TEANECK, New Jersey (WABC) — Wednesday afternoon, some students at Teaneck High School in New Jersey are expected to stage a walkout in support of Palestinians and an end to the violence.
The superintendent is allowing the walkout, despite complaints from local Jewish organizations.
It turned into a contentious afternoon in a town with a big Jewish population, but the Muslim community is growing and most students in school are black and brown.
Starting at 1:30 p.m., the war taking place in the Middle East will spark a protest at Teaneck High School.
The walkout is in support of the Palestinian people.
Organizers claim the Palestinians are facing genocide.
But Tuesday night, supporters of Israel met outside the town hall.
They are protesting the walkout saying it is an affront to the large Jewish community.
Teaneck has been a town that previously had a strong Black and Jewish connection.
But now, that has been strained. There has been an increase in bias crimes against Jewish people in the community and this rally, supported by the school superintendent is viewed as a possible breaking point.
“It’s clearly being marketed as an anti-Israel, anti-Zionist, anti-Semitic event. And so, it’s very problematic for a district that’s claiming to be intolerant against bigotry, but at the same time an event that calls for a rally against Israeli-genocide, to wear a keffiyeh, to be able to chant, to bring Palestinian flags is in and of itself a hate, bias, and intimidation act against the Jewish community, and particularly the Jewish students at this school,” said Jason Shames, CEO of The Jewish Federation of North Jersey.
Shames does add that 99% of the Jewish kids living in Teaneck do not go to school in the district for religious reasons.
But some teachers have expressed concerns about this rally.
Only students can rally on school grounds, but there are social media reports of others planning to join the rally and marching to town hall.
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