‘A normalised culture of antisemitism’
Students allege the school tolerated an antisemitic culture that robbed them of their right to be educated in safety
Brighton Secondary College school principal Richard Minack referred to a Nazi relative as a “good man” while referring to Jews as “subhuman or evil”, the Federal Court head this week.
Five former students–brothers Joel Kaplan, Liam Arnold-Levy and three others, are suing Brighton Secondary College and the Victorian government. They allege the school tolerated an antisemitic culture that robbed them of their right to be educated in safety.
Barrister Adam Butt told the Court, “We’re talking here about a normalised culture of antisemitism.”
He added that the college’s failure to protect the students had violated the Religious Discrimination Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Among the claims between 2013 to 2020 is that hundreds of swastikas were graffitied at the school. One student was told to remove their kippah inside, another was told to remove his Star of David necklace and they were subject to death threats online.
Student Liam Arnond-Levy also had a knife held to his throat and another claimed he was assaulted by five fellow students.
Two of the ex-students failed to finish their VCE studies due to what they said was the severity of the antisemitism they experienced.
Chris Young, QC, acting on behalf of the state of Victoria and the education staff, denied the allegations.
He said each complainants’ allegations will be dealt with individually and they will outline the steps that the principal and staff had to punish wrongdoings.
Arnond-Levy told the court he was disappointed the Education Department can dismiss these claims and not take any form of responsibility.
“I was made to feel I shouldn’t be proud of who I am. Those people who made me feel this way got no punishment for the way they treated me,” he said.
He said when he reported his claims to the administers office, it would be noted down, however, there was never any follow up. He said he was most shocked that even when the acts had gone as far as a student pulling a knife, the school still did nothing.
“No reaction to the fact a knife had been held up to a student’s throat. There was no urgency, no concern, nothing. It made me feel possibly a million times worse. The extent of the attacks and gotten so bad and that didn’t even provoke a response from the school. Nothing.”
The trial continues.
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