Cape Town - Some parents at Camps Bay High are angry after the school allegedly gagged learners from protesting Israel’s bombing campaign against civilians in Gaza.
The school also allegedly closed what they called the “safe space”, where learners could pray and light a candle in solidarity with Israelis and Palestinians following Hamas’ October 7 attacks which sparked the latest war.
Parents said the decision takes away the learners’ rights to express their opinions and beliefs, and believe that it will have a ripple effect on their children.
A parent who spoke to the Cape Argus anonymously to protect her child from victimisation, said the school sent out a letter explaining their decision after assembly on Monday.
“The assembly was a good gesture, it was productive and it enabled discussion about the situation in Israel and Palestine. It gave our children the assurance that their beliefs and opinions also matter.
“After the assembly, learners could go to the classroom which was their safe space to have a moment of silence and light a candle.
“However, the school allegedly received complaints from other parents and learners after there were words uttered in the classroom.
“They also felt that it created an unsafe space,” the parent said.
She added that the school then sent a letter to inform parents that they would investigate the allegations and had decided to close the safe space.
In the letter, the school explained that it was brought to their attention that certain political views were expressed in this space.
Part of the letter read: “Such statements can be perceived as hurtful or divisive and our school’s Code of Conduct prioritises respect for others as the core principle governing the behaviour of everyone within our community.
“We will take steps to investigate and address what occurred in this space, and to ensure that our school community remains a place where every student feels safe and respected.”
Another parent questioned why the school then already made the decision to close the safe space when it is still being investigated.
“You have a whole curriculum about the Holocaust, but now learners can’t express their feelings about Israel and Palestine? This will make learners not feel empowered and sets a bad precedent when they need to stand up for their own beliefs,” she said.
Founder and co-ordinator of Parents for Equal Education SA, Vanessa le Roux, said the safe space at Camps Bay High should have been defended at all costs.
“As a country we have normalised a cancel-culture, which comes down to intolerance. We have normalised inhumane behaviour. The issue of the suffering of the people in the Middle East is far beyond religion, as a country that comes from a deep oppression, we should be the first nation to teach our children about solidarity, and humanity,” she said.
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the allegations that a “gag order” was issued to parents and learners of Camps Bay High were incorrect.
“On Monday, in their school assembly, the school observed a moment of silence to remember the lives lost in conflict and those who continue to be impacted by conflict.
“This gesture, according to the school, aimed to acknowledge the human suffering caused by war and to express our collective hope for peace.”
Hammond said the school then provided their learners with the opportunity to light a peace candle, a symbol of their contemplation about the ongoing conflict around the world and a call for peace globally.
“The school created the space for all learners, which was not created with the intention to make anyone within their school community feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
“It came to the school management’s attention that certain views were expressed on a board within this space that could be ‘perceived as hurtful or divisive’ to some of the school’s community.
“The school took down the comments on the board ‘to ensure that our school community remains a place where every student feels safe and respected’,” she explained.
Hammond said the school wrote to parents indicating that this action did not prohibit their voices being heard. The letter said as follows: “Your voices and perspectives matter, and we encourage you to engage in constructive conversations that fosters understanding and unity among our community.”
The school stated that the “words or symbols that might seem insignificant to one group can be incredibly hurtful to another”.
The “Cape Argus” tried reaching out to the school’s SGB but was referred back to the WCED.