Pro-Palestine Watermelon Artwork Sparks Outcry in Half Hollow Hills School District

Controversy has erupted after Half Hollow Hills School officials removed a painting a high school senior painted in her school’s parking lot, saying it was politically charged.

A small group of Half Hollow Hills West High School seniors, who are class leaders, were given a parking spot and allowed to paint it, school officials said. The student painted a watermelon with Arabic writing and a message that read “peace be upon you.”

The image of a watermelon has become an increasingly popular symbol of solidarity with Palestinians as the war between Israel and Hamas continues. The watermelon features the colors — red, white and green — of the Palestinian flag. After some people complained about the painting, the district painted over the watermelon image last week, authorities said.

The issue came to a head at Monday night’s school board meeting, attended by a few hundred people. Several residents said removing the watermelon image from the Dix Hills school grounds was a violation of the student’s right to free speech and an insult to Muslims. But others supported the administration’s decision, saying the image was offensive to Jews and said it sent a message against Israel.

Superintendent Patrick Harrigan said the district must maintain neutrality on controversial political issues and that an image painted on school property could be interpreted as a political statement supported by the district.

The student, who is Muslim, was not disciplined, authorities said. Newsday declined to identify the student or her family because of war-related sensitivities and tensions.

“I don’t think she had any hate,” Harrigan said at Monday’s meeting. “Symbols can be interpreted differently by different people.”

Student expression in the spotlight

District officials do not have a specific policy on what can be painted on parking spaces. They pointed to the district’s existing policy on student expression.

This policy states: “Student expression that is likely to cause or does cause substantial disruption and/or materially interferes with school operations or the rights of others is not constitutionally protected speech.”

In the past, parking lot paint jobs have included country flags, multi-colored hearts and smiling emojis, officials said.

Waiel Hussein, a parent in the district, praised the student’s painting as a nonviolent message of peace and solidarity. He said the administration’s removal of the painting was an attack on the student’s right to freedom of expression and discrimination against Muslims.

“This is not a case of a student engaging in harmful or violent speech,” Hussein said at the meeting.

The student’s father said his daughter was “emotionally distraught” after administrators covered up the image. He added that school officials owed her a public apology.

“We stand for peace,” he said to applause, adding that he was proud of his daughter.

The student herself stood up to speak, saying she felt humiliated.

“I am here today to express my deep disappointment and betrayal of this school district,” she said.

She said she would never discriminate against anyone because of their religion. She received a standing ovation from many in the audience.

Hayaa Beig, 19, a former student in the district, speaking to the school board, said the student “took a stand for something she knows is right, and we’re here with her in solidarity, and you’re on the other side. To that, I say, ‘Shame.'”

Cries of support and opposition

Several people spoke out in favor of the district’s removal of the watermelon image, saying that since Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, the image has become increasingly controversial and has political dimensions that speak against Israel.

The Hamas attack on Israel left 1,200 dead and 250 taken hostage. The Israeli military operation killed more than 41,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

“This is a red flag. It’s deliberately provocative and it’s inflammatory,” said David Rosenburg, whose two children graduated from the school system. “Why doesn’t the student apologize?”

His remarks were met with cries of support and opposition, so much so that board chair Diana Acampora told everyone: “Mind your manners.”

The district also received a joint letter from two local Jewish community leaders, Rabbi Howard Buechler of Dix Hills Jewish Center and Rabbi Susie Heneson Moskowitz of Temple Beth Torah in Melville. Together, the institutions represent about 1,300 local families, the rabbis said.

“There are symbols, like the watermelon, that have become politicized, imbued and overloaded with hateful, divisive and offensive meaning,” said the letter, which a woman read at the meeting.

The letter continues: “The purpose of this symbol is to incite advocates of geopolitical forces to deny the sovereignty of the country of Israel. In a school context, this often leads others to attack not only Israeli-born students, but also to express anger and resentment toward Jewish students.”

Amy Rosenes Tuckman Davidson, 61, of Melville, who has two children who graduated from the system, said the watermelon symbol offends Jews.

“I think we need to have more dialogue between the groups and understand how they feel about this situation and how the other side feels,” she said.