LMSD Stands By Free Speech After Student Pieces On Israel, Palestine

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — The Lower Merion School District is standing by its student writers after two opposing pieces were published in the student newspaper "The Merionite."

The student publication ran two pieces Thursday, one titled "There’s more to the story" and the other "Humanity’s true colors."

Ilana Zahavy, Class of 2024, penned the first piece and highlighted the history of discrimination Jewish people have faced overseas while trying to find a home, as well as the founding of the terror group Hamas.

Meanwhile, Noor Ahmad, Class of 2026, wrote the latter piece. In it, she discusses the treatment of Palesntinians by the Israeli government, alleging war crimes committed by the government against Palestinians.

With the ongoing war in Gaza and Israel, the pieces sparked controversy among the community.

"My comment—and I see this all over the place—just because you don’t agree with an opinion doesn’t automatically make that opinion 'antisemitic,'" one person wrote on social media.

"Disgusted and shocked to live in a town where literal terrorist groups are actually given airspace- this is incitement of violence against Jewish students," another wrote.

The district Thursday issued a statement regarding the competing pieces, saying it stands by the students' First Amendment rights.

"The Lower Merion School District condemns both antisemitic and anti-Islamic rhetoric and actions," the statement reads. "At the same time, as noted in District Policy 235, the District supports and values students’ First Amendment rights to free speech and free expression in publications."

The district said the pieces "solely reflect the opinions of the students who wrote them."

Zahavy's and Ahmad's parents were able to review and authorize the pieces before they were publishes, and the pieces were reviewed by The Merionite’s student editors.

"Only through free speech can we realize the vast range of perspectives and opinions on the topics we care about most deeply," the paper's editors said.

"The Lower Merion School District will continue to strive to empower student voice and agency, to promote civil discourse necessary to understanding of diverse viewpoints, and to ensure a sense of safety and belonging for all students," the district said in its statement.