Teachers’ group pushes to add pro-Palestine content to curriculum

A controversial teachers’ group has encouraged staff to alter Victoria’s school curriculum by adding pro-Palestine content to English and history classes.

There are growing calls for the government to step in and scrap a pro-Palestine teachers forum being held at the Trades Hall on Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

A controversial teachers’ group has encouraged staff to alter Victoria’s school curriculum by adding pro-Palestine content to English and history classes.

It comes after growing calls for Education Minister Ben Carroll to take measures to cancel the Teachers and School Staff for Palestine forum on Monday.

Opposition education spokeswoman Jess Wilson and deputy Liberal Party leader David Southwick had joined a number of Jewish leaders and concerned parents calling for the event to be scrapped, amid concerns it could jeopardise the safety of students at schools.

On Monday afternoon, the Herald Sun has obtained a full transcript of the Teachers and School Staff for Palestine forum, which details the group’s plan to implement “the voices and perspectives of Palestine” into what they teach.

“I’ve got a year 10 history elective and that includes rights and freedoms units, can guess what I’ll be bringing in,” one teacher said at the forum.

“Hebrew poetry filled with perspectives of Palestine can be put into our curriculum,” another teacher said.

A third member of the group added: “Ben Carroll says teach the curriculum, what is exactly does that mean? ... What we know is about Ben Carroll, we know about Australia, what we know about Victoria, they support the bombing of Gaza”.

There are mounting calls for Education Minister and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll to take measures to stop a pro-Palestine teachers event from taking place on Monday.

On Tuesday, Ms Wilson said: “This is an alarming insight into the tactics being used to push politicised views of a deeply complex geopolitical situation into Victorian classrooms”.

“Inserting personal political views into classroom teaching is a direct breach of the Victorian teachers Code of Conduct and their obligation to teach the curriculum in an objective and professional manner. Minister Ben Carroll’s silence is no longer acceptable,” Ms Wilson said.

Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler said: “Parents don’t want dangerous radicalisation from the Middle East or elsewhere brought into the classroom.”

“This extreme indoctrination is offensive to all Victorians and risks the safety of Jewish students in an already tense environment where anti-semitism is on the rise,” he said.

“The AEU and Trades Hall should distance themselves from this toxic propaganda.”

Deputy Liberal Party leader David Southwick joined a number of Jewish leaders and concerned parents calling for the event to be scrapped. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The Herald Sun can reveal the Liberal Party members had penned a letter to Mr Carroll on Friday seeking “urgent clarification” about what actions the minister and the Department of Education plan to take to stop the group from bringing politics into the classroom.

“As you know, the Israel-Hamas conflict strikes at the hearts of Jewish, Muslim, and countless other communities across our state,” the letter read.

“For a state that prides itself on its multicultural character, sensitively and sensibly navigating the difficulty this conflict poses is of the utmost importance to our social cohesion.

“This is why we cannot allow a conflict abroad to infiltrate our classrooms and jeopardise the safety, wellbeing, and learning environment of Victorian students.”

Ms Wilson and Mr Southwick acknowledged while teachers were allowed to exercise their political beliefs as private citizens in their personal time, they should not use their position as educators to “preach” their views or treat their students as an audience “waiting to be politicised”.

The letter noted principle 1.4 of the Victorian Institute of Teaching’s Code of Conduct, which indicated teachers must “keep their personal agendas separate from their learning environment”.

“We are particularly concerned that these activists see government enforcement of professional standards as mere impediments to their grandstanding, calling on attendees to ‘break the silence the Victorian government is trying to impose on us’,” the letter continued.

“Given this is a concerted campaign to politicise the classroom, jeopardise student safety, and spread anger, hatred, and division in our community, the Victorian Government must act.”

The letter also called for answers regarding who was funding and supporting the event – given it was being held at the Victorian Trades Hall in Carlton – and addressed Mr Carroll’s support of Israel.

There are growing concerns there will be conflict in the classroom when school returns on Monday. Picture: David Crosling

Ms Wilson’s and Mr Southwick’s pleas came after several Jewish leaders and parents expressed concern anti-Israel events in Melbourne compromised the welfare of their children.

“Parents place their trust in teachers every day and expect teachers to keep their politics out of the classroom,” Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin told the Herald Sun earlier this month.

“If a teacher cannot do this, schools need to act to protect the profession and our children.”

A spokesman for the Department of Education reiterated staff at government schools have been reminded to be sensitive regarding comments they make about the Israel-Hamas war and not to bring their personal views into the classroom.

“Teachers should not use their professional position to make political statements but instead support students to consider and think critically about a range of perspectives on complex issues,” he said.

Meanwhile, Teachers and School Staff for Palestine backed the forum in a statement, suggesting it was an “opportunity for educators to be safely in dialogue with one another and continue (their) work of teaching respectfully and inclusively”.