The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) thanks the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) for supporting the community to access APAN’s Anti-Palestine Racism in Schools Register.
The Register is now available on the website of the AHRC’s national anti-racism campaign, Racism. It Stops with Me, enabling students, staff, parents and community members, wherever they might be in Australia, to report incidents of anti-Palestinian racism in educational settings, including schools, universities and TAFEs.
Anti-Palestinian racism is discrimination that specifically aims to “silence, erase, dehumanise and defame Palestinians and their allies who publicly advocate for Palestinian human rights.”
There has been a rise in anti-Palestinian racism across communities, including in workplaces and businesses, during the past seven months, however its manifestation in schools, universities and other educational settings, particularly since the establishment of university solidarity encampments across the continent, has been particularly alarming.
This racism has ranged from a Palestinian primary school student being told to tear up and throw away artwork featuring the Palestinian flag, to a history teacher being told they can’t talk about Gaza in their Middle Eastern history lecture.
Anti-Palestinian racism has broad ripples and a silencing effect, shutting down legitimate discussion and learning about, and criticism of, Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the Palestinian struggle for equal rights and justice.
When students or education staff are intimidated or disciplined for showing support for Palestinians or discussing the genocide in Gaza, they and others are less likely to report this treatment for fear of further intimidation.
The Anti-Palestine Racism in Schools Register offers those who are part of Australian schools, universities, TAFEs and other educational institutions a means of logging the occurrence of this form of racism whenever they experience it or see it.
This can then be reported back to Australian and state and territory governments to support the creation of evidence-based policy and accountability mechanisms that ensure the rights of Palestinian students, staff and allies who are advocating for Palestinian rights are protected.
Visit the Anti-Palestinian Racism in Schools Register on APAN website at https://apan.org.au/anti-palestine-racism-in-schools-register/ or find it on the AHRC’s Racism, It Stops with Me resource hub at https://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/resourcehub.