The TUV has said that “classrooms should not become platforms for political causes” after teachers in Northern Ireland staged pro-Palestinian demonstrations today.

Images circulated on social media showing teachers holding Palestine flags outside school buildings in Co Antrim as part of a day of action called by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

The group called The Belfast Jewish Community had criticised the planned action in advance, with chairman Neville Finch saying the protests were “a disgrace” and “an attempt to inculcate our children with hatred and division in a supposedly neutral and safe space”.

Now TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston has said that “I intend to table a series of questions to the education minister in the coming days” over the matter.

placeholder image — Timothy Gaston at Stormont buildings, Belfast; he has pledged to quiz the education minister Paul Givan over pro-Palestine protests at schools (Mark Marlow/PA Wire)

He said that the call for teachers to join in with lunchtime vigils “crosses a line”, adding “this is clearly participation in a highly controversial international political campaign during the working day and within school grounds”.

He said: “It is entirely inappropriate that pupils and teachers should be involved in protests on school property on such a divisive political issue.

"Schools must be environments of learning, neutrality and professionalism – not stages for demonstrations.

“Parents are rightly alarmed. No child should feel that their school or their teachers are taking a side in a foreign conflict, nor should any teacher feel pressured by their union to engage in political symbolism while at work.

"The education system cannot be used as a vehicle for political signalling.

“I will be asking the minister what guidance exists to uphold political impartiality in our schools, whether unions have been reminded of the boundaries of appropriate conduct during school hours and what safeguards are being put in place to ensure pupils are not drawn into protests or displays of solidarity organised by staff.

"“Classrooms should not become platforms for political causes no matter how strongly some may feel about them.

"It is the duty of the department to keep our schools free from politicisation, pressure and activism.”

His comments were put to the Department of Education, headed by DUP minister Paul Givan, but no response had been received at time of writing.

They were also put to teaching union NASUWT, which had asked its members to consider taking part, but this likewise met with no response at time of writing.

Earlier this week, Sinn Fein – alongside the Alliance Party – had succeeded in blocking a unionist attempt at a meeting of the Executive to end a ban on officials at Stormont’s Department of the Economy being involved in trade talks with Israel, which was put in place by Sinn Fein minister Caoimhe Archibald in protest over the state’s treatment of Palestinians.

As of November 20, the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported 69,513 people killed and 170,745 injured as a result of Israeli action since October 7.

Meanwhile about 1,670 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed (the bulk of them on October 7, followed by at least 471 soldiers since then in its ground operation in Gaza).

Meanwhile essentially all two million people in the Gaza Strip fled their homes as a result of the Israeli bombardment.