NSW school cracks down on antisemitic bullying
'It's about delivering a strong and clear statement that conduct of this kind will not be tolerated and that if it persists, there will be severe consequences'.
A PRIVATE school in the Central West is taking active steps to change its culture following repeated accusations of antisemitic bullying.
A 15-year-old student who was allegedly subjected to antisemitic abuse recently left the school, and has identified nine students believed to have been involved.
The school has warned all nine that if the behaviour is repeated, they will be expelled, and also be denied entry to a nearby high school for years 11 and 12, to which their school feeds many students.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff, who has been working with the family and the school authorities, commented, “At the end of the day, it’s about leadership … It’s about delivering a strong and clear statement that conduct of this kind will not be tolerated and that if it persists, there will be severe consequences.”
The AJN previously reported the student saying she felt “threatened” because of her Jewish identity. The student’s brother, who was also the target of alleged antisemitic bullying, has similarly left the school.
He reported seeing a student draw a picture of Nazi doctor Josef Mengele while talking about “dissecting Jews”, and regularly saw swastikas and/or Nazi salutes.
In Melbourne, an independent investigation into claims of antisemitic bullying at Brighton Secondary College continues, while legal action has now been taken by a number of alleged victims.
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