Melbourne schools urge students to avoid School Strike for Palestine

Two top schools in Melbourne have urged students not to attend today’s School Strike for Palestine rally. It comes after Premier Jacinta Allan and Education Minister Ben Carroll said it was their “firm expectation” for every student to be at school.

In a letter to parents, Caulfield Grammar, which has campuses in St Kilda East, Glen Iris and Wheelers Hill, said the school did not support the rally or its students attending.

“Schools do not have controls to keep students safe at events such as this,” the school said.

“In recent weeks similar activities have become violent and people have been injured.”

Caulfield Grammar said it believed attendance at the rally would not lead to a greater understanding of the “deeply complex” and “tragic” set of circumstances unfolding in the Middle East.

“On the contrary, we believe this rally will likely lead to further misunderstanding and proliferation of resentment and anti-Semitic sentiment,” it said.

St Michael’s Grammar School in St Kilda also urged students not to attend the rally. “We write to advise that our school will operate to our usual schedule on November 23 with students expected to attend all classes and exams as usual,” the school said in a letter to parents.

Meanwhile, the Greens have encouraged students to attend the rally, saying they had a right to protest peacefully.

Greens senator Penny Allman-Payne said: “Telling kids to stay in the classroom while their political leaders endorse Israel’s massacre of Palestinians is completely out of touch with the public mood and ignorant of how informed students are.”

A change.org petition to stop the School Strike for Palestine coming to New South Wales has received 5,757 signatures since November 16th.

Sydney students still plan to walk out of class and rally at Sydney Town Hall this Friday, November 24.