Mon 22 January 2024:
A London school has issued a warning that it might need to shift its lessons online following protests due to the head teacher’s decision to prohibit students from wearing Palestinian badges.
Barclay Primary School, based in Leyton, east London, had to conclude the Christmas holiday two days earlier than planned following threats against its staff, which were prompted by what it described as “malicious fabrications.”
A video circulating on social media claimed that an eight-year-old student was being harassed by teachers for wearing a badge of a Palestine flag on his coat after which masked men were observed in the night scaling the school’s fence to hang Palestinian flags.
A letter has now been sent to parents by the Lion Academy Trust, the entity overseeing Barclay Primary School, outlining the steps taken, such as hiring private security, obtaining additional support from London’s Metropolitan Police, closing the main reception and installing CCTV.
The eight-year-old Palestinian student did not attend school for a month before the Christmas holiday, as a result of the school’s policy. The boy’s mother, who is from Gaza, has suffered significant losses among her family members.
His father, Shahid, shared that his son had been deeply affected by the school’s ban on his Palestinian badge, expressing feelings of “sadness, upset, and anger,” while questioning whether he had somehow “done something wrong.” Additionally, some parents mentioned receiving letters from the school warning them that they might be referred to the government’s Prevent counter-terrorism programme.
Parents have recently been told in a letter that if protest following the decision didn’t “de-escalate … additional measures” will be implemented, potentially leading to “the closure of the school and a transition to online learning for as long as deemed necessary.”
Parents were informed that an unidentified caller, in addition to making racial slurs, issued a threat of an arson attack against the school and individual staff members.
Chief Superintendent for Waltham Forest, Simon Crick, said: “We are taking these threats incredibly seriously and would like to reassure pupils, teachers and parents that we are doing everything in our power to keep you safe while our investigation continues. “
-MEMO
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