Italian school faces ministry inspection over Gaza march promotion on online register

In Novi Ligure, Amaldi high school posted a message on its electronic register promoting a march in Alessandria that would display a "Shroud of Gaza" bearing the names of children killed in the war. The announcement triggered criticism from right-wing politicians, prompting the Piedmont school office to order a Ministry of Education inspection to verify whether the school improperly used its official platform to call students to a political demonstration, a possible breach of professional conduct.

Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara emphasized that schools must foster critical thinking and reject indoctrination. School head Michele Maranzana asserted that the school neither organized nor financed the event, describing it as a civil-society initiative held outside school hours, and blamed the online wording on a drafting mistake. He clarified that no official school trip was planned, only voluntary logistical support from some teachers for participants who chose to attend. Regional Forza Italia councilor Davide Buzzi Langhi and Lega leader Riccardo Molinari backed the inspection, while PD deputy Federico Fornaro defended the school's position.