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PeerK12 Cultural & Heritage Booth Guidance for K-12 Schools
- PEER K12
- Feb 28, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: May 8
Celebrating Diverse Identities While Uplifting Jewish & Israeli Student Voices
We believe in fostering an environment where students can learn, celebrate, and explore diverse cultural identities, including the rich and varied traditions within the Jewish community.
Cultural Night events provide an excellent opportunity for students to take pride in their unique backgrounds and to participate in hands-on learning about cultures other than their own.
Through musical or dance performances, language lessons, cooking demonstrations, and other interactive activities, these events become more than just a showcase - they’re an immersive learning experience.
However, these events must be spaces where all identities, including Jewish identities, are respected, valued, and fully represented.
Cultural Nights should not become spaces where any student’s identity, culture, or religion - particularly Jewish identity - is erased or marginalized.
At PeerK12, we offer the following guidance to ensure your event is inclusive, educational, and culturally sensitive to all students, including Jewish students and families.
Cultural Sensitivity: Creating an Inclusive Environment
Respectful Representation
Ensure all cultural presentations are free from stereotypes, oversimplifications, and most importantly: inaccuracies. Content should be age appropriate and align with the educational goals of the event.
All displays must also be fact based - not aspirational. Providing inaccurate information could place your school in danger of litigation due to violating state educational codes or federal civil rights protections.
Often, materials that appear to be age appropriate can be deceiving and so districts are encouraged to adopt a “Trust but Verify” for all materials that will be presented.
Examples of Violations:
Across the country we're seeing more and more elementary school heritage and cultural celebrations hijacked by outside groups looking to find ways to reach younger and younger audiences to indocrinate. Be on the lookout for some of these most commonly seen violations that have led to issues before, during and after these events - and even to lawsuits for serious violations to the civil rights of the Jewish and Israeli students who are most often targeted during these events:
Erasure of the State of Israel
False information about a State called “Palestine”
Falsely labeling Jerusalem as the Capital of Palestine
Indoctrination material disguised as “age appropriate” material
Political propaganda
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How to Avoid Issues & Host a Celebratory Event for All
Event Guidelines Matter - enforcing them matters more.
Avoid situations where misunderstandings can become contentious by providing clear guidelines for the event. Provide parent volunteers information on what is allowed, and also - what is NOT allowed. Any political content should be expressly forbidden. Celebrating cultural backgrounds does not need to descend into political ideologies or territorial disputes.
Don't forget to outline the consequences for violating these guidelines, and ensure you're able to provide firm and immediate enforcement on the day of the event - and throughout the event. Any deviations from your guidelines
Addressing Cultural Appropriation Concerns
It's important to clarify misconceptions about cultural appropriation. For example, Jewish students may face accusations of cultural appropriation for sharing foods like hummus - foods that are part of a broader Middle Eastern heritage shared by various cultures, including those of Jewish families who have roots in the Levant, the Middle East and North Africa.
Acknowledging this shared heritage is key to fostering mutual respect and understanding.
Celebrate the Diversity of Jewish Identity
Jewish identity is rich and varied, encompassing a wide spectrum of traditions, languages, and histories.
Avoid reducing Jewish culture to a singular experience. Make space for diverse representations of Jewish culture within your event, so that all aspects of Jewish identity are honored. This approach reflects the true diversity within the Jewish community itself.
Culture & Heritage: this is not a zero-sum game
It's essential that Jewish identity and history are never erased in the name of other cultural expressions.
For example, while Palestinian culture can be celebrated, it is crucial that it is done in a way that does not erase or negate the existence of Israel or the Jewish connection to the Land of Israel. This includes the accurate representation of the State of Israel on maps and in discussions, ensuring that Jewish students’ connection to Israel is respected.
Inclusive Preparation & Logistics
Diverse Planning Committee
Form a planning committee that includes representatives from various cultural backgrounds within your school community.
Just as there are nuances for the Jewish, Israeli and Palestinian parents, so are there are nuances for Tiwanese and Chinese parents, Indian and Pakistani parents, Turkish and Kurdish parents, etc. It's important to cast a wide net and ensure all feel welcome and celebrated.
This diversity ensures that the event will reflect the school’s varied identities and is sensitive to the unique needs of all groups, including Jewish students and families.
Choosing the Right Date
Be mindful of the calendar to avoid scheduling conflicts with major religious holidays or cultural celebrations. PeerK12 offers tools to help ensure your event doesn’t overlap with important observances, including a 5-year calendar of Jewish holidays and celebrations.
Clear Guidelines for Participants and Attendees
Ensure that all participants feel safe and supported while presenting their cultural displays. This means creating an atmosphere free from hostility or intimidation.
No student, teacher, or community member should feel uncomfortable or threatened while sharing their identity, whether Jewish, Israeli, Muslim, Palestinian, or from any other background.
Be clear about the boundaries regarding political speech, ensuring that all presentations remain respectful and focused on cultural sharing, not political statements.
Pre-Event Review
Have a designated committee member or school administrator review all presentations and displays in advance. This ensures the event remains consistent with its educational goals and does not inadvertently marginalize or misrepresent any identity, particularly Jewish or Israeli identity.
Ensure that any handouts be pre-approved and not violate any of the event or District policies and remain free from political messages, indoctrination, or inappropriate language or ideologies.
Event Signage
Only approved signage should be allowed at Cultural Night. Unapproved signage that violates event guidelines should be removed immediately.
If any participant - student, teacher, or other - violates the event guidelines, they should be asked to either remove the unapproved signage or leave the event entirely if they do not comply.
Safety and Security
Have a plan in place to address any situations where attendees do not adhere to the established guidelines. This ensures that the event remains a safe, respectful, and enriching experience for everyone.
Commitment to Inclusive Learning
At PeerK12, we are committed to creating inclusive environments that honor the diverse identities within your school community. By taking a thoughtful, culturally sensitive approach to planning and executing Cultural Night events, you can create a space where students expand their understanding of the world and each other, while ensuring that every identity - particularly Jewish identity - is respected and uplifted.
If you need additional guidance or resources to help plan your event, please reach out to PeerK12’s team. We are here to support you in fostering an environment that celebrates diversity and promotes mutual respect across all cultures.
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