Bellaire High School in Houston, Texas published a controversial page in their yearbook that dismissed the October 7 terror attack on Israel. The principal of the school, Michael Niggli, expressed surprise at the content and said a new version of the yearbook would be printed without the offensive page. The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and over 240 hostages taken, with 128 remaining in captivity. Niggli announced that new editorial protocols would be enforced to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The original yearbook page featured an Arab student’s account of the Israel-Gaza conflict, where the student appeared to downplay the significance of the October 7 attack. The student was quoted as saying, “What happened happened,” and highlighted the motivation for pro-Palestine movements that emerged after the attack. Palestine is not recognized as a self-governing state by the US or other major world powers. Concerned Bellaire High School parent Yafit Bar, whose brother was killed in Israel following the Hamas terrorist attack, shared a photo of the controversial yearbook page and expressed personal disappointment.
During the October 7 attack, brutal Hamas terrorists have been accused of committing acts of sexual violence, including gang rape against civilians. In response to the controversy, an Instagram page called “protest.bellaire.now2024” encouraged students to walk out of class on May 11 in opposition to the principal’s decision to remove the page from the yearbook. The students felt that Niggli’s actions undermined their voices and hindered free speech. Niggli did not respond to requests for comment from the media regarding the yearbook issue.
Principal Niggli announced that new editorial protocols would be enforced for all student publications going forward to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The school is also working on providing a revised version of the 2024 yearbook for students who may wish to acquire it. Bellaire High School aims to create an environment where all voices are heard and respected. The controversy surrounding the yearbook page reflects a contentious issue of political and social conflict that continues to be a sensitive topic globally.
