District’s ‘dedication to zionist comfortability is a poison to freedom of speech’
A student at a Philadelphia-area high school claims “they” were forced to take off “their” keffiyeh at last week’s graduation ceremony, and then escorted out by police after receiving “their” diploma.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Lower Merion High School had warned students that “political or personal statements that distract from the purpose of the [graduation] ceremony” would not be allowed.
And that’s just what district officials allegedly told the student — “Evan” according to “their” Instagram — that the keffiyeh “represented a ‘political statement.’”
The Inquirer notes the keffiyeh scarf is “often associated with Palestinian identity and the struggle for a Palestinian state.”
Evan (who uses plural pronouns) said in an Instagram post “they” didn’t think the keffiyeh “would cause any issue,” but was told by school officials it would “cause a disruption.”
“i told them i would not take my headscarf off for an unjust reason,” Evan wrote. “keep in mind i’ve worn this same headscarf to school and school events without any backlash.”
Evan (pictured) further claimed administrators “required” “them” to agree to be searched, and that his mother had to “negotiate” with the officials.
“Lower Merion’s dedication to zionist comfortability is a poison to freedom of speech and expression,” Evan concluded in part. “They” accused the district of “succumbing” to “zionist parents” and “propagating zionist thought within the student body.”
MORE: Lower Merion elementary school ‘whiteness’ lesson: Sympathizing with police is ‘racist’
The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations called on Lower Merion district officials Tuesday to apologize and revise their policies.
“The violation by LMSD of this student’s right to full participation in the ceremony after their agreement to the removal of the keffiyeh-patterned headscarf is deeply troubling,” said Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu, executive director of CAIR-Philadelphia. …
“If somebody wants to show support for Israeli hostages, students should be allowed to do that,” Tekelioglu said in an interview. But at the same time, “there’s nothing wrong with somebody who may want to wear a keffiyeh.”
Tekelioglu said that he doesn’t consider the keffiyeh to be a political statement, though “in many ways, everything in life can be political.” He said he wears one “as an expression of solidarity and acknowledgement of the Palestinian people, especially in a world that so often dehumanizes them.”
The local parent group Lower Merion Alliance for Free Speech on Palestine claimed the keffiyeh issue “reflected political bias and inherent racism.”
Lower Merion spokesperson Amy Buckman said students who wore anything that violated the guidance “were given a choice between removing those items and participating in the ceremony or not removing them and not participating.”
MORE: Lower Merion school sends urgent alert: ‘white hooded robe’ spotted in halls just prop for play
IMAGE CAPTION & CREDIT: A keffiyeh lays on a table; Bea/X. INTERIOR IMAGE: evannnnnnnnn.t/Instagram
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