Is this appropriate in the classroom?

[Notsurewhatithink]

I am a teacher at a secondary school. The other day, one of my colleagues wore a (red) keffiyeh scarf to work.

I can't decide whether this is inappropriate or not. I don't think anyone would object to a Ukrainian flag on a badge, but I definitely refrained from painting my nails blue and yellow when Putin invaded Ukraine because I had Russian ancestry pupils and thought it best to leave it outside the classroom. FWIW, I know we have some Muslim pupils and colleagues. We no doubt have Jewish pupils and colleagues too, I'm just not as aware of it. I know my colleague has some strong leftwing views. This has irritated me in the past and I am not sure whether that is influencing me now.

Is the difference for you between state actors and non-state actors?

I can’t see where the OP said this person. Was Palestinian, Jordanian or from other Arab countries. If he isn’t, then surely it’s cultural appropriation by your definition?

Lol no look up what Palestinians themselves say. Also male in question is said to be from a deprived background (northern white working class). Look up the very long history of solidarity between Palestinians and other oppressed classes/peoples globally. Especially if male in question is left wing Jewish or Irish diaspora, both very possible in the north.

Bye all, it's my bedtime. I'll remember you in my prayers, unironically, as I believe that's Who will be asking the questions in the end.

I’m not sure what your experiences are but to put my students in a position of debating me would be woefully inappropriate. To gather information from a range of sources and to consider the bias of those sources before coming to personal conclusion is presumably what you were taught before you began debating people who are in a position of influence. It’s hard to tell.

Urgh.
We worked extremely hard to avoid disintegration in the student body (and wider community) of my very diverse primary school following 24 Feb 22 and 7 October 23. We taught and talked and listened and challenged, modelling curiosity and compassion. Had a member of staff been felt to express an allegiance through wearing specific garments or colours etc we'd have had a mutiny on our hands. ⁸

Seems the replies here (apart from the first few) are either from other teachers, who understand my discomfort, or from pro-Palestinian voices who are so convinced they are right that they want their POV to be the starting point, if not taught wisdom. My question for that group is: would you be equally comfortable with a teacher espousing the view that all Palestinians are terrorists and supporting the worst excesses of the IDF? If not, why not? Are teachers allowed to have political views and share these in class, but only if you agree? Who decides if you're right?

I’m a teacher and I think you should get on with your marking and let SLT deal with it, if they have an issue with it. 😃

I’m a teacher and I think you should get on with your marking and let SLT deal with it, if they have an issue with it. 😃

Is that how it works in your school? I like the fact that staff outside of SLT are allowed to raise concerns in mine. And funnily enough, considering a pp’s comment, we do have some robust debates amongst staff.

Go away hahaha! I should so be getting on with my marking it ain't even funny anymore🤣🤣🤣

I was not going to do anything about it btw, just wasn't sure what to think!

Not appropriate at all.

Bye all, it's my bedtime. I'll remember you in my prayers, unironically, as I believe that's Who will be asking the questions in the end.

😂 You clearly think you've saved your space in Heaven.

I hope your entire track record is utterly pristine. I'm sure your saviour will have something to say about your pride.

Maybe disintegration followed by a new and more honest order is needed

Interesting you conflate anti-genocide with pro-Palestinian, and reduce those whom you disagree with to 'voices'. You should be ashamed that you raise fake debate points; no wonder you keep your students apolitical in the face of atrocities. A heavily armed state emonising a whole population and killing civilians including by starvation and child slaughter is not comparable to resistance efforts or angry outbursts by some few of an occupied people subject to displacement and violence since 1948, 1967, in everyday life and more.

That's not how it works? He came to call sinners. I am complicit in the murders carried out by the 'economy' of the arms trading state where I pay taxes. That's structural sin. I'm angry and borderline despairing (more sins), at the ugly exceptionalism lurking in this thread. Phrases like 'cultural appropriation' are being used ignorantly, to make a colleague's moral stance seem like an upsetting anomaly. You are not being neutral but neutralising these children's awakening of conscience. A worse bubble than any in Covid.

I'm tired of seeing state level killing made respectable on Mumsnet.

Oh. Every office is ever worked in did! Maybe it depends on the company/ industry.

Showing solidarity for Palestine doesn’t mean he’s a Hamas supporter.
The killing of children is always indefensible- it doesn’t matter the country. This applies to Israel equally who are using drones to target children after bombing their refugee camps

@LastNight1Dreamt1WentToManderleyAgain

"You are not being neutral but neutralising these children's awakening of conscience" -I think this is an important point to at least consider (thank you), even if, as an employee of an institution, a teacher may feel unable to express personal views.

I resonate with your sentiments about complicitness, Manderley -I attribute this to what I feel is my 'absolutist streak' which I watch closely, lest it lead me into places of judgement without wisdom or compassion. In our school community, we do not need disintegration, but a contained space for exploration of narratives (many of our 10 and 11 year olds are already highly politicised and better informed than most of our adult members of staff) facilitated by adults who do not flinch from responding to questions about atrocities past and present. I absolutely believe that our readiness to meet our pupils where they were at -awakening conscience‐ at key flash points, has ensured understanding and dignity, and crucially, peace for us all. It would have been of zero benefit to shut down pupil responses to what was happening on the world stage -we would have had to shut down parts of the school (emotions have been running that high) and we wouldn't have been able to ensure everyone's safety. So we talked open-endedly in school and all voices were valid. And we've found that we can coexist because in the end we recognise the intrinsic value in everyone. This is the awakening of humanity. No need for disintegration and a 'new order' at the grassroots.

Keffiyah scarves are also quite a mainstream print in Middle East. And it's a culture print too not just political. It's represents a print. It's like saying let's ban all tartan because it may symbolise Scottish independence arguments and completely disregard that its gone beyond that and now found in different forms and symbolises a country culturally.
Get off your high horse OP.

is not comparable to resistance efforts or angry outbursts by some few of an occupied people subject to displacement and violence since 1948, 1967, in everyday life and more.

Rape is not resistance. It’s crazy that this has to be repeated so many times to people who think so well of themselves.

I’m with you OP. This man is making the latest in what sounds like a long line of partisan and performative gestures that reduce the situation to ‘good’ and ‘evil’. People like him can’t really explain how this helps anyone and sure as shit they don’t donate to on the ground charities. It’s just about being seen as anti genocide. Failing to see that we all are. Some of us just think that wearing a scarf that might alienate or provoke innocent children who have no more actual agency than they do doesn’t help.
It’s also against the teacher standards. So I would raise it to SLT. Got no time for nonsense.

No one said anything about shutting down narratives? That literally why teachers are there,no? To facilitate dialogue and explore ideas with a knowledgable and factual response to any question.
You can do all that without wearing a scarf that provokes. By all means bring the scarf in to discuss, but don’t wear it.

@CountFucula , yes, I'm responding to Manderley who has a very macro take on the issue, and obliquely suggested that my school community might benefit from 'disintegration' and a 'new order' in response to my original comment to the OP about the value of doing exactly what you suggest.

Ah apologies. I see.

We were told to shut down conversations about the conflict. One Muslim colleague suddenly started carrying a bag with a ‘I support Palestine’ slogan. Another colleague (not Muslim or Jewish) commented to me (I’m union rep, not sure if that’s relevant) saying she felt bad for our Jewish colleagues/students. It was mentioned to the head who was cross and immediately called the Muslim colleague in. I just think it’s inappropriate to be show a slogan when we were directly told to shut down conversations.

I think it's a leap to think the wearing of a keffiyeh is automatically a political statement. They have been worn by many just because for ever. Look at Simon Reeve!

Your colleague may well be making a political statement but it's likely it will go over most people's heads simply thanks to the fact it's often just a fashion item in the West.