John Curtin College of the Arts parents to meet education officials after teacher praised Hamas

Parents of Jewish students at a Perth high school where a teacher is under review for praising a dead Hamas terror chief will next week meet with high-ranking Education Department officials to discuss their concerns. The West Australian can reveal the John Curtin College of the Arts parents have been told they do not have to identify themselves at the meeting, to alleviate fears that speaking out could impact their children. The department was forced to launch a review after The West revealed a JCCA teacher had used a classroom whiteboard last year to praise slain terrorist Ismail Haniyeh as “a great leader”. A Jewish student who felt threatened by the teacher’s actions was moved to a different class. The department’s deputy director general for schools Steve Watson will front a meeting early next week to answer parents’ questions. In a letter to parents, obtained by The West, Mr Watson said he would not require parents to identify themselves or their children at the meeting. “I appreciate they may feel concerned about raising issues and this impacting their children,” he wrote. “What I will ask from them is any information they have about what they and or their child has experienced or witnessed. “I will greatly appreciate their thoughts and advice on what they feel is needed to prevent any antisemitic incidents from occurring, and how schools and the system can respond if such an incident occurs.” Mr Watson revealed in the letter he was concerned the problem may be more widespread. “I know we are focussed on John Curtin College of the Arts, but I am conscious of the risk this may occur in other schools,” he wrote. The West revealed last week the teacher had written in Palestinian colours the words “rest in peace, I.H. you were a great leader” on a whiteboard in her maths classroom after Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated. In response, Premier Roger Cook ordered the department to revisit its handling of the matter and on Tuesday he said that review would take place “in the coming weeks”. Jewish Community Council of WA vice president Steve Lieblich said he hoped next week’s meeting would address parents’ concerns. “We welcome the department’s willingness to work with the parents and trust the department will take strong action to counteract any negative influences on students in the school,” he said. Education Minister Tony Buti said on Friday the teacher’s behaviour was “unacceptable” but declined to reveal whether he was aware of other antisemitic incidents at the school. “The teacher now is on leave. All I will say, whatever school in Western Australia, antisemitism and racism is not acceptable,” the minister said. “I am in constant dialogue with the Jewish community of Western Australia. We’re looking at how we can enhance the Holocaust studies in the curriculum.” In an email to parents earlier this week, John Curtin College of the Arts principal Travis Vladich offered his continued support to families and urged any parents with concerns to reach out to him. Mr Vladich said he would soon be updating parents on the school’s “values and priorities” from a new strategic plan. The education department sent a memo to all staff at the start of the school year, urging teachers to refrain from expressing personal views in public schools regarding “international conflicts of a polarising nature”. “We must also refrain from expressing personal views in our public schools regarding international conflicts of a polarising nature, such as recent incidents of anti-Semitism in Australia,” the memo to the 45,000-strong workforce said.