Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens and spokesperson for Anti-Racism, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, responded to the launch and said the ‘so-called Social Cohesion Education Hub’ includes 24 resources on anti-Semitism, but just two on Islamophobia and one on First Nations hate.
“That isn’t social cohesion. That is creating a hierarchy of racism where some victims are seen as worthy and others are seen as an afterthought,” Faruqi said in a statement.
New classroom materials and professional tools were rolled out on Tuesday, bringing together resources focusing on dealing with discrimination, with about half dealing with anti-Semitism and future materials to be made available and updated in coming months.
The online resources comes as ACARA carries out a review of the curriculum to deal with anti-Semitism.
Advisory groups are examining the changes, which include experts in Jewish history and Holocaust education, with the review following state and territory education ministers agreeing to the move earlier in the year.
“We’ve seen this pattern over and over again. The budget included more than $600 million in anti-Semitism measures, but did not mention Islamophobia once,” Faruqi explained.
“The Government has failed to respond to the National Anti-Racism Framework, and has simply ignored the recommendations of the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia.”
The Greens powerbroker said Muslim Australians, First Nations people, and every other community of colour are facing rising and escalating racism, fuelled further by One Nation, which cannot be tackled by this selective treatment.
“When some Australians are wrapped in the protection of the Government, while others are left to weather the storm alone, and when some voices are amplified, while others are ignored, it is not going to lead to anti-racism or social cohesion.
“For the past two-and-a-half years, the Albanese Government has weaponised 'social cohesion' to silence dissent and punish voices it finds inconvenient.
“Education resources should help children challenge all racism equally and to speak out against injustice.”
The Social Cohesion Hub includes 20 lesson plans from the Sydney Jewish Museum for students in Years 9 and 10, covering Jewish life in Europe before WWII, antisemitism throughout history, the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party, propaganda and legal persecution, ghettoisation and Hitler’s 'final solution’.
Students will use survivor testimony to explore conditions in labour and death camps.
The two Islamophobia resources include a two-page brochure supporting individuals and educators to recognise, respond to, and safely challenge Islamophobia through active bystander approaches.
It explains different forms of Islamophobic behaviour, outlines the impacts on individuals and communities, and provides practical strategies for intervening in a safe and supportive way.
The other is a set of three short videos that help viewers understand and respond to Islamophobia.
The resource explains what Islamophobia is, explores the body’s physiological and emotional responses to trauma and discrimination, and offers practical mental health tools to build resilience.
There are two First Nations resources, one explores a collection of materials designed to transform educational practices and foster inclusivity and include in-depth research findings, an evidence-based teaching framework, a self-reflective survey for educators, and practical strategies for implementing culturally responsive pedagogy.
The other (referred to by Faruqi that deals with ‘hate’) includes materials which provide advice to schools on how to build and maintain harmony and enhance greater social cohesion within their community.
This includes advice on appropriate actions to take if community disharmony occurs and how to support and build the resilience of students who may be adversely impacted by local and/or international incidents.
