‘Not our values’: Principal breaks silence after anti-Semitic abuse at Melbourne Museum

The principal of high school students who targeted Jewish students with anti-Semitic slurs on a school excursion says she has launched an investigation into the “deplorable” behaviour.

The principal of Gladstone Park Seconday College has launched an investigation into the incident at Melbourne Museum. Picture: NewsWire / Diego Fedele

The principal of high school students who called primary school aged children “dirty Jews” on a school excursion has launched an investigation into her students “completely deplorable” behaviour.

Year 5 students from Mount Scopus Memorial College were left questioning whether they should hide their Jewish identity earlier this month after they faced anti-Semitic slurs on a school excursion to the Melbourne Museum.

The 10-year-old students, many of whom wore kippahs or yarmulkes, were called “dirty Jews” and had faced chants of “free, free Palestine”.

The Herald Sun revealed the teenagers were from Gladstone Park Secondary College in Melbourne’s outer northwest.

Year 5 students from Mount Scopus Memorial College faced anti-Semitic slurs on a school excursion to the Melbourne Museum. Picture: Tony Gough

Principal Veronica Hoy broke her silence on the shocking targeting of the 10-year-old kids on Thursday, calling the behaviour of the teenage students involved “deeply traumatic and unacceptable”.

“The behaviour of a group of some of our students at Melbourne Museum was completely deplorable,” she told the Herald Sun.

“Racism has no place in or outside of the classroom.

“We recognise that words and actions rooted in discrimination are not just hurtful, but deeply traumatic and unacceptable.”

Ms Hoy said the behaviour “does not represent our values as a school” as she pledged to get to the bottom of what had motivated the racist behaviour.

Ms Hoy says the behaviour of some of the students at Melbourne Museum was ‘completely deplorable’. Picture: Tony Gough

It was, however, unclear whether the students involved had faced any punishment for their actions.

“I take responsibility for putting in place an investigation to get to the heart of what motivates such behaviour,” she said.

“I will also be reviewing this incident with my leadership team as we develop a broader response to addressing racism in our school, in line with the Department of Education’s new policy on this, and will work with the department and its partners in the Jewish community to appropriately educate our students and ensure that such behaviours are not repeated.”

Following the incident, Mount Scopus Principal Dan Sztrajt had raised “serious concerns” with Ms Hoy, telling parents in a letter that the high school principal had apologised on behalf of the school.

“I proposed several educational initiatives for their staff and students, which she welcomed,” Mr Sztrajt said.

He added that he was proud of the young students who remained “resilient and strong in their identity as proud Australian Jews” in the face of “repugnant racism”.

Originally published as ‘Not our values’: Principal breaks silence after anti-Semitic abuse at Melbourne Museum