A recent report by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) and the New York City Public School Alliance has uncovered a disturbing trend of anti-Israel bias and hatred of Jews infiltrating the city’s public schools. The report details how teacher groups such as NYC Educators for Palestine have worked with extremist organizations linked to hostile foreign governments and terrorist groups to introduce radical, anti-American ideologies into school curriculum. The report calls for a curriculum review by the Department of Education (DOE) and increased oversight of foreign funding to prevent these biased materials from influencing a new generation of students.
The report highlights several troubling findings, including the use of recommended resources like the Zinn Education Project by NYC teachers. These resources provide lessons highly critical of Israel and the US, with materials that demonize Jews and present Hamas as a political party rather than a terrorist group. Additionally, other resources like the Teach Palestine project frame Zionism as a colonialist movement and emphasize Palestinian victimhood. The report also raises concerns about potential violations of Chancellor’s Regulation A-830 in schools that promote biased views on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Foreign influence in NYC public schools is also a significant issue raised in the report. The case of a Brooklyn teacher displaying a map excluding Israel as part of an Arab Culture Arts program funded by the Qatar Foundation was cited as an example of foreign influence. The report also details ties between NYC Educators for Palestine and Teaching While Muslim to controversial school walkout campaigns with the far-left Party for Socialism and Liberation, known to have connections to China and Chinese Communist Party-linked entities. US Senators Marco Rubio and Lindsay Graham have flagged entities involved in these campaigns for potential Foreign Agents Registration Acts violations.
Jewish advocacy groups are calling on the new schools chancellor, Melissa Aviles-Ramos, to take action to address the anti-Israel and anti-Jewish bias in NYC public schools. They are urging officials to deem the word “Zionist” as a proxy for “Jew” offensive and grounds for disciplinary action. Parents are also demanding the removal of anti-Jewish employees from the school system to create a safer environment for Jewish and Zionist students. The DOE has responded by stating that they welcome the opportunity to review the NCRI report and defend their current programs to combat hate in schools, which include instructional materials and professional development on complex current events.
The report has sparked concerns about the involvement of activist groups like NYC Educators for Palestine and Teachers Unite in spreading biased narratives in NYC public schools. These groups are not officially sanctioned or sponsored by the DOE, raising questions about the extent of their influence in shaping curriculum and school events. The activists have not yet issued a response to the report’s findings, leaving further questions about their motivations and impact on students. Jewish advocacy groups continue to push for action from education officials to address the pervasive anti-Israel sentiments and combat hate in NYC public schools.
