From the news desk

Bokaap community calls urgent meeting, after Vista school ordered to remove anti-Zionist posters


The Western Cape Education Department is meeting with Vista High school, following complaints around the display of anti-Zionist posters in the school. The complaints were lodged by Herzlia high school, after learners when to the school to start a community project to upgrade some of the schools facilities. The schools have an exchange programme in place which sees students from Herzlia improve Vista’s library, build a playground area and tutor struggling learners in language and mathematics.

Herzlia director of education Geoff Cohen said students saw anti-Zionist posters and slogans prominently displayed in the office window of the school’s deputy principal, which they took offense to.

WCED communications director Paddy Atwell said the school’s circuit manager reported it to the labour relations directorate who are investigating.

“Until that is over, we cannot make any judgement on the case,” he said.

Principal of Vista High School Charlene Little says the matter is still under investigation and declined to comment. But she has reportedly apologized to Herzlia.

In meantime, Education MEC Debbie Schafer has ordered the school to remove the posters.

Vista deputy principal Mr Esau told VOC News he too had been asked not to speak to the media, but said a community meeting would be held tonight at the Leeuwen Street masjid in Bokaap at 7pm tonight.

According to the meeting organiser Shaykh Dawood Terblanche, the purpose of the discussion is to ascertain the facts before any judgement can be made by the community.

Mr Esau will attend and bring along the posters he displayed. The posters included captions of a quote of Nelson Mandela: “We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.” Another caption read “Yes to Judaism, No to Zionism.”

He will also bring a letter he received from the principal of the Vista High School, which has ordered him to attend a disciplinary hearing on Friday at 1.45pm.

“The community feels the action against Mr Esau is quite harsh, because the investigation is still pending, and as such, it is better to wait for the outcome of the WCED’s meeting before scheduling a disciplinary hearing,” Terblanche remarked.

Terblanche says the community has also been angered by the measures taken by Vista High School.

“The community is angry at the actions that Vista High School has taken seeing that this is a high school that has been a symbol of fighting against the Apartheid government, and produced many activists in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Freedom of speech is at threat.”

Legal counsel has been sought by the community, and if the school feels there is contravention, they need to be clear as to what the teacher has contravened.

Shaykh Terblanche, who had sent Principle Little a letter sharing the community’s sentiments and appealed for the charges levelled to be dropped, says the community is urged to come out to the meeting tonight.

“We urge the community to attend tonight, so that we can collectively decide on the best way forward.” VOC


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