NOVEMBER 9 • 2023 | 29
J
N

A 

group of Bloomfield Hills High 
School students organized and 
participated in a “Students 
Organized for Palestine” walkout out-
side Bloomfield Hills High School on 
Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 25. The 
walkout was publicized in the Arab 
American News. 
Reportedly, 20 to 40 students partici-
pated in the walkout/demonstration on 
school property. School officials would 
not confirm the number or exact location 
of the walk. 
The school issued this statement 
through Karen Huyghe, communications 
director for Bloomfield Hills Schools: 
“
A small number of Bloomfield Hills 
High School students participated in a 
nationwide walkout, which was not a 
school-related or sponsored activity. Our 
commitment to the education of our stu-
dents across all of our buildings remains 
our top priority. As we do each day, our 
schools will address any disruptions to 
learning. Our district will continue to 
support all of our students, while focus-
ing on student learning and safety. This 
was not a school-sanctioned event and 
took place outside of the school. BHHS 
will be addressing any issues of inappro-

priate conduct/behavior by our students, 
according to our code of conduct.”
A group of Jewish parents within the 
Bloomfield Hills School District formally 
complained to school officials about the 
walkout, claiming that Jewish students 
feel unsafe at the high school. School 
officials said they could not discuss indi-
vidual disciplinary measures but that 
participants could be subject to potential 
violations of the school code of conduct. 
The Council on American-Islamic 
Relations-Michigan Chapter has claimed 
that students who participated in the 
walkout were improperly questioned by 
school authorities and that one student 
who refused to answer questions was 
suspended. CAIR-MI said that the Arabic 
and Muslim students’ free speech rights 
were being violated and that they felt 
threatened at school. 

The “Students Organized for Palestine” 
also issued “demands” that the school 
board and administration review and 
potentially divest from any arms man-
ufacturers in the Bloomfield Hills 
Schools Endowment; approve “Students 
Organized for Palestine” as an official 
school club; and “commit to decolonize 
the curriculum made in ‘Resolution to 

Eradicate Racism’ and a review of human-
ities courses to provide an ‘unbiased his-
tory of the Palestinian territories.’”

A few days before the walkout, the 
Muslim Student Association, one of the 
school’s officially recognized student 
organizations, posted a notice that keffi-
yehs would be sold the next day at school 
during lunchtime. Keffiyehs are black and 
white patterned cloths worn as scarves 
or head coverings by some Palestinians 
and their supporters. The post was quick-
ly removed when school officials saw 
it because they had not approved it in 
advance and only “school spirit” items 
can be sold at the school.
A student-organized Diversity Day held 
at Bloomfield Hills High School earlier 
this year included a local Palestinian 
activist as a speaker. Her critical and 
one-sided remarks about Israel and the 
Palestinians were very troubling to some 
Jewish students. 
Complaints from parents and local 
Jewish organizations led to push back 
from Arab-American parents and sev-
eral highly charged community meet-
ings. Subsequently, the Bloomfield Hills 
High School principal resigned and was 
replaced. 

Pro-Palestinian students organize small protest 
at Bloomfield Hills High School.

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

High School Walkout

Bloomfield Hills 
High School