Largest US teachers union sends 3M members map that completely ‘erases’ Israel: ‘Inexcusable lapse’

 From the New York Post, reporter Anna Young. Full article here.

Note all our MCPS teachers are members of the MCEA, which is part of the National Education (NEA).

The nation’s largest teachers union reportedly sent its roughly 3 million members a sickening email containing a map that erased Israel “completely” and labeled it as Palestine.

The National Education Association sent the email Friday providing its members with resources for “teaching about indigenous peoples” that included the disturbing map, the North American Values Institute told the Jewish News Syndicate.

Opinion: Antisemitism’s newest safe space: Teachers’ unions

Opinion piece by Kenneth L. Marcus of The Brandeis Center, in The Hill. To read the entire story go here.

At Nysmith School in Virginia, three Jewish siblings were expelled after their parents notified the headmaster about the relentless antisemitic bullying faced by one of the daughters. 

At Concord-Carlisle High School in Massachusetts, students gave Nazi salutes in school hallways, divided themselves into teams called “Team Auschwitz” and “Team Hamas” during athletic games, drew swastikas in notebooks and on school property and told Jewish students to “go to the gas chamber.” 

At Etiwanda School District in California, a 12-year-old Jewish student was beaten by another student, and when she called for help, she was told to “shut [her] stupid Jewish ass up.”

You have likely seen the recent onslaught of antisemitism in K-12 schools. But is it surprising that Jewish and Israeli K-12 students are experiencing antisemitism in schools, when so many teachers unions are promoting antisemitic curricula and engaging in anti-Israel political advocacy?

Nor should it be surprising that, across the country, Jewish teachers are facing the same antisemitism, only from their own peers, employers and the very people who are supposed to be protecting them from this kind of harassment in the first place — their unions.

In many instances, teachers unions play a role in curriculum development, resolve disputes between teachers and administrators and address issues related to school resources. Unions are also the bargaining representative of teachers.

As such, federal labor law imposes on a union the legal duty to fairly represent all its employees. Unions cannot choose to favor one protected identity over another or facilitate discrimination against a group of its members.

Antisemitism at the National Education Association (NEA) Conference

This disturbing post is from an educator who attended the National Education Association (NEA) annual conference, the Representative Assembly (RA), held this year in Portland, Oregon, July 3rd - July 6th. Our Montgomery County MCEA union belongs to the NEA. Jewish educators are grappling with this new reality as they begin to confront the antisemitism in the NEA.

🚨What I Witnessed at the NEA RA in Portland Shook Me to My Core🚨

Just returned from the NEA Representative Assembly. While our Long Beach delegation (with one glaring exception) was full of passionate, dedicated educators 💪🍎—what I saw from the broader body was one of the most disturbing things I’ve ever experienced.

Let me be clear:

➡️ 7,000+ educators unanimously voted to honor AAPI Month and National Day of the Black Educator (as they should).

➡️ Then immediately debated—yes, debated—whether Jewish American Heritage Month was even worth recognizing.

Nearly HALF the room gleefully and loudly voted against it. Against including Jews in their “inclusive” vision. Against recognizing a community that’s faced thousands of years of persecution and is currently under attack globally.

😔 I saw people line up, prepared, wearing keffiyehs, clad in Palestine flags, wearing shirts accusing Jews of genocide—eager to speak against anything Jewish. They weren’t improvising. These were coordinated, rehearsed lies. Hardly an Amerian flag to be seen. A sea of Palestine.

🙏 While I felt safe in my small corner of the convention—surrounded by respectful and inclusive delegates from Long Beach and suburban L.A. County—many of my Jewish friends did not.

Educators from Oregon, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Maryland, New Jersey, and Illinois did not feel safe in their assigned sections and had to find other places to sit—near friends and allies. 🤝

There were tears. Panic attacks. Silent breakdowns.

But also hugs. Strength. Unshakable solidarity. 💔❤️

Thank God for the NEA Jewish Affairs Caucus and our allies who worked relentlessly behind the scenes—using convention rules—to keep them from getting microphones. But on Day 3… we couldn’t stop them.

They were READY. And the room voted to:

❌ Ban the ADL

📉 Discredit antisemitism statistics in schools

🚫 Silence Jewish voices under the false label of “racism”

Delegates CHEERED. They CLAPPED. They DANCED.

Some even CELEBRATED the murder of a Jewish American in Colorado.

I was stunned. Heartbroken. Horrified.

This is what too many educators—those we trust to teach our children—are modeling. Hatred dressed as activism. Exclusion masquerading as justice. 👎

I now understand what Jews in Berlin, Munich, or Düsseldorf must have felt in 1936. You think, “It can’t happen here.” But it is happening here. 🇺🇸

If America falls, there’s nowhere left. Much of the Western world is already unsafe for Jews.

We must speak out. We must fight back against this normalized hate. We must demand better from our institutions—especially those shaping the next generation.

Silence is complicity.

#StopAntisemitism #NEA #CTA #JewishVoicesMatter #EducationNotHate #NeverAgain ✡️ #Neajac  #ctajac

Antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ+ graffiti at Whitman High School

Antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ+ graffiti was smeared on Whitman High School property this past Monday, August 19th. Yesterday the principal, Mr. Miller, sent out this letter. The Board of Education has not commented.

Statement from the Montgomery County Jewish Educators Alliance Leadership on Antisemitic Graffitti at Four MCPS Schools

Antisemitic graffiti was smeared on five MCPS schools over the past few days. This statement is from the Montgomery County Jewish Educators Alliance (MCJEA) Leadership, August 19, 2024.

For the faculty and staff of MCPS, as in schools across the country, the first day of pre-service week should be a day full of excitement, promise, and potential. Sadly, MCJEA Leadership was horrified to hear that today's pre-service kickoff was marred by hateful, antisemitic, and anti-LGBTQ graffiti at four MCPS schools: Churchill HS, Wootton HS, Fallsmead ES, and Strathmore ES.

There is a time and place for respectful discourse about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, October 7, and the ensuing war in Gaza. MCPS should strive to provide safe spaces for these conversations. Unfortunately, vandalism of this nature prevents us from achieving this goal. It sends a clear message to Jewish and Israeli staff and students: you are not safe and you are not welcome. Not as teachers, students, faculty, or families. The perpetrators of this act chose four MCPS schools known to have a significant number of Jewish students and staff. This was not an accident. It was a deliberate choice to target the Montgomery County Jewish community in its own backyard. This is a clear act of antisemitism.

Earlier this month, MCJEA leadership requested a meeting with Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor. We are pleased that Dr. Taylor agreed to meet with us, and tonight we sent him a message requesting an expedited meeting date. We look forward to collaborating with Dr. Taylor and his team to fight antisemitism within MCPS, and to ensure that students, families, and staff of all identities and backgrounds are protected, welcomed, and embraced. 

-MCJEA Leadership: Sheila Berlinger, Brenda Green, Rebecca Kotok, Ilyssa Weiss, Lisa Miller

MCPS spent ~$160,000 of tax dollars to prep BOE President Karla Silvestre. 11 lawyers, 56 days' work

 In The Daily Mail, reporter James Reinl. Full story here. Yellow highlights my own.

Schools EXPOSED for spending $160K on lawyers to spin antisemitism problem, not textbooks

One of America's biggest school districts spent $157,000 of taxpayer's money to prepare a board member to speak about its antisemitism problem, casting doubt on its commitment to education, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), a sprawling Maryland district of some 210 K-12 schools in the Washington DC suburbs, spent the money on lawyers to ready education board president Karla Silvestre for a congressional grilling.

And:

A public records request by Parents Defending Education (PDE) shows how the district spent $156,987 on 11 lawyers from top firm Venable for 56 days' work from March through May, ahead of the House subcommittee hearing on May 8.

More antisemitism, this time at Pyle Middle School

 From the principal today, April 26:

ZOA Files Title VI Complaint Against Montgomery County Public Schools

 From ZOA.org:

The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has filed a civil rights complaint against Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), alleging severe, persistent and pervasive antisemitism in the schools that district officials have failed to address, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.  The complaint, against Maryland’s largest school district, was filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) today.

 

The ZOA’s complaint documents years of antisemitic harassment and intimidation endured by Jewish students and staff, including the following: 

 

• Ethnic slurs, such as “Jewish f—k,” “Jew-boy” and Hey, Jew”; “Heil Hitler” salutes; and Jewish “jokes” from peers that recommend that Jewish students should be put in a concentration camp. One Jewish student was recently told that Hitler had not done enough and that he should go back to Israel. 

• School property throughout the district has been defaced with swastikas.

• In December 2022, the entrance sign at one MCPS high school was vandalized with the words, “Jews Not Welcome.” The day before, several staff members at the high school received antisemitic email messages.

• School staff who have publicly denied the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, and who have publicly called for Israel’s elimination are tolerated and remain in teaching positions in the district. MCPS retained a staff member who promoted the lie that “Palestinians are being killed and their organs are being sold.”  MCPS hired this staff member as a “diversity, equity and inclusion” teacher.

• Student “pro-Palestinian” walkouts at MCPS high schools after the Hamas massacre disrupted school operations and caused many Jewish students to stay away from school out of fear for their safety. School officials tolerated the walkouts and remained silent even after student protesters at these walkouts legitimized and encouraged violence and terrorism against Jews and Israelis and called for Israel’s destruction.

• At one MCPS high school, the organizers of the “pro-Palestinian” walkout posted on social media that “There is no country called Israel” and “‘Israel’ is a group of Zionist Jewish people from all over the world & dont [sic] have a state.” The organizers also openly called for Israel’s elimination, posting, “We want liberation, we want our lands back.  All of PALESTINE.  From the river to the sea.”  School officials not only failed to condemn the conduct; they allowed the walkout to proceed and disrupt classes, and later commended the protesters for “demonstrating peacefully.”

• At another high school walkout in MCPS, a faculty member overheard one student say, “We should bring Hitler back,” and another student say, “Kill the Jews.” After being alerted to the antisemitic comments and threat, the principal failed even to alert the community or condemn the comments.  Instead, the principal praised the protesters for their “fantastic job.”  Moreover, MCPS retaliated against the faculty member who reported the antisemitic comments and threat, by knowingly making false accusations against her and baselessly sanctioning her.

• MCPS retaliated against other staff members after they raised concerns about antisemitism in their schools.

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein and Director of ZOA’s Center for Law and Justice, Susan B. Tuchman, Esq., stated, “The ZOA’s complaint is based on horrifying reports from parents and teachers about the antisemitism that MCPS officials have known about for years and have failed to address.  Their indifference and inaction are a stark contrast to how vigilantly district officials have responded when other ethnic and racial groups were targeted.

“Members of the MCPS community have spent years trying to resolve the antisemitism in their school district. They’ve asked for district officials to speak out forcefully against antisemitism, to appropriately discipline perpetrators, and to provide students and staff with the training they need to understand how antisemitism is expressed today and how to respond to it effectively.  But these community members have largely been met with indifference and even hostility from district officials.

“We are grateful to the many community members who came forward to share their painful experiences with us.  And we are hoping that the Office for Civil Rights will investigate the ZOA’s complaint promptly and thoroughly.  It’s time that MCPS is finally held accountable under the law for failing to provide a learning environment that is physically and psychologically safe for Jews.”

ZOAs Title VI Complaint Against MCPS 4-18-24 by freestategal on Scribd

MCPS requested to testify on May 8th at U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce on antisemitism in MCPS

 

2 School Districts to Testify as Congress Expands Antisemitism Inquiry

New York Times/Yahoo News, reporter Troy Closson For the full story go here.

"The leaders of public schools in New York City and Montgomery County, Maryland, will testify about how their districts are handling antisemitism before a congressional committee next month. It will be the first time that K-12 districts have taken center stage in the House hearings focused on how schools are responding to a wave of student protests since Hamas’ attacks against Israel on Oct. 7."

And:

"And in Montgomery County, the biggest district in Maryland, a number of local schools have struggled with antisemitic episodes, including swastika graffiti, since Oct. 7. Several teachers were also placed on administrative leave for social media posts in recent months, including one teacher who signed an email with the contested phrase, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

And: 

"The committee could cover a similar range of issues in the K-12 hearing, including discipline policies, the handling of antisemitic episodes and student protests.

In Montgomery County, for example, Silvestre will likely be asked about the status of an investigation into the social media posts of another teacher who claimed that the Hamas attacks were a hoax.

The county had been grappling with a rise in antisemitism in schools even before Oct. 7. Those included an episode this fall at one high school, where the principal said students filmed themselves “performing an antisemitic salute.”

The district said in a statement that Silvestre was eager to share how schools were tackling antisemitism and intolerance, and creating “a safe and welcoming learning environment that supports all students.”

RM staff discover swastikas drawn in school building

 From The Tide, reporter Maya Nachman. Full story here.

RM staff discovered swastikas drawn throughout the school building on three occasions in the past two weeks. 

RM Principal Alicia Deeny wrote a message to the RM community on March 12 after the swastikas were found drawn onto the stalls in the boys bathrooms. The next day, on March 13, Ms. Deeny sent an additional message sharing that the school was able to identify the student who was the source of the graffiti after they had discovered another swastika drawing in a bathroom. 

Ms. Deeny sent an additional email on March 19 after more swastika drawings were found in a stairwell and door at RM. According to her email, the person who drew these symbols is still yet to be identified but the incident is still being investigated by school security and administration. 

And:

This incident comes amidst a 337 percent increase in antisemitic incidents in the US since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, according to the ADL. However, before the war began, Maryland was reported to have the tenth most antisemitic incidents out of any states in the US, according to the ADL.

Three Calvert County students charged with hate crime violations

 Antisemitism in Calvert County public schools, reporter Cody Boteler Full story here.

Three 13-year-old students at a middle school in Huntingtown were charged as juveniles with harassment and “violations of Maryland’s hate crimes statutes,” according to the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The students at Plum Point Middle School displayed swastikas, made Nazi salutes and “directed offensive comments” toward a classmate because of that classmate’s religious beliefs, the State’s Attorney’s Office said on Friday.

The behavior started in December 2023 and “continued over several months” despite requests to stop, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office. The victim reported the behavior to Maryland State Police Officers, who filed the charges against the three 13-year-olds.

More Antisemitism in MCPS - this time, Richard Montgomery High School

Letter from the Richard Montgomery HS principal, March 13, 2024:

 Dear Parents/Guardians:

I am writing to share an update on the message that I shared yesterday regarding swastikas drawn in two of our boys’ bathrooms.  Today we discovered another instance of a swastika in a bathroom and also were able to identify the student who was the source of the graffiti.  The student will be addressed in accordance with the MCPS Code of Conduct. We have also shared this information with the Rockville City Police Department and are following MCPS hate-bias protocols.

As I shared yesterday, our counseling department is available to meet with any students who may have concerns about this incident. We have also been in contact with the MCPS Restorative Justice Team to organize an opportunity for students who would like to come together to share their thoughts regarding this incident.

I am grateful to our administrators, security, and building services team for their speedy response to this incident. We will continue to support our students with any concerns they have about this situation.

Sincerely,
Alicia Deeny
Principal

More antisemitism, this time at B-CC High School

 From the principal:

 February 15, 2024

Dear Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Families,

I am writing to share information regarding a deeply concerning incident that occurred earlier today. This morning a student was walking in the hall during a class change loudly using anti-Semetic language. Specifically the student made the comment “Those stupid Holocaust Survivors.” The incident has been investigated and appropriate consequences have been administered in accordance with the MCPS Student Code of Conduct. In addition, the offending student has and will continue to be educated about the impact of their actions today.

At B-CC we do not tolerate slurs or hate speech of any kind. Our diverse student body and school community is a source of strength for us and statements such as those made today are unacceptable and are contrary to the values we uphold as a school. It is important that we continue our work with all our students to help them understand the inherent value our diversity offers and how hateful and hurtful words impact others. We need your help so that B-CC remains a respectful and inclusive place for all. These actions do not represent the values that B-CC and MCPS uphold.

We have and will continue to have a zero tolerance for hate/biased speech or gestures. Our Board of Education policy and MCPS regulations expressly prohibit the use of language, images, or symbols that promote hatred. Furthermore, we expect every member of our school community, both students and staff, to treat one another with respect and dignity, regardless of their personal characteristics or differences.

I encourage parents to talk with their children about respecting our differences.  Please help them to understand the weight that intolerable words, actions, and symbols carry with them.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school at 240-740-0400.

Sincerely,

 

Shelton Mooney, Ed.D.

Principal

Delaware K-12 school promises changes in response to federal probe of antisemitic bullying

The agreement followed a U.S. Department of Education investigation into how Red Clay Consolidated School handled a complaint from last June

From The Forward, by reporter Andrew Lapin. Full article here.

A Delaware public school district will send staff to anti-harassment training and compensate the family of a Jewish student who alleged antisemitic bullying.

The agreement followed a U.S. Department of Education investigation into how Red Clay Consolidated School District handled allegations of antisemitic incidents, detailed in a complaint to the agency last June. 

The agreement marks the first time in nine months that the education department announced the closure of an antisemitism-related investigation filed under Title VI, the clause of the Civil Rights Act that prohibits discrimination on the basis of “shared ancestry” or “national origin.”

It comes as the department embarks on a wave of antisemitism investigations at schools and colleges in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which has triggered widespread allegations of antisemitism on campuses. What happened in Red Clay, the department said, should be seen as a model for its work.

“This important agreement requires the Red Clay Consolidated District to fulfill its federal civil rights obligation to ensure that all of its students, including Jewish students, can learn safely and without discriminatory harassment in its schools,” Catherine Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights in the department, said in a statement announcing the resolution. “We look forward to active work with this district going forward to protect Jewish students, and all students, from targeted discrimination that impedes their equal access to education.”

The department said that a student in the district, which includes parts of Wilmington and its suburbs, was targeted by her classmates for being Jewish. Classmates had written “Blood of the Jews” and drawn swastikas on paper airplanes, and raised their arms in Heil Hitler salutes at the student. 

Swastika found at Kingsview Middle School in Germantown

 Here is the letter from the principal, Dyan Harrison.

More Antisemitism at MCPS, this time Takoma Park Middle School

 The structural antisemitism in MCPS continues, and this time again it is coming from a teacher. Again. The call is coming from inside the house.

Tilden Principal publishes letter to the community

Tilden Middle School principal Sapna Hopkins published this letter, below, to the Tilden MS community on November 17, 2023 as part of the Timberwolf Connection newsletter.  

It appears that her instructions to staff is to not respond to certain emails from Tilden parents. If anyone reading this blog has more information please let us know. And she warns parents who will be attending upcoming Caregiver Conferences not to bring up "the matter of the teacher who is under official investigation." (That teacher is on paid leave.)

GREETINGS TILDEN FAMILIES!

zoom_out_map

To say that this week has been one of the toughest week for me, our students, staff, and families would be a huge understatement. Tilden community is hurting. Our staff is pushing through every day with the hope that there is some light at the end of this dark tunnel. Yet, time and again, situations occur on a daily basis to push us back. This week, a community member sent multiple staff members an email containing disturbing images depicting violence against Israelis and outlining specific expectations for classroom discussions on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Such behaviors pulling us away from taking care of our students. Furthermore, they suggest that antisemitism is prevalent within our school.

I want to strongly emphasize that I vehemently disagree with this portrayal. We must not let the alleged actions of one individual paint a broader picture; antisemitism is not widespread at Tilden. In fact, respect is a fundamental core value in our school, emphasizing the diverse and individual nature of each person in our community. We discuss, teach, and expect nothing less from everyone.

During these challenging times, our school community must approach sensitive issues with a professional and focused mindset. I urge you to refrain from sending such emails and encourage open communication through appropriate channels.

Staff members have been instructed not to engage with these emails, as doing so would be unprofessional. Rest assured that, with the support of the MCPS Office of School Support and Well-Being, our response will follow an established process, including necessary communication to keep our community informed.

No such conversations will be entertained at the Caregiver Conferences on Monday, November 20. We are developing talking points for teachers to use during conferences if similar topics come up. We will have Security presence to reinforce the safety of our staff, our student volunteers, and caregivers. Please know that the primary goal of these conferences is to focus on your student's academic and well-being of your student which will not be served by bringing up the matter of the teacher who is under an official investigation.

Your continued support for Tilden Middle and our collective efforts to foster a positive educational environment is greatly appreciated. Thank you!!

Antisemitic Incident at Farmland Elementary School

 Letter from Farmland ES principal today.

Tilden Middle School Principal letter to the community regarding the vicious antisemitism from a teacher in the school

This is the Tilden Middle School principal's response to the vicious antisemitic posts made by the DEI leader/teacher at Tilden Middle School. So far the elected Board of Education has not made any statement nor acknowledged the growing antisemitism in MCPS schools.

Community Message 11.13.23 by freestategal on Scribd

Sabrina Khan-Williams, a Tilden MS ("No Place for Hate") teacher posts horrific antisemitic accusations online

Sabrina Khan-Williams, a Diversity Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Team Leader/teacher at Tilden Middle School, has proudly come out as a vicious antisemite. In the last few days she openly posted horrific antisemitic statements, claiming that Israelis "harvest organs." If your child goes to Tilden MS, please be careful at that school.

She posted the following: "Palestinian's are being killed and their organs are being sold. How is real life scarier than movies??"

Ms. Khan-Williams also posted "Debunked!! No music festival attack. Babies were not burned. Women were not violated. Hospitals were attacked on purpose."

We reached out to the principal at Tilden Middle School and to Ms. Khan-Williams. As of this writing we have not heard back. While it is possible Ms. Khan-Williams' social media were hacked we understand MCPS leadership and the county council are taking these posts seriously.

How much longer will MCPS allow this vicious antisemitism in our school system?

Meanwhile, the Tuesday evening November 14th PTSA meeting has been cancelled.