Anti-Semitism rife in UK schools

Obviously it is just my experience but it gives me hope. Also, it was a non-religious school in a multicultural area so that may have helped as the pupils had a range of backgrounds and views themselves.

I respect your opinion but the teachers I have observed conducting lessons on religious beliefs and values have conducted them very fairly and with due respect for all opinions as long as phrased politely.

From Wikipedia The Free Palestine organization opposes the existence of Israel, and was mostly known for political activism and social services in favor of Palestinians in Syria and the Gaza Strip before 2012.

For Hamas and Iran, freeing Palestine means the total eradication of Israel.

However, I am not sure that most people who call for "Free Palestine" realise that so I don't think they necessarily mean to be anti semitic. They may think "free Palestine" means something else, which is where it would be good to have lessons about the Free Palestine organisation and meaning behind the phrase in school.

I used to work in schools and have been in what used to be called Religious Education lessons (now renamed things like Philosophy & Ethics).

The pupils in the lessons I observed would discuss controversial issues surprisingly sensitively & conducted themselves much better than many MNs on these threads. Of course the teachers set the tone and made it clear that points had to be made with respect for other people's beliefs and values, but the pupils also self moderated to a large degree. Young people can be more open minded sometimes than older people. Most young people would hate to think of themselves as racist but may just be less informed about antisemitism than other types of racism.

I think more education on this topic can only be a good thing. The pupils will be picking up all sorts of shit from sites like TikTok. To understand some actual facts without exaggerations or bias could only be a good thing, in my opinion.

I agree it is sensible if the topic of Gaza is discussed in lessons as long as they are facilitated by a teacher who can command respect for alternative views in discussing what is a very nuanced topic. With no emphasis on picking a side, saying who is "right" or "wrong" since that is subjective - but getting the pupils to understand how this war came about and how both sides feel they have been wronged in the past. Much like WW2 is now discussed factually & without much judgement on the countries that participated but rather trying to understand how it could have happened.

On MN it is hard for people to debate politely on this highly emotive topic, it appears. Good Luck to the teachers in having more success in keeping discussions in school civil and on track. And of course any anti semitic assumptions should be (gently) challenged in the classroom, in the same way that anti Muslim assumptions (or any racist attitudes) should be challenged too.

From the same article:

Russell Langer, the director of public affairs at the Jewish Leadership Council, said: “This survey clearly demonstrates the shocking levels of antisemitism being experienced by Jewish teachers. We support the call for increased guidance to assist schools in stamping out this hatred.

“However, to truly understand this trend, it is fundamental to see it within the context of the rise in anti-Semitism since the Hamas attack in October 2023.

“Any Government guidance or union that truly wishes to address this issue must emphasise that it is not limited to the far-Right but also far-Left and Islamist extremists.”

Last week a report commissioned by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the country’s largest Jewish community organisation, found anti-Semitism to be pervasive in the NHS, at universities and in the arts.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/20/anti-semitism-rife-in-uk-schools/