BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI — On Wednesday, October 25th, at 2:15 p.m., Students Organized for Palestine, a student-led group at Bloomfield Hills High School will be participating in the nationwide walkout for Palestine in front of the school’s main entrance. The group released the following statement on Tuesday, alongside several student-led clubs:

In less than three weeks, the Israeli apartheid regime has ruthlessly taken the lives of over 5,000 residents of Gaza, with nearly half of them being innocent children. This relentless bombing campaign has left millions of Palestinians displaced, and the near-total blockade imposed by Israel on essential resources — water, food, fuel and electricity — has created an unbearable humanitarian crisis. The actions of the Israeli Offense Force (IOF) amount to egregious war crimes under international law, yet we continue to witness support from President Biden for this regime.

Our district has a regrettable history of suppressing Palestinian voices, turning a blind eye to instances of anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and Islamophobic hate speech, and undermining the Palestinian struggle for liberation. Now, more than ever, we must stand in solidarity with the Palestinian resistance and denounce our district’s complicity in Israeli Apartheid. Join us on Wednesday, October 25th, at 2:10 pm in front of the Main Entrance, as we take part in the nationwide walkout for Palestine.

We demand the following of the BHS administration:

1. Conduct an immediate review of the Bloomfield Hills Schools Foundation’s endowment and commit to divestment from weapons’ manufacturers which arm Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

2. Expeditiously approve the formation of Students Organized for Palestine as an official club at BHHS to allow Palestinian students and allies to form safe spaces, celebrate their shared culture and advance awareness about the Palestinian struggle.

3. Follow through on the commitment to decolonize the curriculum made in the Resolution to Eradicate Racism (passed by the BOE in June 2020), by conducting a district-wide revision of humanities courses to accurately present an impartial, unbiased portrayal of the history of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. This revision must be done in consultation with experts in postcolonial studies as well as students from both Palestinian and Israeli backgrounds. Teachers must be given access to comprehensive training guides as well as professional development on anti-oppressive teaching.

If you have any inquiries, contact bhhs.sop@gmail.com.