A statement from Mount Scopus Memorial College, one of Melbourne’s largest Jewish schools, said a group of Grade 5 children were targeted with intimidating slurs “on the basis of their visible Jewish identity”.

“During an excursion designed to promote learning, respect, and shared cultural understanding, primary school students … recounted antisemitic and political phrases chanted at them in a shared learning space, on the basis of their visible Jewish identity,” the statement said.

The school alleged the taunts came from students from a different, unnamed high school during an excursion to Melbourne Museum last Thursday.

A man who identified himself as a grandfather of one of the primary students said his granddaughter was left “totally traumatised”.

“She had no understanding why she was told she was a baby killer, why she was told she was a dirty Jew,” the man told Melbourne radio station 3AW.

Mount Scopus Memorial College principal Dan Sztrajt said the incident was distressing and is being investigated.

“No child should ever be made to feel unsafe or targeted because of their identity or background,” he said.

Victorian Education Minister and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said he had spoken to Sztrajt to convey his “disgust” at the alleged attack on students and to offer every support possible.

“It is unacceptable that students or staff feel unsafe in the community where they learn, work and play,” he said in a statement.

Cabinet minister Danny Pearson said he did not believe antisemitism had become a “norm” for Jewish Melburnians.

“If you look around our city and our state, the overwhelming majority of people are tolerant, respectful,” he told reporters on Friday.

“They’re not racist, they’re not bigots.”

Sztrajt did not name the other school allegedly involved but said the other principal had expressed concern.

“Mount Scopus Memorial College has offered to work together with the other school to ensure that an appropriate educational to this incident is made available,” he said.

Melbourne Museum operator Museums Victoria said discrimination had no place in its facilities.

“Museums Victoria is deeply sorry that this incident has occurred at one of our venues,” it said.

Museums Victoria chief executive Lynley Crosswell says an investigation had been launched into the incident. “There is no place for racism or vilification in our museums,” she says.

Earlier this month, EducationHQ reported on a principal of a Jewish school in Sydney who described a string of shocking antisemitic attacks that had targeted her students.

Speaking at a parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism in NSW, Moriah College principal Miriam Hasofer warned that in 2025 “open antisemitism targeting schoolchildren has become ambient”.

She said her school community had endured nearly two years of “relentless, targeted abuse”, and now operates with two extra layers of security protection provided by Community Security Group NSW and New South Wales police.

The cumulative impact of antisemitic attacks – which Hasofer said were now occurring on average once a week – had been “corrosive”, the school leader said, with students’ education constantly disrupted and teachers drained.

“… how do we respond at school? We drop everything. Security is activated. Psychologists and heads of year are deployed. We comfort students, call families, write reports, put together briefs, and then try returning to the teaching until it happens again, days later.”

Linda Emms, principal of Emanuel School in Sydney, also detailed the harrowing impact that antisemitic attacks and the resulting ‘climate of fear’ was having on her students and school community, indicating the wellbeing of many staff had been put at risk.

The NSW inquiry committee will report by September 1.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion KC told ABC News there was an urgent need for antisemitism education in Australia.

“We’ve said again and again this needs a whole-of-community and whole-of-government response.”

When asked if the Victorian Government had done enough to stamp out the behaviour, Pearson noted it passed legislation through parliament in April to strengthen Victoria’s anti-vilification laws.

The criminal aspect of the changes, which make it easier to prove serious vilification in public, private or online, take effect on September 20.

Meanwhile, a national plan put together by antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal is being considered by the Albanese Government.

Under the wide-ranging plan, universities and artists would have funding withheld if they fail to act against antisemitism, AI tools would be banned from sharing Jewish hatred, and the Government would have new grounds to deport visitors.

Segal has also proposed that her office would “monitor” media coverage and bolster education in schools and workplaces.

The Prime Minister has indicated he is open to parts of the plan, saying some components could be implemented quickly.

“There is no place in Australia for antisemitism. The kind of hatred and violence that we have seen on our streets recently is despicable and it won’t be tolerated and I want those responsible to face the full force of the law,” Albanese said on July 11.

(With AAP)