Jewish Educators Report Harassment at Portland Convention

Jewish Educators Report Harassment at National Education Association Convention

Jewish educators from across the country have shared distressing experiences of being belittled and targeted by fellow delegates during the National Education Association’s (NEA) convention in Portland earlier this month. These teachers described instances of “vocally mocked, harassed and threatened in ways that dishonor our union,” in an open letter addressed to NEA President Becky Pringle. The letter was written by members of the union’s Jewish caucus, which represents a significant portion of the 3 million-member organization.

The letter highlighted several troubling incidents. One teacher from Colorado recounted being met with laughter and clapping when she spoke about the 82-year-old Boulder woman who was killed in a firebombing attack on marchers supporting Israeli hostages. Another incident involved Jewish teachers being physically surrounded by other delegates and interrogated about their support for the Israeli government. Additionally, the executive chair of the Jewish Affairs Caucus was denied the opportunity to address the delegates during the 50th anniversary of the caucus.

During the convention, held from July 3-6, delegates voted to no longer distribute, cite, or promote educational materials from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a longstanding Jewish advocacy group. Supporters of this decision argued that the ADL unfairly conflates antisemitism with criticism of the Israeli government's actions. The recommendation now moves to the union’s executive committee for further consideration. However, this move has sparked strong opposition from Jewish organizations, with nearly 400 groups signing a letter urging the NEA to reject the plan and continue supporting the ADL’s Holocaust education and anti-bias materials.

In response, Pringle stated that she and her team will meet with Jewish leaders, civil rights advocates, academics, and politicians before making a final decision. She also mentioned meeting with Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL, to clarify the NEA’s process and reaffirm its commitment to combating antisemitism. While Pringle has not directly addressed the concerns raised in the open letter, she emphasized the importance of respectful dialogue and the need to confront difficult issues affecting educators, students, and schools.

During the Portland convention, NEA members also passed a resolution to recognize Jewish American Heritage Month and hosted a panel on combating antisemitism. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began on October 7, 2023, has added another layer of complexity to these discussions. The attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,500 Israelis and the abduction of 250 more, while the Israeli counterattack has led to the death of around 40,000 Palestinians and displaced thousands more.

In the Portland area, some local teachers’ union leaders have been vocal critics of the Israeli government’s response to Hamas. They have advocated for integrating curriculum materials about modern Palestinian history into classrooms. However, Jewish organizations and some Jewish teachers have raised concerns that these materials may overlook or diminish the historical ties of Jews to Israel, potentially fostering an environment of antisemitism for Jewish students and educators.

A coalition of Jewish members from the Portland Association of Teachers plans to meet this summer to discuss their next steps. Some members are considering deactivating from their union, meaning they would stop paying dues, while others hope to become more involved in union governance to have a greater say in decision-making processes.