School Committee Takes a Stand Against Union’s Antisemitic Materials

Never underestimate the power of the word. Since October 7, 2023, many words have been written to support, to encourage, to criticize, and to uplift.

Sadly, since then, the Jewish community has experienced increased episodes of antisemitism, whether online, in the media, or in person.

In Massachusetts, the largest teachers’ union, the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) curated and disseminated controversial curricular resources about the Israel-Gaza conflict ostensibly to support its teacher members in their classrooms.

The resources were widely condemned as being one-sided and, in some cases, antisemitic. For example, a “Star of David” made from folded dollar bills and a poster for download depicting a hand grabbing the tongue of a snake that read “Unity in Confronting Zionism”. Of the 17 films curated by the MTA staff for teacher use, only one was centered on Israel and it is a documentary of the massacre at the Nova Dance Festival in 2023 (“We Will Dance Again”). And of nearly a dozen books suggested for classroom use, more than half were focused on Palestine, its martyrdom, and its embittered battle against the Jews.

Teachers across Massachusetts, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, tried to meet with the MTA leadership to no avail. The Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism, created by Governor Maura Healey and the state legislature, invited the MTA leadership to discuss their stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict and their curricular materials in a February 2025 hearing. In a tense and dramatic moment, the MTA president and the teacher who accompanied him to address specific curricular questions fell silent. The evidence was overwhelming – the materials disseminated by the MTA were exposed to all, once again, as being not only problematic but in the words of one Commission member “virulently antisemitic” and in the words of another “incredibly one-sided”.

Soon after the Statehouse hearing, the MTA removed links to some of the materials identified as being particularly discriminatory against Israel. However, a significant trove of resources remains to this day. Teachers continue to request meetings with MTA Leadership and are met with silence.

Since the February hearing, I have asked myself: What can I do as a Town of Brookline School Committee member about this situation? Shouldn’t we represent in our actions the values of our District? And our Town has always stood for respect and dignity for all.

I considered that one way of giving voice to our school community was to craft a Resolution to be approved by our Committee that “strongly cautions our District staff about utilizing the MTA’s materials related to the Israel-Gaza conflict” and that “provide(s) all students, including Jewish students, a school environment free from discrimination”.

The Resolution was presented at our May 1, 2025, meeting. After much discussion, it was brought to a vote and passed.

Is it time to celebrate? Sure, take a moment to honor the courage and the honesty of the Committee in taking this small but monumental step.

Is it time to share the resolution with other school districts that continue to face antisemitic challenges? Immediately.

Since that day, teachers and advocates from other districts across the state continue to inquire about getting a copy of the resolution to offer to their school committees.

As the Resolution spreads across the state, who knows what positive changes may result?