Susie O’Brien: Schools no place for overt politicking on bloody conflict

A push for Victorian teachers to take action for Palestine doesn’t reflect the feelings of most parents or educators — and teachers who can’t keep their views to themselves should be stood down.

As a state school parent, I do not want my son’s teachers to don Palestinian keffiyehs in the classroom as a political statement.

Nor do I want his educators to interview pro-Palestinian advocates as part of a planned week of solidarity.

It’s part of a push from the lunatic fringe of the Australian Education Union and doesn’t reflect the feelings of most parents, teachers or union members.

Such actions are inappropriate at a government school funded by taxpayers and will be soundly opposed by most parents who send their offspring to enjoy a secular, apolitical education.

In this current climate, overt shows of support for the Palestinian cause are inflammatory and divisive. Many also have a nasty undercurrent of anti-Semitism which must be strongly resisted.

Pro-Palestinian activists conveniently obscure the fact that the recent conflict started as a result of a terrorist organisation brutally slaughtering 1200 innocent Israelis. Picture: Getty Images

School teachers should not be recruiting students in their care to their political causes and should not be using state schools to push their own ideological agendas.

Teachers are paid to teach, not to pontificate or spread their political views.

I am deeply concerned about the impact of the war in Gaza on Palestinian civilians, and mourn the loss of more than 13,000 lives, many of them women and children.

However, pro-Palestinian activists conveniently obscure the fact that the recent conflict started as a result of a Palestinian terrorist organisation, Hamas, brutally slaughtering 1200 innocent Israelis on October 7 and taking hundreds hostage.

All of this is why schools are no place for overt politicking on either side of this bloody conflict.

The exception here are Jewish schools, which are, and should be, passionate advocates for their own communities.

It would be different if teachers aimed to present both sides of the conflict and invite someone from the Israeli community as well.

But the current week of action from 25 out of 50,000 AEU members is nothing but a politically motivated and inflammatory attack on Israel.

Teachers who become pro-Palestine patriots should be stood down unless they can reassure parents and principals they will keep their views to themselves.

It’s more important than ever that teachers, like journalists, stay balanced and impartial.

If educators don’t feel they can do this, then they should stay at home — without pay.

Susie O’Brien is a Herald Sun columnist