This commentary is by Habib Meiloud of central Vermont.
I recently learned about bill H.310 and find it troubling on multiple levels. Mainly, it’s a seemingly purposeful attempt to conflate anti-Zionism and critique of the State of Israel with antisemitism.
Not only is this comparison false, but it is also extremely concerning when considered in the context of education.
To be clear, I fully support mandating that the Holocaust be taught in every single Vermont school. I take issue with the attempt to infringe on students’ rights to critique a state.
There is no other country in the world where the critique of its policies is so easily twisted into hate speech against its people.
If I critique the state of Ethiopia for its slaughter of the Tigray people, am I considered to be racist? Of course not — because there is a difference between critiquing those in power and discrimination against people.
Every Vermont student should be able to discuss openly their thoughts and opinions on Israel or any other country. Stifling warranted conversation is not the solution to the rise in antisemitism that we have seen. The way we fight that antisemitism and all hate is by education and discussion.
There has never been a case where restricting speech on a political matter to such a degree has gone well.
I recognize, however, that a discussion without a solid educational foundation can easily become hateful. So I would hope that supporters of this bill would also support having students have a full education of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and not starting on Oct. 7, 2023, but rather in 1917, the year of the Balfour Declaration. That way, students can understand the nuances of the conversation.
However, H.310 does not accomplish that goal. All it does is start to set up Vermont’s students to become complacent in the face of national acts, out of fear of retribution.
Is this the lesson we want to signal to our kids? Can that adversity only be solved by forceful legislation? If that is not what you want, then do not support H.310.
