Antisemitism training now online for government Victorian teachers
All Victorian government school teachers now have access to free, on-demand, specialised antisemitism training.
The training, coordinated by the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) with the Victorian Department of Education, is believed to be the first of its kind in Australia.
“The JCCV is proud to have partnered with education and antisemitism experts from the Jewish Museum of Australia and The Ark Centre to ensure a high-quality, engaging and effective program for teachers could be delivered as a priority for 2023.” Judy Fetter, JCCV CEO, said.
“Unfortunately, we know that there have been incidents of antisemitism in Victorian schools. All Jewish students deserve to feel safe and respected at school, and proud of their Jewish heritage,” Fetter said.
“This program equips Victorian teachers to better understand antisemitism, how to identify it and then, most importantly, how to respond. It offers a historical context and adapts to current school situations to offer pathways to build greater understanding and respect across the school community.”
The program will be available via the Department of Education’s ARC website, which provides learning and teaching resources to Victorian teachers. Teachers will have the opportunity to opt-in to complete the antisemitism training, and the Department of Education will also encourage or direct particular schools to complete the training.
The Department of Education has written to schools in areas with large Jewish populations to alert them to the availability of this new training program. The JCCV will also be following up with principals to ensure they are aware of the program and to direct them to additional resources that can help them to address any instances of antisemitism in their school communities.
“The short program will help Victorian teachers create a learning environment free of antisemitism,” Naomi Levin, JCCV chief operating officer, added.
“Parents of Jewish students at government schools can also speak with their principal to encourage staff to complete the training. The more teachers who are equipped to identify and address antisemitism, the safer the learning environment for our Jewish students,” Levin added.
“The JCCV’s deep community partnerships and networks allow us to create programs to meaningfully address antisemitism. Racism, including antisemitism, has no place in our schools. All students should be proud of their identity and heritage without the risk of bullying, harassment or intimidation.”
