Flyer urging teachers to divest pension funds from Israel is illegally distributed in NYC schools: ‘Violated trust'
A controversial antisemitic flyer urging teachers voting in union elections to back a campaign to divest pension funds from Israel was improperly distributed in some New York City public schools, The Post has learned.
The incendiary petition circulated as two Israeli Embassy staffers were killed by a suspected terrorist in Washington, DC, on Wednesday night.
'This UFT election season, vote for candidates who divest our pension from genocide,' the flyer said.
'Sign the petition to show UFT candidates that you will be voting with divestment in mind during the election.'
Jewish civil rights groups such as the Anti-Defamation League said the economic boycott, divestment and sanctions movement is antisemitic because it seeks to undermine and destroy the world's only Jewish state.
Pro-Israel teachers said the handout had been distributed to at least three Manhattan schools: two in the same building on West 17th Street, the New York City Lab for Collaborative Studies Middle School and the Museum High School, as well as the Mosaic Preparatory Academy elementary school on East 111th Street, and at least one in the Bronx.
Outraged teachers said the flyer has been handed out in schools by teachers claiming to be UFT officers, or who were not from their schools.
'I was definitely shocked. It violated the trust in the building. It came from a teacher from another school,' a staffer at the 17th Street building said.
'These are blood libels. They don't belong in the education space.'
Another teacher who requested anonymity said, 'As a Jewish educator, I was deeply troubled when receiving this letter with clear antisemitic undertones — especially in the wake of the tragic killing of two civilians targeted for being Jewish.
'This act of hate is unacceptable. Our schools and communities must remain places of inclusion and respect for all.'
Karen Feldman, co-founder of the New York City Public School Alliance, blasted the use of 'school channels to distribute political and antisemitic propaganda, especially during a union election.'
'The materials were filled with false claims of genocide and hate-filled rhetoric that incites violence — just like the horrific murder of two Israeli Americans in DC just last night.'
The UFT said distribution of politically charged flyers violated its rules for electioneering for its internal elections of officers.Candidates running for union positions are allowed to distribute campaign material about the slate they're running on — but not about other political issues.
'The flyer is a political document. No one should be handing out political materials under the guise that it is campaign material in the union's internal election. It is not,' a spokesperson for the UFT and president Mike Mulgrew said.
A rep for city Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said the flyers are being removed from schools.
'New York City Public Schools has the right and responsibility to prohibit the distribution of materials that can be perceived as disruptive and offensive to staff and students. These flyers, which were not created by New York City Public Schools, are clearly disruptive, and we are taking appropriate action to remove them,' a Department of Education spokesperson said.
The anti-Israel advocates said the New York City Teachers' Retirement System has $135 million of pension funds invested in Israeli holdings.
The flyer said the Israeli military has slaughtered tens of thousands of civilians and children since Oct. 7, 2023, citing the anti-Israel Al-Jazeera media outlet as a source.
It conveniently omits mentioning that was the date when Hamas precipitated the war in Gaza by invading Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking scores of hostages — some of whom still have not been released.
It's just the latest controversy regarding Israel-bashing literature spreading in schools.
Last month, a Department of Education newsletter claiming Israel is committing 'genocide in Gaza' was sent out to hundreds of teachers — prompting fuming Jewish educators to call it out as another example of ingrained antisemitism in the city's public school system.
In response, Aviles-Ramos suspended release of mass communications sent to educators, students and parents without her approval.
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