UK review urges restrictions on teachers, students wearing pro-Palestine badges

• The review urges the Department for Education to encourage to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism
• The report highlights a sharp increase in reported antisemitic incidents in educational settings, particularly following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and the Middle East conflict

Teachers and students in United Kingdom schools could face stricter limits or bans on wearing pro-Palestine badges, displaying Palestinian flags, and wearing other political identifiers under recommendations detailed in a major UK government-commissioned review into "antisemitism" in education.

The Independent Review into Antisemitism in Schools and Colleges in England, led by Sir David Bell and presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Education, outlines 27 key recommendations to tackle "prejudice and discrimination" against Jewish students and staff."

Addressing the display of political items by educators, the review concludes that political symbols and identifiers "do not have a place in our schools" on classroom displays or staff attire.

"School leaders should carefully consider the time, place, and manner of political expression (including in relation to staff dress codes and pupil uniform policies), ensuring that the wearing or displaying of political symbols, flags, or slogans, and the expression of political views, are compliant with their legal duties in relation to political impartiality," the review recommends.

The report also notes that "Jewish pupils and staff have spoken to the discomfort they have felt, not because the symbols or slogans are inherently discriminatory, but because, in certain contexts, they can be perceived as connected to hostile narratives, one-sided political environments, or assumptions about Jewish identity (e.g. being Jewish means you support or have views on the State of Israel." 

Adoption of the IHRA Definition and Broader Measures

Central to the report's recommendations is a formal call for the Secretary of State for Education to encourage all primary, secondary, and further education institutions to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.

The review notes that while 78% of school and college professionals are aware of the IHRA definition, only 24% currently use it in institutional policies.