Students protesting outside of Park West Middle School in Halifax.
Students protesting outside of Park West Middle School in Halifax. Credit: Dana Elborno Credit: Dana Elborno

Recently, an incident which involved anti-Palestinian racism took place at Park West Middle school in Halifax.

On March 1, 2023 the school organised a multicultural day where students from different ethnic backgrounds were to celebrate their respective heritage by wearing traditional attire.

The event aimed to promote cultural understanding and diversity among students at the school.

However, the event took an unfortunate turn when the principal singled out six Palestinian students and told them to take off their kuffiya.

A kuffiya is a traditional Palestinian garment representing the Palestinian culture and identity.

The black and white chequered Palestinian kuffiya has become a symbol of identity for the country, representing a long history of resistance and strength.

The fishnet pattern represents the relationship between Palestinian fishermen and the sea. To many Palestinians, the sea represents freedom.

The sea waves represent the strength and resilience of the Palestinian people which is preserved after 74 years of illegal occupation.

The bold patterns represent the trade routes going through Palestine, which carved the history of trade in the country.

Following the principal’s demand to remove the kuffiya, one of the six students refused to take his off and as a punishment he was sent home.

This incident sparked outrage in the Palestinian community.

Maamoun Alhindi, a spokesperson for the six students at Park West says his nephew was called into the principal’s office and was told to take his kuffiya off because it represents “war.”

“She asked him to take it off [kuffiya]. He asked her why, she said it’s a sign of war,” said Alhinidi.

Alhindi says his nephew tried to explain the significance of the kuffiya but the principal did not listen. 

“She told him, I don’t care take it off [kuffiya] and go back to your class,” said Alhindi.

Alhindi says his nephew has not returned to school since the event took place.

“He [nephew] said I can’t go back, she treats me different. I don’t know why she say that to me. She is racist,” said Alhindi. 

Insincere apology 

Park West principal Benedette Anyanwu issued a statement Friday, saying that there were no bans on the kuffiya.

“I have heard some believe the incident resulted in a widespread ban [of the kuffiya],” Anyanwu  said. “I assure you that there are no bans on what students choose to wear to school.”

The local Palestinian community launched an email campaign with over 14,000 emails sent to the school board. 

Steve Gallagher, Halifax Regional Centre of Education (HRCE) acting regional executive director released a statement Saturday  saying that there is no “widespread ban” on the kuffiya.  

“Following the incident, many in the Palestinian and other communities came to believe that students were banned from wearing the [kuffiya], a traditional scarf, to school. This is not the case,” read the statement.

Alhindi said the statements were not directed to those impacted by the incident. 

“There is about 800 kids in that school so they sent it [email] to all families, they have not tried to call or contact the parents of the kids to solve that issue,” said Alhindi.

“It’s an open email to everyone, it’s not a direct apology,” he added. 

Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) released a statement Saturday condemning the principal’s act and the school board’s response calling it, “anti-Palestinian Racism.”

Alhindi said this incident does not only affect students wearing kuffiyas. 

“My daughter, she is in that school but she wasn’t wearing the kuffiya but she get harm, she didn’t went to school, so, she [principal] even harm the kids even not wearing the kuffiya,” said Alhindi. 

Dozens of people rallied on Monday outside the Nova Scotia Ministers office demanding an investigation and consequences for the schools actions.

“And now, it’s not enough to silence voices, now they must strip away the identity of the Palestinian people by claiming the kuffiya has war colours,” said Rana Zaman while addressing the crowd on Monday.

Demonstrators rallied again on Tuesday in front of the Park West School.

“We want justice and an investigation,” said Alhindi. 

The Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) declined an interview. 

Anti-Palestinian racism in Canada

In Canada, the censorship of Palestinian human rights in academic institutions continues to prevail over the years. 

Javier Davila is a Toronto based educator and social equity advisor for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). 

In May of 2021,  Davila faced multiple smear campaigns for emailing teachers about Palestinian human rights and the difference between condemnation of Zionist ideology and anti-semitism.

“I was suspended from my job, publicly smeared, defamed and harassed, and subject to multiple investigations, including by the police, all for providing resources to educators that centred Palestinian voices as part of my job as an equity advisor,” said Davila.

READ MORE: Anti-racism and the IHRA definition

Although Davila was reinstated after 5,000 educators, students and community members signed a petition demanding his return, he continuously faces daily attacks claiming false accusations. Davila said he is not surprised by the incident at Park West Junior High.

“I was not surprised. The erasure of Palestinian identity and its simultaneous connection to violence will remain a feature of our school boards until they take leadership from Palestinians and genuinely centre their narratives,” said Davila. 

“Systemic anti-Palestinian racism is not unique to the Toronto District School Board or to the Halifax Regional Centre for Education. It is embedded in the very fabric of our public-school systems, built on stolen land and the graves of Indigenous children,” he said. 

Davila says the teachers union should have been involved in this incident. 

“Where are the teachers’ unions? They have collective power and should be using it to call out anti-Palestinian racism at school boards,” he said. 

The incident at Park West school is the perfect example of racism Palestinians face on a day to day basis. 

“The letter from the Halifax school board, doesn’t name, detail, or contextualise the hate and violence that occurred against Palestinian students and acts as a form of erasure and gaslighting,” said Davila. 

Davila says anti-Palestinian racism is systematic and should be treated as such. 

“What does accountability look like to a people that has been stripped of their land, dignity and rights, occupied, colonized, ethnically cleansed and then has their identities and narratives erased by the very schools supposed to keep them safe?  That’s not for me to decide. But there’s a reason that administrator at Park West school felt they could dehumanize Palestinian students wearing a keffiyeh,” he said. 

In November 2022, the Thames Valley School Board in London, Ontario  faced criticism for using the “Free Palestine” slogan on clothing  as an example to incite violence. 

This incident caused great harm to the Palestinian community in London and eventually the school board quietly removed the example after a public outcry. 

What is Anti-Palestinian racism?

In April 2022, the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association (ACLA) published the formal definition of Anti-Palestinian racism.

The ACLA reported that “Anti-Palestinian racism is a form of anti-Arab racism that silences, excludes, erases, stereotypes, defames or dehumanises Palestinians or their narratives. Anti-Palestinian racism takes various forms including:

  • denying the Nakba and justifying violence against Palestinians;
  • failing to acknowledge Palestinians as an Indigenous people with a collective identity, belonging and rights in relation to occupied and historic Palestine;
  • erasing the human rights and equal dignity and worth of Palestinians;
  • excluding or pressuring others to exclude Palestinian perspectives, Palestinians and their allies;
  • Defaming Palestinians and their allies with slander such as being inherently antisemitic, a terrorist threat/sympathizer or opposed to democratic values.”

Anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobia 

Although there is a large number of Christian Palestininas in Canada, many assume that Palestinians are Muslim because they are Arabs. 

Using Islamophobia as a way to describe anti-Palestinian racism is misguided, as it suggests that the only discrimination Palestinians face is Islamophobia and does not include Palestinians who belong to other religious groups. 

This assumption suggests that the Palestinian cause is a religious one between Muslims and Jews, when in fact it is a diverse ethnic group struggling against apartheid. 

Therefore this misconception contributes to the oppression of the Palestinian identity and ignores the existence of anti-Palestinian racism.

Yara Jamal

Yara Jamal Is a Palestinian journalist based in Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Nova Scotia. Jamal, from Haifa, Palestine grew up in Kuwait and is a first generation immigrant to Canada. Her work focuses on Middle...