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Johannesburg - A King David School pupil has spoken up about alleged bullying and discrimination at his school after expressing his views on Israel on a Facebook page.
This comes after deputy head boy Joshua Broomberg apologised for the furore over a picture of him wearing a Palestinian scarf.
The pupil who complained about the bullying has gone to the SA Human Rights Commission. He expressed views that were critical of Israel’s actions against the Palestinian people, reported the Times on Thursday.
He said that if one is critical of Israel once, one is “written off by the leadership at King David for the rest of your school career”.
The issue started last year when the pupil, now doing matric, criticised some of Israel’s actions but said he was not an “Israel hater”.
Teacher ‘victimised, bullied pupil’
He was elected to the student representative council this year but the school principal later wrote in a school newsletter that his leadership role had been deferred as he had engaged in an “inappropriate” debate on social media.
The boy’s lawyer said the youth was humiliated and his right to freedom of expression was violated.
The lawyer also told Eyewitness News that a teacher at the school victimised and bullied the pupil so much that he had to go for counselling.
The boy’s family says it is not an isolated incident. The SAHRC has confirmed that it is investigating.
Meanwhile, Sapa reported Broomberg as saying that while he was a proud South African Jew who loved and supported Israel, he still rejected and criticised some of its actions.
"In fact, I consider it my duty to contribute to the growing world-wide discussion surrounding the desperate need for a quick end and lasting solution to this pernicious conflict," he said.
The SA Board of Jewish Education said it now considered the matter surrounding Broomberg closed.
