Palestinian scarves controversy at Nova Scotia school prompts calls for public apology
Global News
The incident happened last Wednesday at Park West School in Halifax during Cultural Day, a day where students were encouraged to "showcase their cultures through attire."
A small protest was held outside the offices of Nova Scotia’s education department, after some students were allegedly told to take off their traditional Palestinian scarves at a Halifax school last week.
A couple dozen people gathered at the offices on Brunswick Street on Monday afternoon, to call for an official apology, investigation and better cultural training in schools.
“Asking them to take off the identity symbol for us is really painful. It’s racism,” said Lana Khammash, the president of the Atlantic Canada Palestinian Society.
The society says they were told by families that students wearing the keffiyeh were called to the principal’s office and asked to take them off because they represented “war colours.”
The incident happened last Wednesday at Park West School during Cultural Day — a day where students were encouraged to “showcase their cultures through attire.” The school has students in Primary to Grade 9.
Abdullah Aboalkhair, who was at the protest, said his 13-year-old brother was among the students wearing a keffiyeh at the school that day.
“He was wearing the keffiyeh, kept hearing that people are getting suspended for wearing the keffiyeh. He got worried, decided to take it off to not get suspended, came home worried, scared, telling us about it,” said Aboalkhair.
He said it was “disappointing” and there were “no words” to describe what happened to his brother and his friends.
