1) Send communication in advance of the walkout to students and families about how the walkout will be handled and how all students, including Jewish students, will be kept safe.
2) Issue guidance to school sites on student rights, staff expectations and school-based supports available to students.
- Teachers and staff should not use the classroom to share their personal political viewpoints.
- Staff and teachers should not participate in or promote this walkout.
- Per your school’s policies, students should be marked as absent if they choose to participate in the walkout, and teachers should make this clear to students in advance.
- Students should not feel pressure or encouragement from adults at school to support the walk out.
- There should be zero tolerance for bullying, antisemitism, Islamophobia or other forms of hate. Peer pressure to participate should be addressed.
3) Reaffirm your district’s commitment to promoting belonging regardless of ethnicity, national origin, religion or political views.
4) Learn about the context and meaning of some of the popular slogan and chants used in protests, as they may impact Jewish students’ sense of safety and belonging. For example, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free” is not a call for a two-state solution or an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. Instead, it means the end of the Jewish State of Israel (Israel is located between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea). This feels threatening to many Jews, particularly those with family and friends in Israel. For more information, see the JCRC Guide to Problematic Rhetoric.
