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A school in Tower Hamlets, east London, has cancelled a planned hunger strike after the JC revealed that it was asking children as young as 11 to fast for Gaza.
The planned strike at George Green’s School (GGS) was set to take place today (Friday) but has been called off following the JC’s report.
GGS had asked children to take part in a “collective fast for Gaza,” the second hunger strike organised by the school’s administration in aid of Gaza.
After doubling down on the hunger strike on Wednesday, the school made the last-minute decision on Thursday to drop the planned action.
A Jewish parent at the school said: “It is definitely good news that my child will not be pressured into fasting today.”
Nearly half of children in Tower Hamlets grow up below the poverty line and the school was slammed for encouraging children in London’s poorest borough - where all pupils receive free school meals - not to eat.
GGS will return the £3,188 that was donated to the hunger strike in aid of Unicef’s (The United Nations Children's Fund) Gaza appeal. The charity that also campaigns for nutritious meals for school-aged children did not respond to the JC when asked if it supported hunger strikes in school.
In a letter to parents on Thursday, Principal Jon Ryder said the school had faced “some unpleasant commentary on social media” and “abusive emails” directed at staff. He confirmed that GGS would “re-evaluate” the hunger in the New Year.
“As an inclusive school that values diversity and good community relations we also intend to take the opportunity to engage further with students, staff and parents to ensure that the non-political and humanitarian nature of our fundraising is clearly understood.
“As a Unicef Gold Award Rights Respecting School, we are deeply committed to raising money for charity,” Ryder added.
In his letter to parents, Jon Ryder said the school would "reevaluate" the decision to scrap the fast next year
However, a non-uniform day next week in aid of Unicef’s Gaza appeal is still set to go ahead.
The Jewish mother said her child would participate reluctantly: “Even more obvious than not eating is wearing non-uniform. I will send my kid to school in non-uniform and with money for Unicef even though I desperately do not want to do that.”
The parent accused the school’s leadership of politicising pupils through its affiliation with Unicef: “The headteacher said they needed to ensure the non-political and humanitarian nature of the school is understood, but you cannot donate to one side in this conflict and remain apolitical. The school should not take a position on such a divisive issue.
“I don’t think they are cancelling this for the right reasons,” she added.
The mother has voiced concerns about the GGS’s treatment of Jewish students and said her child has seen swastikas daubed in classrooms.
"When a school has a majority group like at GGS, they should take extra care to protect the minorities, but they do not,” she added.
“A child who identifies as trans is celebrated at GGS – and rightly so – but Jewish students are forced to hide who they are.”
The mother described a toxic environment for Jewish pupils, with her child fearing reprisals if their identity was to be revealed. “This week my kid told me they would be ‘beaten up’ if anyone found out they were Jewish. I have sleepless nights worrying. I cannot believe it’s as bad as they say, but it must be.
“I don’t know the weight of that or the long-term impact on my child. It makes me want to leave east London. I just hope it gives my kid empathy and helps them understand what it feels like to be the minority,” the mother said.
GGS has been approached for further comment.
English (US) ·