Jewish teacher says school failed to act on antisemitic abuse

 A Jewish educator at a Victorian government secondary college has told the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion she felt unsupported after facing repeated antisemitic harassment from students.

The teacher, based at a public high school in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, outlined incidents including students drawing swastikas, giving Nazi salutes and directing anti-Israel chants towards her following the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

The Herald Sun reported on Sunday that the woman, who has not been named, is a grandchild of Holocaust survivors. She described one pupil yelling “Free Palestine” at her the day after the attacks. Other events involved swastika graffiti around the school grounds and students performing Nazi salutes.

One such episode in 2025 was captured on security footage, leading police to issue caution notices to the students concerned.

The teacher claimed school authorities did not treat the behaviour with sufficient seriousness, leaving her feeling vulnerable and unprotected.

Her formal submission to the commission underscores a major issue under scrutiny: whether Australian schools have adequate systems to recognise antisemitism and support Jewish staff or students who raise concerns.

The account forms part of wider evidence presented to the inquiry about rising antisemitism in education settings since October 7, with reports of Jewish pupils facing taunts, teachers being targeted and Nazi-related imagery appearing on school property.

In Sydney hearings, Jewish parents and school leaders described children being abused at school, seeing swastikas on walls and watching classmates make Nazi salutes.

Emanuel School principal Andrew Watt and Moriah College head of school Zachary Stowe-Lindner told the inquiry that Jewish schools had been forced to increase security after the Bondi attack.

Stowe-Lindner said the increased security levy amounted to “a tax on Jews to keep them safe”. The federal government has also created an Antisemitism Education Taskforce to help schools and universities prevent and respond to antisemitism, a move that reflects growing concern that incidents in education settings are not isolated.

Victoria outlawed the Nazi salute in public places in October 2023, along with the deliberate display of Nazi symbols where a person knew or should have known their meaning. At the time, Victoria Police cautioned that offenders risked charges, fines or jail time.

The federal government set up the Antisemitism Education Taskforce, led by David Gonski and including members from government, education and Jewish community backgrounds, to assist schools in tackling such problems.

The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion was created on 9 January 2026 in response to the antisemitic terrorist incident at Bondi Beach on 14 December 2025. Commissioner Virginia Bell is investigating the extent and impact of antisemitism in areas such as schools, universities, workplaces, media, policing and community organisations.

The Melbourne teacher’s testimony contributes to a growing picture that antisemitism in schools often extends beyond occasional remarks or vandalism. When not managed decisively, it can foster a toxic atmosphere for Jewish employees and pupils.

Submissions close on 14 June 2026, with the final report expected on 14 December 2026.