School Under Fire for “Demonising” Homework
A school in Scotland has come under pressure after it handed pupils homework sheets which labelled Palestinians as “terrorists”.
New Stevenston Primary School, apologised after the sheets clearly stated “Palestinians feel they have the RIGHT to use terrorism against the Israelis.”
North Lanarkshire Council, which produced the worksheet, said “it would ensure that it would no longer be used.”
Dr Essam Hijjawi, chair of the Association of Palestinian Communities in Scotland, said, said the council had tried to demonise them. “The ‘Separatists’ case study given to children as homework demonstrates a fundamentally flawed reading of history and geography. It flies in the face of countless UN resolutions and shows an ignorance which beggars belief.
“We are calling for the immediate withdrawal of all such materials from Scottish schools, a public apology to the Palestinian community in Scotland, and a meeting with education department officials in North Lanarkshire, with the leader of the council and Scotland’s minister for education.
“We ask that all materials used in schools relating to the teaching of the history of Palestine is discussed between Education Scotland and the Palestinian community.” North Lanarkshire Council said: “The description of Palestinian people is entirely inappropriate and we apologise unreservedly for the offence caused.”
A council spokesman said, that according to their knowledge, this was an “isolated incident” and that the council was not aware of any other school using the material and it would ensure that the worksheet would no longer be used.
