Tuesday December 12, 2023
The students who were suspended and their supporters addressed members of the public who stayed after school board members adjourned the meeting.Estelle Timar-Wilcox | MPR News
Minneapolis (HOL) - Tensions ran high at the Edina School Board meeting on Monday night as protests erupted over the suspension of two Somali-American students following their participation in a pro-Palestinian walkout.
The dispute centers around a chant used by the students during the walkout: "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." This phrase, which has been a subject of contention, is perceived by Israel supporters, including the Anti-Defamation League, as an antisemitic call for the elimination of Israel. However, pro-Palestinian activists, including the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), defend it as a legitimate expression of Palestinian statehood aspirations.
The board's decision at the onset of the meeting to limit public comment to nine speakers within 30 minutes fueled the tense situation. Protesters, carrying signs supporting the suspended students and Palestinian flags, filled the meeting room. The protestors wanted the suspensions taken off the students' records.
The board, citing procedural concerns, refused to address the issue directly related to the student's suspension, leading to an escalation in the room.
Following a presentation on tax revenue, board members invited questions related to the presentation. The protestors redirected the conversation, questioning the board's decision not to address the suspensions.
In response, School Board Chair Erica Allenburg called for a recess, and board members exited the room. The break was met with vocal dissatisfaction from attendees, with one person questioning the need for a recess and others chanting, "Shame on you."
During the board's absence, attendees commandeered the meeting, spending over an hour expressing support for the students and voicing frustration with the board's approach. The school board members briefly returned only to promptly adjourn the meeting.
Jaylani Hussein, the executive director of CAIR's Minnesota chapter, condemned the board's action. "The first action that they took tonight was to silence us," he expressed his disappointment, emphasizing that as public servants, the board's role is to listen to public concerns.
"We do not want schools to create an environment where Muslim students or Jewish students … feel somehow that messages are coming from educators and leaders are not necessarily fully reflective of the nature of the conflict," Hussein added.
Legal representatives for the students, supported by CAIR, have lodged a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. They argue that the suspensions violated the students' freedom of speech and amounted to "discrimination based on religion and national origin."
Edina Public Schools previously stated its commitment to students' First Amendment rights but also emphasized the necessity of an environment free from disruptive speech or behaviour that contravenes district policies.