Pro-Palestine Protest Concerns Discussed By Loudoun School Board

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — Students in Loudoun County have demonstrated about the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. At Tuesday's school board meeting, board members and families expressed concerns about how Loudoun schools have handled student protests.

Tiffany Polifko, who represents the Broad Run District, brought up the protests during the meeting's final information item. Polifko said the student protests and walk-outs, which she described as antisemitic, may violate an anti-harassment policy.

"I certainly am a proponent of free speech, people are free to express themselves and to speak, but they are not free of consequences," Polifko said. Polifko did not specify what antisemitic language she believes was used.

In her discussion, Polifko noted that the conflict between Israel and Palestine has created rifts within school communities.

"This is not where we should be," she said.

Israel bombarded the Gaza Strip following an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas fighters in Israel that killed 1,400 people. Meanwhile, the estimated death toll in Palestine from Israel's attacks is above 13,300, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is no longer providing daily updates, The Washington Post said.

During the meeting's public comment time, several community members expressed concerns about how the school system has handled peaceful protests.

Sam Sharif spoke at Tuesday's school board meeting; she said she is a proud Palestinian-American and parent of students at John Champe High School and Mercer Middle School. Sharif believes that people are misconstruing protest slogans in support of Palestine, like "from the river to the sea."

"[The slogan] has become increasingly distorted over false and misconstrued claims that neglect its true meaning, which is our yearning for freedom and liberation for all Palestinians," Sharif said. "Equality, freedom, and justice for all from the Jordan River all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. Who are you to tell me what my words mean?"

But the Israelis and many Jews in the United States said the slogan is antisemitic, a rallying cry long used by supporters of terrorist organizations such as Hamas and the PFLP, which seek Israel’s destruction through violent means, the Anti-Defamation League says.

Other groups, like the Jewish-led Voice for Peace, says the message is anti-Zionist, not antisemitic. On its website, the group says that there is a difference. Antisemitism is prejudice and discrimination against Jews. Anti-Zionists are opposed to the state of Israel, which they view as an unjust occupation.

Rima Zada, a parent of four LCPS students, said her family is Palestinian. Her children protested in support of Palestine.

"Aside from our kids coming to school every day to learn English and math, we teach them to be good people and to stand up for what is right, even when it is not the most popular thing to do," Zada said. "When our children stood in peaceful protests to bring awareness to a humanitarian crisis that directly affects them, they were met with an email [from LCPS superintendent Aaron Spence] that minimized their voices and called them antisemitic."

Zada said some principals have dismissed students and avoided any meaningful dialogue, while other administrators have asked students to remove clothing or colors that reference Palestine. LCPS officials said later in the meeting that students should not be prohibited from wearing colors.

"There has been no effort by any of you on the school board to reach out to the community to bridge the gap and have a dialogue," Zada told board members. "I will argue that what you guys are doing by censoring our children is Islamophobic in a county that prides itself on diversity and with a motto to empower all students to make meaningful contributions to the world. You have done just the opposite and you have to do better."

Chief of Schools Rae Mitchell told the board that officials have provided parameters for how principals can handle walkouts.

Principals should encourage administrators to attend a demonstration, provide a space for the demonstration, and encourage students to demonstrate outside of instructional time. Mitchell noted that officials are working on a regulation that would outline what kind of actions are permitted during student demonstrations.

Latisha Ellis-Williams is the school system's director of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. She said the school system has been in contact with local Muslim and Jewish associations to help build community and improve divides within the region.

The school system plans to host meetings with local Jewish and Muslim community leaders in the coming days, Ellis-Williams said.