5 hours ago
1
An anti-Israel group sent an email blast to city teachers pushing for a May Day strike and other “civil disobedience” to protest the Gaza war, riling Jewish educators and sparking an investigation.
The Labor for Palestine Network called for union members to rise up against “the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza” and even coordinate their efforts with student groups in the alarming screed, which teachers were told to ignore by city school officials.
“I’m not feeling safe when I get an email like that,” said one Jewish teacher at PS 75 on the Upper West Side, who received the email on Friday. “When I woke up [and got this email], I was absolutely shocked.”
The city Department of Education is now probing the email blast and investigating how many school employees received the message, which blasted the US government’s “bipartisan support for Israeli violence contributing to the devastation.”
“Our struggles for workers’ rights and the fight against occupation and colonialism are inseparable,” said the e-letter, signed “In Solidarity” by “Margaret” from the group.
“The call to action is clear: it is time to move beyond speeches and statements,” the letter went on. “We must take concrete steps to create real pressure, including organizing general strikes, participating in widespread civil disobedience, and coordinating efforts with the student movement.”
The network supports the controversial boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement, or BDS, against Israel. Jewish civil rights activists such as the Anti-Defamation League consider BDS a campaign rooted in antisemitism.
Jewish civil rights activists slammed the letter and lamented that “pro-Hamas propaganda” is now infiltrating K-12 schools as well as college campuses.
“It is disgraceful that anti-Israel activists are infiltrating teacher networks to push pro-Hamas propaganda and incite violence,” said Liora Rez, founder of StopAntisemitism. “Teachers are meant to educate, not be weaponized to support terror.
“[New York State United Teachers union] leadership must immediately and unequivocally condemn this dangerous infiltration and urge education professionals to stay true to their mission.”
The local NYSUT affiliate, the United Federation of Teachers, received a complaint via email and alerted Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos’ office.
“In that process, the NYPD was also made aware of our concerns,” a union spokesperson said.
“In this instance, the complaint was about an email sent to an educator’s DOE work email address, which the union does not control. The UFT does not share its member email lists.”
At PS 75 and most other public schools, the email addresses of teachers and other staffers are accessible from the schools’ public websites.
The DOE confirmed it’s looking into the politically charged and unauthorized email, which violated rules against disseminating political content in schools.
“This email was not sent or authorized by New York City Public Schools,” a DOE spokesperson said. “We remain committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all, and no official communications should contain political rhetoric, in accordance with Chancellor’s Regulation D-130.
“Staff who received the message should not respond from their official account.”
English (US)