Fact check
“Wasim El‑Haj alleges that the acting principal told him that the keffiyeh may cause discord.”
Reasoning
The Guardian articles quote El‑Haj's statement that the acting principal told him the keffiyeh could cause discord, and that he was instructed to stop wearing it for that reason. The claim matches these reports.
On confidence: Multiple primary news sources directly report El‑Haj's allegation that the acting principal said the keffiyeh may cause discord.
Important context
The claim concerns El‑Haj's allegation, not a confirmed statement by the principal. The evidence reflects El‑Haj's account as reported in reputable news coverage.
Evidence
Supporting (2)
- Tier 1 — Primary sourcePalestinian careers adviser who was allegedly told to stop wearing keffiyeh at NSW school sues state for racial discrimination | New South Wales | The Guardian
free of symbols which stir these emotions, and which may cause discord.” Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email El-Haj alleges that in a further conversation with Denyer he said words to the effect of “any symbol of Palestine is…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourcePalestinian careers adviser who was allegedly told to stop wearing keffiyeh at NSW school sues state for racial discrimination | New South Wales | The Guardian
government school ordered him to stop wearing symbolic garment as it ‘may cause discord’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Adeshola Ore Community affairs…
Limitations
The evidence is limited to media reporting of El‑Haj's allegation; there is no independent verification of the principal's exact words.
- Last verified:
- Sep 27, 2026, 4:52 AM CDT
- Pipeline:
- 2.1.0
- Claim type:
- Factual
Where this claim appeared
Palestinian careers adviser who was allegedly told to stop wearing keffiyeh at NSW school sues state for racial discriminationThe Guardian · Adeshola Ore Community affairs reporter