(The Center Square)—The Beverly Hills Unified School District voted this week to display Israeli flags on all its campuses.
After the recent incidents of antisemitism on campuses, BHUSD approved a proposal to fight antisemitism by displaying Israel’s flag around schools and other district facilities.
“This is a time right now that Jews are being killed and slaughtered on the street, and threats are happening,” said Sigalie Sabag, a BHUSD board member.
The resolution passed 3-2, which had backlash from members of the public. Opponents of the flags say that displaying the Israeli flag in a public school setting blurs the line between supporting the Jewish community and endorsing the Israeli government.
Others say the resolution does not protect all students within the district, which could lead to some students feeling excluded.
“Jewish communities have suffered sharp increases in hate crimes, but other groups are not immune to these attacks either,” said Gay Abrams, in opposition to the proposal.
The school district says its decision was made to support the Jewish community during this time of increasing antisemitism, not an endorsement of the Israeli government.
“It does not mean that the flag display equals that it’s against anyone,” said BHUSD board member Russell Stewart. “It is in support of our Jewish students and the Jewish community.”
With the recent rise of antisemitism on campuses around the country, the school district wanted to create an environment for Jewish students to feel safe and supported.
“This should be a no-brainer for a school district that represents one of the only Jewish-majority communities outside of Israel,” said Beverly Hills Vice Mayor John Mirisch while speaking to the crowd ahead of the vote.
The Anti-Defamation League reported that antisemitic incidents in the country are at a record high, “893% increase over the past 10 years.”
BHUSD said the flags would not be on flagpoles and would showcase the Israeli flag in other ways around the schools and district.
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Author: Esther Wickham, The Center Square
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