Josh Frydenberg says he is deeply concerned about a rise in antisemitism in schools, urging more history lessons about the Holocaust to prevent it.
The treasurer’s response came after two serious cases of antisemitic bullying in Melbourne schools were revealed by the Australian Jewish News on Thursday.
“If they [bullies] understood and comprehended the atrocities of the Holocaust, they would be as insulted as anybody, including me, about these recent attacks,” he said.
The parents of both students complained to the schools involved but were not satisfied with the response and the students later left the schools.
The Victorian education minister, James Merlino, has ordered a review into the handling of the complaints and said he would meet with the parents of the students.
“I have asked for an immediate review into how both schools have handled these matters, to ensure they were dealt with appropriately.”
In the first case, a five-year-old was subjected to antisemitic bullying over the course of four months by five classmates in the school bathrooms.
The bullying reportedly included being called “Jewish vermin”, “the dirty Jew” and a “Jewish cockroach”.
In the second incident a 12-year-old student was forced to kiss the feet of a Muslim child and subjected to beatings and harassment.
His mother, who spoke to the Jewish News on the condition of anonymity, said her son was invited to the park for a football game by a classmate from Cheltenham Secondary College.
When he arrived at the park he was forced to kiss the shoes of a Muslim child and the incident was filmed and posted on social media.
The bullying continued for months with the student labelled with antisemitic slurs and assaulted at school.
Dr Colin Rubenstein, the executive director of the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council, said schools had a responsibility to provide a safe and nurturing environment for students that was free from racism and bullying.
“Incidents of anti-Jewish bullying committed by, and directed at, schoolchildren must never be excused or tolerated,” he said.
“Schools must not simply dismiss such alleged racist attacks as ordinary ‘bullying’.”
