By: Corbett Gildersleve, News Writer
On May 10, youth, teachers, and parents from Parents 4 Palestine Vancouver rallied at Grandview Park about the need to include Palestinian history in the BC curriculum. Around 75–100 people gathered with Palestinian flags, signs, and banners, listening to opening speeches by organizers and a young Palestinian girl who also led people in practice chants. The group also marched down Commercial Drive to Queen Victoria Annex Elementary.
The Nakba — meaning “catastrophe” — refers to the history of “mass displacement and dispossession” of “more than half of the Palestinian population” from their homes and land as of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. 77 years later, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) estimates that more than five million Palestinian refugees exist across the Middle East, reflecting the “ongoing injustice suffered by the Palestinians.” In December 1948, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the refugees to return to their homes and receive compensation and property restitution. However, Palestinians have been continually denied these things to the present day.
“We need to understand the truth — the truth about our history and especially as it connects today — to understand what’s going on in the Middle East.” — Nicole Spencer, organizer, Parents 4 Palestine
The Peak attended the rally and interviewed Nicole Spencer, a Parents 4 Palestine Vancouver organizer and member of Independent Jewish Voices, to learn more about the group’s demands. Spencer stated that since last year, Parents 4 Palestine Vancouver has advocated for this history to be taught. Their petition, through Action Network, specifically calls on the BC Ministry of Education and Child Care to include the Nakba in social studies classes in public school curricula. The petition notes that “students are asking critical questions — but classrooms lack the historical context needed to answer,” and teachers lack the tools to do so. Spencer added, “We need to understand the truth — the truth about our history and especially as it connects today — to understand what’s going on in the Middle East.”
The ministry told The Peak that between April and June 2024, they “held several engagement meetings with community groups and education partners.” After receiving feedback, such as to include the creation of Israel and Palestinian genocide in schools, the ministry stated they “will expand the grade 10 social studies curriculum in the 2025–26 school year,” focusing more “on discriminatory policies and injustices to racialized and marginalized groups in BC and around the world.” They also stated that teachers “have the professional autonomy to teach topics that fit within the curriculum.”
When asked if there’s a risk to the Nakba not being taught, Spencer said, “Absolutely, of misinformation, that people don’t know the reality of what’s happening, and that’s dangerous because we see the danger and the violence that’s happening right now.” Spencer highlighted that she didn’t learn about residential schools when she was younger, but is grateful that her children learn about it now. With the petition asking for an elementary and secondary school curriculum change, Spencer spoke about age-appropriate ways to learn about Palestine’s history and the impacts of the Nakba. One example they gave was Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine, written by Hannah Moushabeck and illustrated by Reem Madooh. This illustrated autobiographical book, meant for ages 4–8, tells of a father recalling his memories of the old city of Jerusalem to his three daughters. It is a place “they cannot visit,” but “will always return” to through his memory.
“It’s important for me to know what happened to my people, because I want to feel proud, and I want everyone in school to know what Palestine is.” — Palestinian child at the rally
When asked about people being concerned that the Nakba is too heavy for young kids, Spencer said, “We have to recognize how skilled educators are at knowing how to teach these things in a way that’s safe for everyone.” For instance, with regards to residential schools, teachers can use resources provided by the First Nations Education Steering Committee for grades 5, 10, 11, and 12 to teach their students.
The march from Grandview Park was energetic, with regular chants led by Palestinian youth. These chants ranged from “BC government hear our call, teach the Nakba to us all!” and “Teach, teach Palestine!” to “We don’t want no two-state, take us back to ‘48!” Their chants also included “One, two, three, four, genocide is not a war!” along with calls for a free Palestine. The march was escorted by Vancouver police, who blocked off traffic at intersections. When the marchers arrived at the elementary school, tents were set up for kid activities, including buttonmaking, face painting, and snacks.
Additional speakers read youth-written poems, shared their experiences as teachers, Jews, and Palestinians. A Palestinian child shared, “It’s important for the world to know about Palestine because it happened to my family. It’s important for me to know what happened to my people because I want to feel proud, and I want everyone in school to know what Palestine is. Then they will help, they will speak up, and one day Palestine will be free, if we teach one kid at a time about Palestine.”
