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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - Antisemitism's newest safe space: Teachers' unions
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. By developing antisemitic curricula and encouraging teachers to include discriminatory materials and propaganda in the classroom, the bias is clear. The Massachusetts Teachers Association, the state's largest teacher union, released a curriculum resource list earlier this year whose materials on the Israel-Palestine conflict not only heavily favored the anti-Israel narrative, but were also outwardly antisemitic. They included, for example, a poster that read, 'Zionists f— off' and a replica of the Star of David made out of folded dollar bills. When some union members pushed back against this, the union's board of directors claimed that the protesters were 'weaponizing' antisemitism to 'suppress learning about the Palestinians.' Three thousand miles away in California, unions have come under fire for similar actions. Last year, the United Teachers of Los Angeles union tried to implement a vehemently antisemitic and one-sided 'liberated ethnic studies curriculum' that identifies Israel as a 'colonialist,' and 'settler state,' created through 'genocide,' 'ethnic cleansing' and 'apartheid.' The Oakland Teachers Association encouraged teachers to bring unauthorized materials — including a book for elementary students with the lesson, 'I is for Intifada, Intifada is Arabic for rising up for what is right, if you are a kid or a grown-up!' — into the classroom, and vowed to protect teachers who faced discipline for doing so. Following in their neighbor's footsteps, the California Teachers Association recently opposed a bill that would strengthen the state's capacity to prevent and respond to antisemitism. The bill, which passed the state assembly unanimously, would strengthen anti-discrimination protections, increase accountability for schools and districts, establish California's first-ever State Antisemitism Coordinator to lead statewide efforts, and more. Opponents of the bill claim that it would be 'weaponized to silence critical perspectives on Palestine and global injustice and sets a troubling precedent for censorship in our state.' This kind of underhandedness isn't just happening at the state level. The most prominent national teachers union — in fact, the largest labor union in the country — is the National Education Association. Its annual Representative Assembly debated last month whether Jewish American Heritage Month was worth recognizing. Attendees discredited rates of antisemitism in schools. Members also endorsed a proposal to cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League, which was ultimately unsuccessful. According to a joint letter from numerous Jewish organizations to National Education Association leadership, Jewish attendees who spoke out against the resolution were harassed and ostracized, left fearing for their safety, and felt abandoned by their union. Through these actions, teachers unions are putting all other identities above 'Jewish.' They are saying that discrimination and harassment is okay, as long as it's against one of the Jewish members. Not only are actions such as these — actions by the group that is tasked with protecting its members — morally reprehensible, they are illegal. When a union violates its duty to fairly represent the interests of its Jewish employees, it also violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Unfortunately, teachers unions are not unique cases. Jewish union members in every sector are feeling isolated as labor unions continue to adopt more anti-Zionist approaches in their workplace, as evidenced in Brandeis Center's recent legal claims brought against the unions of New York Legal Assistance Group and the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys. From posters that supported Hamas's Oct. 7 massacre to retaliatory expulsions, Jewish union members are being shunned or outwardly harassed, their concerns silenced and their heritage spat on. They are being told that they are not worthy of protection because of where they are from and who they are. Teachers unions have extraordinary power to make positive change, including the power to fight antisemitism now and in future generations. They must acknowledge their role in molding young minds and take responsibility for protecting children from bigotry in the classroom. Without action by union leaders to discourage the use of antisemitic materials and language, Jewish teachers feel ostracized in union spaces, and Jewish children will feel unsafe in their own classrooms. But it's not just the unions: Parents, educators, policymakers and community leaders must insist on zero tolerance for antisemitism in our schools and unions alike, including ensuring curricula are free from bias and propaganda. If we fail to act now, we allow hatred to shape our children's education and their future. Kenneth L. Marcus is the chairman and CEO of The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and the former assistant secretary for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Education under two administrations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
The Hill
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Antisemitism's newest safe space: Teachers' unions
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. By developing antisemitic curricula and encouraging teachers to include discriminatory materials and propaganda in the classroom, the bias is clear. The Massachusetts Teachers Association, the state's largest teacher union, released a curriculum resource list earlier this year whose materials on the Israel-Palestine conflict not only heavily favored the anti-Israel narrative, but were also outwardly antisemitic. They included, for example, a poster that read, 'Zionists f— off' and a replica of the Star of David made out of folded dollar bills. When some union members pushed back against this, the union's board of directors claimed that the protesters were 'weaponizing' antisemitism to 'suppress learning about the Palestinians.' Three thousand miles away in California, unions have come under fire for similar actions. Last year, the United Teachers of Los Angeles union tried to implement a vehemently antisemitic and one-sided 'liberated ethnic studies curriculum' that identifies Israel as a 'colonialist,' and 'settler state,' created through 'genocide,' 'ethnic cleansing' and 'apartheid.' The Oakland Teachers Association encouraged teachers to bring unauthorized materials — including a book for elementary students with the lesson, 'I is for Intifada, Intifada is Arabic for rising up for what is right, if you are a kid or a grown-up!' — into the classroom, and vowed to protect teachers who faced discipline for doing so. Following in their neighbor's footsteps, the California Teachers Association recently opposed a bill that would strengthen the state's capacity to prevent and respond to antisemitism. The bill, which passed the state assembly unanimously, would strengthen anti-discrimination protections, increase accountability for schools and districts, establish California's first-ever State Antisemitism Coordinator to lead statewide efforts, and more. Opponents of the bill claim that it would be 'weaponized to silence critical perspectives on Palestine and global injustice and sets a troubling precedent for censorship in our state.' This kind of underhandedness isn't just happening at the state level. The most prominent national teachers union — in fact, the largest labor union in the country — is the National Education Association. Its annual Representative Assembly debated last month whether Jewish American Heritage Month was worth recognizing. Attendees discredited rates of antisemitism in schools. Members also endorsed a proposal to cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League, which was ultimately unsuccessful. According to a joint letter from numerous Jewish organizations to National Education Association leadership, Jewish attendees who spoke out against the resolution were harassed and ostracized, left fearing for their safety, and felt abandoned by their union. Through these actions, teachers unions are putting all other identities above 'Jewish.' They are saying that discrimination and harassment is okay, as long as it's against one of the Jewish members. Not only are actions such as these — actions by the group that is tasked with protecting its members — morally reprehensible, they are illegal. When a union violates its duty to fairly represent the interests of its Jewish employees, it also violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Unfortunately, teachers unions are not unique cases. Jewish union members in every sector are feeling isolated as labor unions continue to adopt more anti-Zionist approaches in their workplace, as evidenced in Brandeis Center's recent legal claims brought against the unions of New York Legal Assistance Group and the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys. From posters that supported Hamas's Oct. 7 massacre to retaliatory expulsions, Jewish union members are being shunned or outwardly harassed, their concerns silenced and their heritage spat on. They are being told that they are not worthy of protection because of where they are from and who they are. Teachers unions have extraordinary power to make positive change, including the power to fight antisemitism now and in future generations. They must acknowledge their role in molding young minds and take responsibility for protecting children from bigotry in the classroom. Without action by union leaders to discourage the use of antisemitic materials and language, Jewish teachers feel ostracized in union spaces, and Jewish children will feel unsafe in their own classrooms. But it's not just the unions: Parents, educators, policymakers and community leaders must insist on zero tolerance for antisemitism in our schools and unions alike, including ensuring curricula are free from bias and propaganda. If we fail to act now, we allow hatred to shape our children's education and their future. Kenneth L. Marcus is the chairman and CEO of The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and the former assistant secretary for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Education under two administrations.
Washington Post
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Parents allege antisemitic bullying, retaliation at Virginia private school
A private school in Northern Virginia expelled three Jewish siblings without notice this year after their parents complained that one of them, a girl in sixth grade, was being bullied with antisemitic taunts, according to a complaint filed with the state's civil rights office. The parents, Brian Vazquez and Ashok Roy, allege that the Nysmith School in Herndon, Virginia, allowed 'an environment hostile to Jewish students to take root and flourish.' The complaint echoes claims from various Jewish groups that say a renewed antisemitism has taken hold at schools and college campuses across the country since the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel and ensuing conflict in Gaza. The Nysmith School serves students from kindergarten to eighth grade.
Fox News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Parents claim Virginia private school expelled 3 siblings after they complained of antisemitism
Two Virginia parents are alleging their three Jewish children were expelled from an elite private school because they complained about antisemitic bullying directed at one of their sixth-grade daughters. The Nysmith School for the Gifted in Herndon, Virginia — which was honored in 2015 by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth as one of the "Top 10 Schools in the World" — has since pushed back on the claims. The complaint filed with the Virginia Attorney General's Office of Civil Rights alleges that Brian Vazquez and Ashok Roy's three Jewish children were expelled from the Nysmith School on March 13 because "they complained about the school's unwillingness to respond to anti-Semitic harassment of their 11-year-old daughter." The filing included a photo of a group of children holding a large cartoon drawing appearing to depict Adolf Hitler. It was part of a social studies class project in which students were assigned to draw a composite of a "strong historical leader." "The school had allowed anti-Semitism to take root in her class," the complaint says. "That photo, featuring the unmistakable face of Adolf Hitler, was shared with the entire school community. It was followed by a pattern of persistent and severe anti-Semitic harassment of Complainants' young daughter." The parents say they met with the school's owner and headmaster, Kenneth Nysmith, about how their daughter was "being harassed and bullied because she is Jewish, including persistent taunting about the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis and 251 others being taken hostage, and a campaign of ostracizing her because she is Jewish," the complaint says. The sixth-grade girl told her parents that the children had placed pro-Palestine stickers on school-issued laptops and lockers, and pointed at their stickers and taunted her for being "Israeli." "In front of her classmates, the bullying children looked at their daughter, and called Jews 'baby killers,' and said that they deserve to die because of what is happening in Gaza," the complaint says. "Pointing at the other children, the bullies told their daughter that everyone at the school is against Jews and Israel, which is why they hate you." "Nysmith promised to take action – but did nothing," the parents alleged. "A few weeks later, after Mr. Nysmith decided to hang a Palestinian flag in the Nysmith School gym, the harassment of their daughter grew more severe." After telling the headmaster that the harassment their daughter was experiencing had become much worse, the parents claim Nysmith "told them to tell their daughter to 'toughen up' and abruptly ended the meeting," the complaint says. Two days later, the complaint alleges, Nysmith "retaliated – notifying Complainants in an email that all three children were expelled effective immediately, days before their mid-semester report cards, and long after the application periods for other local schools had passed." The couple's children, now an 8-year-old son and two now-12-year-old daughters, had been enrolled at the school since 2021, were high achievers and had no prior disciplinary action, the complaint says. The family's lawyer, Jeffrey Lang of the Brandeis Human Rights Center, told Fox News Digital in an interview that his "real concern is that this is an example of antisemitism becoming normalized in our society." "It's not the college campus. It's not a street protest. This is an elementary school. And it's a worrying trend," Lang said. "Because this should be a case of moral outrage, and frankly, of acknowledgment by the school that it erred. And I would be expecting its commitment to make things better, not to double down and somehow blame our parents and come up with an excuse that suggests that bullying of Jewish children is somehow complicated because of what's happening in Gaza." "The reason they met with him is because they loved the school and they wanted him to address the antisemitic bullying so their child can remain happy at that school. There was never any talk of leaving," Lang said. "I think when a child is being bullied, and they're in the care of a school, the school is supposed to provide support and help. Not expel the entire family two days later." "It is a teaching moment and Mr. Nysmith is not meeting that moment right now," he said. Reached by Fox News Digital, the school's headmaster pushed back on allegations of wrongdoing, and said the photo of the cartoon drawing of Hitler is being "taken out of context." "It was a social studies project researching the seven traits from Machiavelli's The Prince," Nysmith said in an email to Fox News Digital. "Interestingly enough, I received an email yesterday from a parent expressing their outrage about one of the children who did the project, who was misrepresented. Their child chose Hitler, they are Jewish, and the child's grandmother is a Holocaust survivor. It was not anti-Semitic." Nysmith provided a photo of the school gymnasium, which is adorned with flags that represent the diverse heritages of our students. He said the school has received requests from families for additional flags whose backgrounds were not represented: one to represent Poland, the other to represent Palestine. The headmaster stressed that the flag of Israel is at the front next to the American flag. "Although I cannot discuss the family specifically, I can say that the characterization conveyed was not accurate," Nysmith said in the email to Fox News Digital. "If a family feels that their child cannot go into a gym that has the Palestinian flag in it, that is a problem. If a family cannot work with the school in a collegial, constructive manner, they cannot remain at the school." In response, Lang told Fox News Digital that "there was no complaint about hanging the Palestinian flag," and that the family's "concern was the school's refusal to address bullying." "That's what I find most disturbing. It's not difficult, right? Schools are supposed to protect children from being bullied," the family's attorney continued. "We all know that, and we certainly expect our educators to know that. In one of his other public statements, he acknowledged that the school doesn't tolerate hate or harassment or bullying, but then he adds that the events in Gaza raise complex issues. And that's just not true when we're talking about an 11-year-old girl. Schools are supposed to protect children from being bullied. Full stop." Nysmith also denied he ever told Vazquez and Roy to tell their daughter to "toughen up" – arguing that the allegation "is a lie, pure and bold-faced." "I have never used that phrase with any child or adult in my life," Nysmith said in an email. "I have three kind and sensitive children, and I would never use that term or anything that conveyed that thought, nor would anyone on our staff." "We have not seen a rise in antisemitism in the school and have had several of our Jewish families write me since the media blitz to express their support of the school," Nysmith said. "There are certainly sensitivities, just as we had with our Muslim students after 9/11. Our environment is about inclusiveness and acceptance for all. Did the family mention the fundraising of our community for those affected by the October 7th attack? We did." Nysmith provided a copy of a message the headmaster sent to the school community defending the institution as "proud of the diversity that defines us, our families come from all corners of the world, representing a wide spectrum of cultures, religions, and perspectives." He told the school community, "That diversity can sometimes make our community complicated and emotional, especially during emotional international events such as the October 7th attack and the ongoing violence in Gaza. We have students and families with ties to both sides of that heartbreaking conflict, and we are committed to ensuring that our school remains a safe, respectful, and empathetic space for everyone." "Children are still learning how to navigate differences and emotions." he wrote. "Sometimes they make mistakes and say unkind things. When this happens, we use this moment to teach. We use those moments to help students understand the impact of their words and actions, to model compassion, and to guide them in building empathy and respectful disagreement." The complaint alleges that the Nysmith School for the Gifted violated the Virginia Human Rights Act by engaging in unlawful anti-Semitic discrimination and retaliation. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, whose office is investigating the complaint, previously told Fox News that "what's been alleged is beyond disturbing," and, while the lawsuit involves pre-teen students, "the level of harassment of Jewish students on our college campuses is now trickling down to K-12." "If what's alleged in here, this is true, it absolutely meets that definition of a violation of the Virginia Human Rights Act," Miyares told Fox News last week. "We want every student in Virginia not to be looking over their shoulder in fear. The idea that in any place in Virginia, whether they're, either on a college campus or K-12, if you have a Jewish student who feels they're being harassed, they're incapable of completing their studies because they're being specifically targeted, our job is to make sure these schools are told to stop it and end it." "I want to be clear: Virginia is not New York," Miyares added. "We have a fantastic governor in Gov. Youngkin, we knew from Day One. We saw those images of what happened at Columbia, and we said that's not going to happen in Virginia. We have a very, very different governor and candidly a very different attorney general than what you have in some of these other states." "We want to protect our students, and so we have no tolerance for any school, whether it's a college campus or it's K-12, that is specifically targeting Jewish students," he said.
The Independent
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Jewish parents say their kids were expelled from their school for reporting antisemitism on campus
Two Jewish parents have issued a civil rights complaint against a Virginia private school for expelling their three children after their daughter reported antisemitic harassment on campus. Brian Vazquez and Ashok Roy have filed a civil rights complaint against the Nysmith School for the Gifted in Herndon, Virginia, and its director, Kenneth Nysmith. The parents allege the school and Nysmith violated state law by discriminating and retaliating against their three children after their 11-year-old daughter reported antisemitic harassment, according to the complaint. In a statement to the New York Post, Nysmith rejected the parents' allegations. The Independent has contacted Nysmith for comment. Vazquez and Roy say their daughter first reported 'severe and pervasive' antisemitic bullying in February 2025. The school had also allowed 'antisemitism to take root' in her classroom, they claim. The complaint cites a drawing 'featuring the unmistakable face of Adolf Hitler' for a social studies project that required students to depict the 'attributes of a 'strong historical leader.' Vazquez and Roy also say their daughter was taunted over the Israel-Hamas conflict, which began when Hamas launched a series of surprise attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking another 250 people hostage. Since then, Israel's retaliatory attacks have killed an estimated 56,000 people in Gaza, the Associated Press reports. One classmate told their daughter that Jewish people are 'baby killers' and said they deserve to die because of the war, according to the complaint. It also alleged a classmate told their daughter that everyone at the school is 'against Jews and Israel' and claimed they all hate her. Vazquez and Roy scheduled a meeting with Nysmith soon after their daughter told them about the bullying, the complaint states. Nysmith allegedly assured the parents he would address the bullying. Nysmith then canceled the school's annual Holocaust program speaker, arguing it could inflame tensions within the school community about the Israel-Gaza conflict, the complaint states. Around the same time, the parents say the school displayed a Palestinian flag in the gymnasium, alongside the flags of other nations, including Israel. Their daughter then reported that her classmates would say the Palestinian flag was proof that 'nobody likes you,' according to the parents' complaint. When Vazquez and Roy met with Nysmith again about the harassment on March 11, he allegedly told them their daughter needs to 'toughen up.' Vazquez and Roy say they told Nysmith that the combined cancelation of the Holocaust program speaker and the display of the Palestinian flag could be viewed as antisemitic. When Nysmith asked if they were calling him antisemitic, the parents said they were not, the complaint alleges. Two days later, Nysmith sent an email informing the parents that all three of their children had been removed from the school. 'After reflecting on our emotional conversation on Tuesday, the words used make it clear that you have a profound lack of trust in both me and the school,' Nysmith wrote in the email. 'A healthy partnership is required to help guide and nurture young children through tumultuous times and complex current events. I do not see a path forward without trust, understanding, and cooperation.' 'I regret to inform you that today will be your children's last day at Nysmith,' he added. 'I do not take this step lightly, but it is necessary.' Jeffrey Lang, an attorney with the Brandeis Center who is representing the parents, told The Independent that the parents filed the complaint because 'they wanted their kids to know that they did nothing wrong.' 'The kids were just shattered, and their immediate reaction was, 'What did we do wrong?'' Lang said. "Their parents picked them up from school on a Thursday afternoon, and they never went back,' he added. 'They left their belongings in their locker, their stickers, their pens and pencils and their drawings. They left it in school because they thought they'd go back the next day. ' The parents filed the complaint with the Virginia Office of the Attorney General. The agency can now investigate and issue a right-to-sue letter, which would allow the family to file a lawsuit against the school. The agency can also decide to pursue action on its own against the school.
