Massachusetts teachers' union disavows 'offensive images' after being accused of spreading antisemitism
A local hearing became a national news story as MTA president Max Page was grilled over the union sharing educational resources that contained offensive images criticizing Israel.
The images included a dollar bill folded into a Star of David alongside criticism of foreign aid to Israel, a poster showing what appears to be an armed Palestinian with the words "What was taken by force can only be returned by force," and a children's book referring to Zionists as a "group of bullies."
Gov. Maura Healey spoke about the controversy directly, saying, "The images on the Massachusetts Teachers Association website were antisemitic, offensive and never should have been shared in the first place. I spoke to MTA leadership about my concerns and am glad they will be removing the images — that should be done immediately."
She added, "I understand the importance of making sure teachers and educators have guidance for how to discuss this complex issue. That's why it was important for these images to be removed so that everyone can come together to determine how to accurately and appropriately address this topic moving forward. I want to thank the members of Special Commission on Combatting Antisemitism for their commitment and dedication on this issue, and that important work continues."
Page and union vice president Deb McCarthy responded with a public statement, declaring the MTA "defends the right of all students and teachers to feel supported and included in our classrooms and unequivocally condemns antisemitism and Islamophobia and all other forms of hatred and discrimination."
The Massachusetts-based union leaders claimed that their members-only website had a wide variety of resources to explain the historically complex conflict in the Middle East, "and includes materials from the Anti-Defamation League, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Facing History and Ourselves, the New York Times, the NEA, and many other respected sources."
They also pushed back against some of their critics, specifying that controversial images discussed at the recent hearing were never displayed directly on the members-only website.
"As trusted educators, MTA members would never want to have antisemitic materials on the MTA website, and the MTA does not promote materials that direct hate at any group. We will remove any materials that do not further the cause of promoting understanding," the union leaders wrote.
"Images displayed at a Feb. 10 hearing by the Special Commission on Combatting Antisemitism are not posted on the MTA's website, but rather on outside websites, which are linked to the resources page. The links to the sites containing those offensive images will be removed."
The local ADL chapter in New England praised the MTA's decision as a "welcome first step."
"The @Massteacher decision to remove harmful content from its list of curricular resources is a welcome first step toward restoring confidence," the local branch of the ADL said on X. "In light of the significant problems highlighted at last week's commission hearing about specific antisemitic resources and the biased nature of the list, we urge @Massteacher to take affirmative steps to objectively vet its resources for bias and pedagogical soundness and make any future version of this list public for full transparency."
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