Free Palestine Melbourne, a rabid anti-Israel organisation has been publicising an event to take place tomorrow that apparently is organused by Unionists for Palestine.
The protest action was originally planned to take place at the same time but at Prahran High School.
Following enquiries I made to the principal at Prahran High School and the office of the Victorian Minister for Education Ben Carroll I eventually received a response from the minister’s media advisor stating:
Attributable to a Department of Education spokesperson
“Schools should not be used as sites for political demonstrations.”
“We continue to remind all staff in government schools of their professional obligations and the importance of ensuring all in our school communities are treated with respect, understanding and sensitivity.”
Background
We do not comment on employment processes regarding individual teachers.
We are aware of reports of possible protests to take place near Prahan High School this week and are working pro-actively with Victoria Police to ensure there is no disruption to the school should any protest occur.
Teachers should not use their professional position to make political statements but instead support students to consider and think critically about a range of perspectives on complex issues.
Teachers in government schools have been reminded of the need to be very sensitive to the deep concern being experienced by many within the community at this time and the need many students will have for support.
Apparently the original venue became too problematical and the Israel haters have now shifted to be at the offices of the Education Department in Melbourne’s CBD.
According to their FaceBook page Trade Unionists for Palestine have been blockading Israeli ships coming into the ports of Sydney and Melbourne. They claim that a Zionist group ‘Unsilent Majority’ have called off their action on the false claim that a pro-Palestinian agitator Jason Wong has been stood down (he hasn’t) and will no longer be holding their rally at Prahran High.