A controversy has erupted over Bellaire High School’s 2024 yearbook’s inclusion of ‘Times of Palestine’. The page offers a perspective on the Israel-Gaza conflict from an Arab student’s viewpoint, but phrases like “what happened, happened” have drawn criticism.
This!!!!!! In Bellaire High School year book. Really? How did they approve this? Freedom of speech??? Where are we going??? If this is not a wake up call, I’m not sure what is
Posted by Yafit Bar on Thursday, May 2, 2024
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The yearbook has also drawn criticism from students because it does not include the perspective or experiences of Jewish students.
Bellaire High School’s principal responded, saying he was also ‘surprised and disappointed as well’.
A statement was released by Principal Michael R. Niggli:
The Bellaire High School community is one of the most diverse schools in HISD. That diversity is one of our greatest attributes – it makes us stronger. The Carillon, our nationally acclaimed yearbook, is a source of pride for everyone at Bellaire High School, and when it was released last Thursday, many in our community were disappointed to see that it included content that reflected only one perspective of a very complex issue. As Principal, I was surprised and disappointed as well. It has been typical practice for the content of the yearbook and other student publications to be reviewed by their staff sponsor, but moving forward, we will expand the review protocols for these publications.
Sharing our perspectives on difficult issues is a strength. We routinely come together to discuss and process difficult, complex issues. It is important that as a staff we provide guidance to students to include multiple perspectives on issues that impact different communities in such dramatic ways. I want to acknowledge that some in our school community were deeply distressed by the yearbook article.
I’m disappointed that one of our most celebrated traditions might divide our community instead of bringing it together. But more than anything, I deeply regret that this created a circumstance where some of our students didn’t feel safe and supported in our school. We will work to prevent this from happening again.
Over the last few days, I’ve spoken to our families, student leaders, religious leaders and alumni that have always supported our school. I told each of these audiences that Bellaire High School will do better in the future. I’ve reminded our students that we have an obligation to respect one another at all times, and we will continue to strictly enforce our Code of Conduct.
We will provide a revised yearbook to any student who would like them, and moving beyond this issue, I hope this is the beginning of a much richer conversation about all the unique perspectives and experiences in our school. I am confident our students will rise to this challenge with resilience and empathy, and as community, we will grow from this experience.
The Houston ISD Code of Conduct says:
The District encourages all students and staff members to foster a climate of mutual respect for others in order to enhance the District’s educational purpose and the program designed to achieve that purpose. Each student is expected to respect the rights and privileges of other students, teachers, and District staff members. Students shall not engage in harassment motivated by age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, handicap or disability, marital status, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression directed toward another student. A substantiated charge of harassment against a student shall result in disciplinary action.
According to an Instagram account called @protest.bellaire.now2024, a protest was planned to ‘keep Bellaire a school of free speech’. Student walkouts were originally planned for May 10 during Cardinal Hour (brain break hour) to show support for the protest. In a follow-up Instagram post, the protest was delayed until after the school’s AP exams.
SEE ALSO: Israel seizes Gaza’s vital Rafah crossing, but the US says it isn’t the full invasion many fear