Genocide apologists are incensed some Grade 4s and 5s recently marched for Palestinian rights. But it’s heartening to see kids with a social conscience and Israel supporters have no standing to complain about indoctrinating the young.
Last week 20 students from Garthwood Park Public School marched along the sidewalk near their school in Mississauga. Some had Palestinian flags and the largely Black and Brown kids chanted “Free Palestine” and “ceasefire now”.
Right wing journalists and apartheid lobbyists, such as Toronto City Councillor James Pasternak, Rebel News and Canada United for Israel, feigned outrage. But kids have long participated in protests on environmental, community safety and other issues. In Grade 6, I participated in a Vancouver-wide school walkout against the first Gulf War.
One of those who complained on X was prominent Vancouver political operative Brad Zubyk. Quote tweeting the video, Zubyk wrote, “Our education system is broken. Kids aren’t born with hate, they learn it. Unfortunately too many Canadian schools are teaching it.”
Leaving aside the idea that opposing genocide is “hate”, it’s wildly hypocritical for Israel supporters to complain about kids being indoctrinated at school on the subject. Jewish schools, as well as youth camps and community centre programs, devote significant resources to promoting apartheid. (more...)
When kids march for Palestine they jeer but Israel indoctrination OK
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