Wonder Hlongwa
A war of words has erupted between the head of Crawford College in Johannesburg and the Muslim parents of a suspended 14- year-old girl.
Layla Cassim, a grade eight pupil at the mostly Jewish college, was suspended because of an essay her history teacher asked to her write about the conflict in the Middle East.
The college claimed Layla has been suspended because of her “behavioural problems”.
Layla’s essay was considered by some pupils to be anti-Semitic. The Jewish Board of Deputies has, however, judged that the essay contained no anti- Semitism.
The Cassim family received threats from the Jewish Defence League (JDL) in response to the essay. The group has since apologised to the family.
JDL representative Frank Startz said his group had been deliberately misled by employees at Crawford College and encouraged to take action against Layla’s family. He added that the JDL will investigate the instigators’ “devious motives”.
Layla has been forced to write her year- end examinations in isolation at the college’s Braamfontein campus.
Her parents said Rod Conacher, the college principal, had accused Layla in the Sunday Times of having “pathological behavioural problems”.
They claim the “problems are with the disgruntled pupils who have continually harassed Layla for what she wrote in her assignment”.
Layla’s father, Hassan Cassim, wrote to Conacher this week, accusing him of applying double standards to the issue: “I have repeatedly written to you that Layla was being harassed by a group of pupils, who, according to your senior staff members, are known `trouble- makers’. You chose to ignore this constant stream of harassment. You failed to act against the members of your staff who physically abused Layla – despite your knowledge of this.”
Layla has requested a meeting with and explanation from Conacher about his statements to the press.
Conacher has denied all allegations, saying the issue does not deserve public debate. “I find it offensive that I’m accused of unfair and extreme things like these,” he said. “I want to emphatically deny the JDL got information about Layla’s essay from my staff.”