“I kept explaining that it’s a cultural item of clothing that I wear on special occasions, but they kept saying that I was making a political statement in a public school and I couldn’t make that,” the teenager said.

“They said it wouldn’t be the smartest move to keep him and I wouldn’t want to find myself on the wrong side of the higher-ups so close to the end of the year.”

“This experience ruined my high school memories. It’s supposed to be a place where I feel safe and not judged for who I am, but I was wrong.

The 17-year-old Condell Park High School student

Outside the lobby, another staff member refused to pose for a group photo with the teen unless he removed his scarf, the teen said.

Other students’ parents asked staff members to let him wear the headscarf, and his own family members repeatedly told staff that it was not a political statement but a cultural symbol to honor its Palestinian roots, he said.

Two weeks later, the teenager was called into a senior manager’s office and told he was not allowed to attend his year 12 gala – which takes place next Thursday – because of his decision to wear the headscarf.

“This experience ruined my high school memories,” the student said. “I’ve been going there since I was in seventh grade. It’s supposed to be a place where I feel safe, and I’m not judged for who I am, but I was wrong.”

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The teen’s older sister, who attended the graduation ceremony, said the school’s treatment of her brother was outrageous, given that other students wore culturally significant clothing without incident.

“The keffiyeh is a centuries-old garment worn by my family, my grandparents, my great-grandparents and many other members of the Palestinian community,” she said.

“The public school system, which should be an inclusive environment, should not punish children because of their cultural background. »

A NSW Department of Education spokesperson said its rules were clear about keeping school events apolitical so all students, staff and community members felt safe and included . “The school will continue to work with the family and their legal representatives to resolve this matter.”

The teen’s lawyer filed a complaint with the Department of Education, demanding a formal apology and requesting that he be able to attend the ceremony. The ministry responded through its lawyers.

The teenager’s lawyer, Abdullah Reslan of the Kings Law Group, declined to comment on the details of the complaint filed with the Australian Human Rights Commission, but said: “State and federal laws are in place to protect the community against racial discrimination.

“Schools should be an example of these standards and a safe place for children,” Reslan said.

“It is alarming that taxpayers’ money is being spent on lawyers to prevent an innocent boy from attending his gala alongside his peers under these circumstances. »

Speaking specifically about the keffiyeh, Australian National University lecturer Anas Iqtait said it was a cultural garment worn for thousands of years.

“Palestinians wear it during important celebrations like graduations, weddings, national holidays and family celebrations,” Iqtait said.

“It also acquired a political symbolic position from the 1960s onwards as a distinctive symbol of Palestinian liberation, but this does not take away from the fact that it also continues to be a cultural garment, and not to express political statements, but because that’s what they are. »

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Greens MP Abigail Boyd said her office had received several reports from teachers and students being banned from wearing the keffiyeh or Palestinian flag on their bags due to a Ministry of Education statement titled ” Supporting the school community during the current conflict in the Middle East.” sent to schools in November 2023, which advised schools to reflect “a neutral position”.

Boyd’s office had warned schools that this interpretation of the department’s guidelines risked legal challenges.

“It’s about trying to erase one person’s culture while letting other students express theirs,” Boyd said.

“It sends the message to kids that it’s not OK to come from certain places.”

At a budget forecast hearing in August, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Prue Car and departmental secretary Murat Dizdar acknowledged that the guidance needed to be reviewed.

In November 2023, Car criticized teachers for displaying pro-Palestinian signs and wear kaffiyehs in public schools, saying classrooms “are not places for political activism.”

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