Pro-Palestinian watermelon parking spot art sparks uproar in Half Hollow Hills school district

Controversy has erupted after Half Hollow Hills school officials removed the painting that a high school senior did on her school parking spot, saying it was politically charged.

A small number of seniors at Half Hollow Hills High School West who are class officers are granted a parking spot and allowed to paint it, school officials said. The female student painted a watermelon along with some Arabic writing and a message saying "peace be upon you." 

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

The issue came to a head during Monday night's school board meeting, attended by a few hundred people. Several residents said removing the watermelon image from the lot at the Dix Hills school was a violation of the student's right to free speech and an insult to Muslims. But others supported the administration's action, saying the image was offensive to Jewish people, asserting that it conveys a message against Israel.

Superintendent Patrick Harrigan said the district needs to maintain neutrality regarding controversial political matters, and an image painted on school property could be interpreted as a political statement supported by the district.

The female student, who is Muslim, did not face any disciplinary action, officials said. Newsday is not identifying the student or her family because of the sensitivities and tensions surrounding the war.

"I do not believe there was any hate on her part," Harrigan said at Monday's meeting. "Symbols can be interpreted differently by different people."

Student expression in spotlight

The district does not have a specific policy on what can be painted in the parking spots, officials said. District officials pointed to its existing policy on student expression.

That policy states: "Students’ expression which either is forecasted to cause or actually causes a substantial disruption and/or which materially interferes with school activities or rights of others is not constitutionally protected speech."

In the past, paintings on parking spots have included flags of countries, multicolored hearts and smiley face emoji, officials said.

Waiel Hussein, a parent in the district, praised the student's painting as a nonviolent message of peace and solidarity. He asserted that the administration's removal of it was an infringement of the student's right to free expression and discriminatory against Muslims.

"This was not a case of a student engaging in harmful or violent expression," Hussein said at the meeting.

The student's father said his daughter was "emotionally distraught" after administrators painted over the image. He said school officials owe her a public apology. 

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

The student herself rose to speak, saying she felt humiliated.

"I stand 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 by many.

Hayaa Beig, 19, a former district student, addressing the school board, said the student "took a stand for something she knows to be right, and we are here with her in solidarity, and you are on the other side. To that I say, 'Shame.'"

Shouts of support, opposition

Several people spoke in support of the district removing the watermelon image, saying that since the attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, the image has become increasingly controversial and has political dimensions that speak against Israel.

Hamas' attack on Israel killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. The Israeli military operation has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians in the Gaza strip, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

"It is a red flag. It is deliberately provocative and it is inflammatory," said David Rosenburg, who has two children who graduated from the school system. "Why doesn't the student apologize?"

His remarks were met with shouts of support and opposition, at which point board president Diana Acampora said to all, "Kindly mind your manners."

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

"There are symbols, such as the watermelon, that have become politicized and infused and supercharged with a meaning that is hateful, divisive and offensive," said the letter, which a woman read during the meeting.

The letter continued, "The intent of this symbol is to have advocates of geopolitical forces negate the sovereign country of Israel. In a school setting, this often leads to others confronting not only Israeli-born students but demonstrating anger and resentment against Jewish students."

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

"I think we need to have more dialogue between the groups, and understanding to what they're feeling in this situation and how the other side is feeling," she said.