Washington students plan strikes on the Oct. 7 anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel

Students from at least one school in Bellevue walked out of class Monday to support Palestine.

Now some parents believe the district should have done more to prevent the strike on the Oct. 7 anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel.

KOMO News saw at least half a dozen students gather around 11 a.m. at the flagpole at Interlake High School in Bellevue, where organizers had announced they would go on strike. School staff asked KOMO News crews to leave the area after saying they were monitoring the situation and making sure everyone was safe.

In a social media post, organizers called it a “Strike for Palestine” at high schools and colleges across Washington state to commemorate a year of genocide in Gaza in which tens of thousands of Palestinians, including civilians, were killed.

Eitan Gor has four children in the Bellevue School District. He believes Monday’s strike was immoral, on a day when Jews were murdered in their homes, and said the district should have done more to prevent the demonstration.

Last week, parents submitted a letter with about 1,000 signatures to Bellevue school district leaders asking them to prevent rallies during school hours that are related to or related to Oct. 7 or the war in the Middle East and to reiterate their zero tolerance for hate speech.

The school district has not yet responded to KOMO News’ inquiry about the demonstration.

SEE ALSO | Rally in Seattle remembers victims of Hamas attack on October 7th

State Superintendent Chris Reykdal sent the following message to districts across the state last week with advice on how to deal with possible work stoppages:

“We are hearing about possible student protests and school strikes planned for Monday, October 7th. As you know, October 7th marks one year since the horrific Hamas attack on Israel.

“October 7th is a day of somber commemoration of the third deadliest global terrorist attack in recent history. Even if students protest to advocate for or against global political solutions, the decision to do so on October 7 will most likely have a negative impact on their Jewish classmates – and will likely be experienced or interpreted as anti-Semitism and discriminatory harassment.

“Over the past year, student-led protests and walkouts have increased on college and K-12 campuses nationwide. While students may plan and/or participate in strikes or protests as protected speech, schools are responsible for ensuring safety and a learning environment free from discrimination and discriminatory harassment for all students, staff and families.

“Schools accommodate a “captive” audience (i.e., students) who often cannot free themselves from interruptions, tension, or one-sided speech. To prevent anti-Semitic and discriminatory behavior, if you have heard of planned protests or walkouts at any of your schools, I strongly recommend that you work with your students to identify locations or (with appropriate authorization) days/times outside of schools Timing to be determined The general student body will not be on campus for their efforts.

“Schools play a unique role in our communities. Every day, you and your staff help your students develop skills to engage in civil discourse, disagree respectfully, and be part of a shared community. You do this in a way that balances student safety, rights and learning with the impact of global news available to your students 24/7. When teaching and learning function optimally, they include and acknowledge life outside the classroom. This includes recognizing the diverse experiences and perspectives of your students in relation to the learning standards in a safe and non-discriminatory way.

“Please lean into your leadership and use this opportunity to have important conversations about what it means to live together in the community in a safe and non-discriminatory manner for all students, staff and families. October 7th should be a day of remembrance.

“My office regularly develops resources to help you and your staff guide your students through complex social and global events like this. Please check out the following two resources we recently published:

This is a developing story and will be updated.