Parents and supporters are urging the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board to tackle anti-Palestinian discrimination following the discovery of offensive graffiti at a local high school last week.
A parent of a Palestinian student at Brookfield High School expressed shock at the hateful messages found in one of the school’s washrooms, including derogatory language targeting Palestinians, a swastika, and a drawing of a pig with the word “Allah” above it. The parent, who chose to remain anonymous for safety reasons, shared her dismay at witnessing such hatred within the school environment, noting that her son now feels unsafe using the washrooms.
The principal of Brookfield High School addressed the incident in a letter to parents, labeling the images as Islamophobic and antisemitic. The school administration instructed students to delete any photos of the graffiti to minimize its impact, a measure deemed insufficient by James Kafieh, Vice President of the Palestinian Canadian Congress. Kafieh criticized the school’s approach as an attempt to erase the issue rather than confront the underlying anti-Palestinian racism present at the school and within the school board.
The Palestinian Canadian Congress is advocating for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board to provide comprehensive training for staff to recognize and address anti-Palestinian discrimination effectively. The organization is willing to collaborate with the board to implement this training.
In response to inquiries, the school board confirmed the presence of hateful graffiti on school property and emphasized the availability of counseling and support services for students and staff. The incident has been reported to the Ottawa Police Service for investigation by their hate and bias crime unit.
Expressing their disgust, the Jewish Federation of Ottawa condemned the graffiti and expressed solidarity with marginalized groups affected by hate. Steven Zhou, a spokesperson for the National Council of Canadian Muslims, highlighted the alarming increase in Islamophobia and discrimination against Palestinian students in educational settings nationwide. Zhou called for Ontario’s Ministry of Education to acknowledge and support affected communities, emphasizing the need for tangible change.