Recently, Catholic Schools NSW, the peak body representing 592 Catholic schools and 268,000 students across the state, jointly hosted a roundtable on antisemitism in education with Jillian Segal AO, Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism in Australia.
Held at Australian Catholic University, the roundtable identified and assessed the challenge of antisemitism in schools, presented responses to antisemitism and discussed opportunities for future collaboration.
Commencing with a keynote address by Jilian Segal AO, Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, the roundtable showcased successful inclusion initiatives and programmes undertaken by Sydney Catholic Schools, led by its Director of Religious Education and Evangelisation, Anthony Cleary.
In a show of unity, over 3,000 schools were represented, including all three schooling sectors, as well as Christian, Anglican and Jewish schools, and the Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, Murat Dizdar.
Segal said the prevalence of antisemitism in Australian schools, and the extent to which principals are equipped to deal with this issue is “an area that requires and will receive further research”.
“However, feedback from principals indicates increased concerns about antisemitism and a need and desire for more information by senior students about antisemitism to counter it more effectively,” Segal told The Educator.
Segal said the roundtable was a valuable discussion that spoke to the importance of schools as places that foster inclusion and respect.
“It was heartening to hear around the table strong condemnation of antisemitism in our society and acknowledgement of the essential role schools have in countering it and ensuring they educate future leaders about it,” she said.
“I am very grateful to Catholic Schools NSW for their strong and ongoing stand against hate and bigotry.”
Dallas McInerney, CEO of Catholic Schools NSW, pointed to the critical role that school leaders play in tackling antisemitism.
"When it comes to antisemitism, school leaders must be proactive, not reactive," McInerney told The Educator. "It requires a commitment to build a culture of religious tolerance, and we can naturally tap into our skills and knowledge as educators to achieve this."
Following the roundtable, Murat Dizdar, Secretary of the NSW Department of Education said public schools have always played an important role in supporting and contributing to social cohesion in society.
“Schools take great pride in working with the values of equity and respect to build harmony and tolerance across all our diverse communities. Diversity is our strength,” Dizdar said. “This will always remain of primacy to public education in NSW.”