The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today welcomed Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss’ decision not to display the Israeli flag at all public schools and facilities, despite the Board of Education’s recent vote in favor of the proposal. CAIR-LA also urged Superintendent Cherniss and the school board to prioritize the safety of all students at BHUSD schools.
SEE: BHUSD schools will not display flag of Israel
Beverly Hills schools opt out of displaying Israeli flag
In a statement released earlier today, Dr. Cherniss announced that, until further notice, the school district will not display the Israeli flag at any public campuses. His statement cited the “safety and security of our students” as the basis for this decision.
His statement came just one day after the Board of Education voted 3–2 to display the Israeli flag each May in honor of Jewish Heritage Month.
CAIR-LA previously condemned the vote and raised concerns that displaying the Israeli flag on public school campuses “is deeply insensitive and distressing to Palestinian students who have lost countless family members to Israel’s violent military campaign.”
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“While we welcome Superintendent Cherniss’ decision not to display the flag of Israel on public campuses as a necessary step toward protecting students’ safety, his statement did not address the overarching concern raised by students, teachers, and community members: Public schools should not be used to make political statements in support of foreign governments committing a genocide.
“The three board members who voted in favor of the proposal—Judith Manouchehri, Sigalie Sabag, and Russell Stuart—are attempting to exploit their roles as trustees of public schools, funded by taxpayer dollars, to advance their personal political bias without regard to the mental and emotional well-being of the students they represent. BHUSD must act in the interests of all students, not just those who support Israel. By refusing to acknowledge the immense harm in displaying the flag of a foreign state currently engaged in a campaign of genocide, the district has shown that it clearly values the safety of some students over others.”
CAIR-LA continues to urge the BHUSD school board and Superintendent Cherniss to prioritize the safety and well-being of all its students by meeting with diverse students and human rights advocates, including Jewish and Muslim community members, to gain a deeper and more balanced perspective on what the Israeli flag represents on the global stage.
CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com; CAIR-LA Senior Communications Coordinator Madi Hameed, mmorse-hameed@cair.com