Australian high schoolers staging school walkouts in support of Palestine are unfazed by calls from politicians to remain in class.
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School Strike for Palestine events encourage students to walk out and unite to "demand an end to the war on Gaza".
The Melbourne event on November 23 has drawn backlash from politicians, including Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, and members of the Jewish community.
But Melbourne year 11 student Ivy, who helped establish School Students for Palestine, said the response from politicians including the Premier had "made it even clearer that it's right to strike now".
"We won't let people in the same parties supporting Israel's crimes tell us what to do," she said.
Ivy said students had been silenced on the issue in schools.
"We are walking out because there's a genocide happening right now and we have to take action," she said.
Earlier in the week Ms Allan reiterated her expectation that students remain in class on the day, and said the best place for those wanting to learn about global events was school.
It followed an open letter from a "concerned community member" sent to Premier Allan and her deputy, Education Minister Ben Carroll, with more than 6000 signatures, calling for a forceful stance against the protest.
"The rally will only heighten the conflict in our broader community and increase fear among our youngest Jewish community members, our children," the letter said.
"Most students in Victorian schools will not have a direct connection or a comprehensive (if any) understanding of the attacks on Israel and war in Gaza," the letter said.
Melbourne parent Jo Hope, whose year 11 daughter Audra is coordinating a mass walkout at the inner-city Princess Hill High School, supported students' right to protest.
"Young people are often presented as being naive or ignorant and shouldn't have an opinion when it comes to politics - I disagree," she said.
"This moment in history is creating their future, they have every right to protest so that their voices are heard."
A similar event is planned on the same day in Adelaide at Parliament House, while student strikes in Sydney and Wollongong are poised for November 24.
A NSW Department of Education spokesperson said, "Friday is a school day and students are expected to attend unless they have a legitimate reason to be absent".
The School Strike for Palestine events in Australia follow similar action from students in England and at US colleges.
