Sydney Careers Adviser Sues School Over Keffiyeh Ban, Citing Racial Discrimination

A Palestinian careers adviser has filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the New South Wales government after allegedly being told to remove his keffiyeh at Sydney Girls High School. Wasim El-Haj claims the school's acting principal deemed the garment a symbol that "may cause discord."

El-Haj alleges this directive in 2024 constitutes unlawful conduct under the Racial Discrimination Act. The lawsuit asserts that the keffiyeh, a traditional Arab headdress, was perceived by school administration as a symbol of conflict, leading to the demand for its removal. The case is now proceeding in federal court.