{"id":69149,"date":"2023-11-25T11:56:27","date_gmt":"2023-11-25T11:56:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotcelebon.com\/?p=69149"},"modified":"2023-11-25T11:56:27","modified_gmt":"2023-11-25T11:56:27","slug":"education-departments-student-strike-for-palestine-advice-revealed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotcelebon.com\/lifestyle\/education-departments-student-strike-for-palestine-advice-revealed\/","title":{"rendered":"Education Department\u2019s student strike for Palestine advice revealed"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Education Department has made clear schoolchildren are expected to attend school ahead of a student strike for Palestine this week, as it also urged Victorian parents and students to seek to understand each other\u2019s views.<\/p>\n
In a letter sent by schools to parents and carers on Tuesday afternoon, seen by The Age<\/em>, the department acknowledged people on both sides of the Middle East conflict and said it was important every student felt safe at school.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Premier Jacinta Allan speaking to the media on Tuesday, with Deputy Premier Ben Carroll (right) and the incoming member for Mulgrave, Eden Foster.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Wayne Taylor<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cThis is a very difficult time for the Victorian community as many Victorians continue to grieve for the ongoing suffering of those they know in the Middle East region,\u201d the letter said.<\/p>\n \u201cAs the Department of Education has previously indicated, Thursday 23 November 2023 is a normal school day and normal attendance requirements apply for the full day.\u201d<\/p>\n The department\u2019s letter said it was critically important that school communities continue to treat each other with respect, understanding and sensitivity.<\/p>\n \u201cIt means we do not use language that seeks to hurt and damage. It means we do not uncritically accept the views of others, but seek a full understanding,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are conscious that many members of the Jewish community in Victoria are traumatised by the fact that hostages continue to be held and by the attacks suffered by innocent Israelis and are frightened by the global increase in antisemitism.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are conscious that many of those with families, relatives and friends in Gaza are grieving over the news they receive from friends and relatives and images they see of the suffering of innocent citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n The advice comes as Premier Jacinta Allan resisted calls to toughen her government\u2019s stance on the upcoming student strike and urged political opponents to avoid using local divisions for personal gain.<\/p>\n Allan on Tuesday reiterated her view that students should not skip school to attend Thursday\u2019s protest and that parents and teachers \u2013 not politicians \u2013 were best placed to deal with attendance issues. Separately, she said peaceful demonstrations were a fundamental democratic right.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of the observations that have been made about what goes on in schools is made by people who clearly have no understanding about what goes on in schools when students are absent,\u201d the premier said.<\/p>\n \u201cStudents are absent for a whole range of different reasons on any given day. And I know this through my own children\u2019s attendance at a government school. The school is pretty quick to get on the phone.\u201d<\/p>\n But Liberal education spokeswoman Jess Wilson said on Tuesday both the premier and Education Minister Ben Carroll needed to send a stronger message to schools amid a flurry of police reports relating to antisemitism.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are professional political activists that are leading this strike [and] wanting to exploit students. The government needs to be very clear that that\u2019s not acceptable,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n But the premier accused the Liberals of using local tensions for political gain.<\/p>\n \u201cLiberal Party politicians raising and misrepresenting comments that have been made about expectations about kids being in school, that\u2019s what\u2019s causing the division,\u201d Allan said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cThat does not provide one ounce of support to Jewish communities who are feeling grief and loss and hurt. Equally, too, for families who have family members in and around Gaza. They are also deeply affected.<\/p>\n \u201cCausing division for base political purposes does not help one child get the best education opportunity in their schools. It does not help one young Victorian. It only drives division and I should leave it to others to reflect on why they\u2019re causing that division.\u201d <\/p>\n The comments came after Jewish students and parents sent a letter with more than 6200 signatories to the premier\u2019s office on Monday labelling the planned involvement of school children in this week\u2019s protest as exploitative. A full copy of the letter with names attached was provided to The Age<\/em> on Tuesday for verification purposes.<\/p>\n Organisers of the strike have asked Victorian students to walk out of schools at lunchtime on Thursday and join a protest in the CBD over Israel\u2019s war on Hamas in Gaza.<\/p>\n Australian Education Union Victorian branch president Meredith Peace said teaching students the skills to engage critically with global issues was an important part of education.<\/p>\n \u201cStudents should be encouraged to talk about these issues with their families, and to develop and use their voice to speak up about matters they care about.\u201d<\/p>\n On Saturday, the Allan government unveiled an additional $8 million investment in Jewish and Islamic institutions and groups to combat discrimination and provide ongoing community support. Included in the announcement were $20,000 grants for independent Jewish and Islamic schools to upgrade fencing, alarms and CCTV.<\/p>\n The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. <\/i><\/b>Sign up here<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\nMost Viewed in Politics<\/h2>\n
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