuscate the truth: that this is a US/EU sponsored genocide based on 75+ years of settler colonial racist ideology.”

Child protesters at a pro-Palestinian protest and march in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer

In a flyer designed to be posted and distributed in schools, the group says that “if schools can be tough on mobile phones, but silent on genocide, there is something awry with their moral compass.”

In another, a mocked-up version of the popular Mr Men series of books features a character, “Ms I Wear My Keffiyah At Every Opportunity,” referring to the Palestinian scarf or headcloth.

Sydney parent Andrina Graham, who has children in Year 2 and Year 4, said she was “disheartened” by the group’s efforts.

“Pushing a narrative to schools where everyone is of mixed denominations and where we are supposed to be accepting of all is unhelpful.”

“This radical push is not going to do any good or our kids.”

In response, an education department spokesman said, “Teachers are expected to be politically neutral during class, on school grounds or anytime they identify themselves as a NSW public school teacher.”

“We provide clear guidance around this for all our employees in our Code of Conduct.”

The Daily Telegraph also understands that teachers have been told to remain “politically neutral” by the department.