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Visit PeerK12’s Petitions & Action Alerts page - browse verified petitions and alerts vetted by PeerK12. Add your voice to calls for accountability in K–12 schools, stand up against antisemitism, and support efforts to defend Jewish civil rights in education. Petitions & Action Alerts Denounce the NEA campaign Local District Union Representatives of the NEA Voted to Silence Jewish Voices in K-12. Now It’s Up to All of Us to Stop It From Showing Up in Our Local Schools. Join our National Action Campaign & Push Back on the Teacher Union's Anti-American Bigotry, Discrimination & Abuse of Civil Rights. join the fight Reject CTA Promoted Extremism in California Classrooms AB 715 is a civil rights measure that reinforces California’s Education Code. It ensures that public classrooms remain spaces for balanced education - not political activism - particularly when it comes to sensitive issues like Israel, Zionism, and Jewish identity. The California Teachers Association (CTA) opposes AB 715. While claiming to defend academic freedom, the CTA has promoted educators who espouse radical ideologies - including rhetoric that demonizes Israel and pushes extremist “resistance” narratives rooted in antisemitism. AB 715 does not ban discussion or suppress free speech. It affirms that no student should be subjected to biased instruction that undermines their identity or safety. The Senate Education Committee must reject the CTA’s argument and affirm a basic principle: civil rights come before politics. Sign this Petition Sign this Petition Repeal California's Harmful Ethnic Studies Mandate | June 5, 2025 This deeply flawed and costly mandate forces students to take ethnic studies courses with no agreed upon subject matter, content standards, proven academic benefits or oversight—effectively handing curriculum design to outside ideological consultants and activist networks. Since AB 101 was passed—even as it remains unfunded and inoperative—we’ve seen districts like San Francisco, Los Gatos, and Santa Clara adopt curricula that portray Hamas as peaceful and glorify its violence. In Sequoia Union, students are told Israel is “illegal.” In Santa Ana, where a lawsuit was filed over its ethnic studies program, Jews were labeled “oppressors" and internal documents referred to community concerns as the “Jewish question.” The danger is real. The harm is growing. AB 101 must be repealed—before more damage is done. Take Action and Demand LAUSD Reject UTLA’s Anti-Jewish Agenda | APRIL 7, 2025 In recent weeks, the United Teachers of Los Angeles, or UTLA, passed multiple resolutions targeting Jewish-led organizations, rejecting Holocaust education, and promoting anti-Israel extremism in LA classrooms: Voted to sever ties with the ADL—calling it a “genocide denier.” Voted to reject antisemitism education from the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles—slandering it with the same label. Condemned UCLA and LAUSD for working with Jewish groups and promoting Holocaust education. Replaced mainstream antisemitism training with extremist-aligned organizations like PARCEO. Used false claims of “US-Israeli genocide in Gaza” to justify its campaign of exclusion. Sign this Petition See AMCHA's Petitions AMCHA Initiative is committed to organizing and carrying out campaigns to address campus antisemitism that include communicating with university, state, and federal leaders about the problem and possible solutions, engaging grassroots activists, and collaborating with other legal and educational organizations. AMCHA Initiative's open petitions: The Equality Pledge: A Commitment to the Equal Treatment of All Students on Campus Petition to Leaders of State Universities: No Academic BDS at Our Public Universities Petition to Leaders of State Universities: No Academic BDS at Our Public Universities Watch JewsInSchool's LATEST EXCLUSIVE report that exposed the truth about NAIS. Then, sign the letter below to make your voice heard and demand NAIS' DEI indoctrination in schools be investigated by Congress. Special thanks to community advocate Ariele Gordon for authoring this letter. Sign this Petition Join 5 Minutes Today for Israel ACTIVISM SIMPLIFIED. 5 Minutes Today for Israel is a Jewish, volunteer-run, unaffiliated, non-sectarian, non-partisan, mission-driven email blast designed to simply activism in support of Israel and against antisemitism.

March 20, 2025 Anti-Israel ethnic studies unfunded in California - Is the fight over? | JPost Op-Ed Tamar Caspi "As parents, we expect our children’s education to promote truth, critical thinking, and understanding—not to serve as a breeding ground for political activism." Originally Posted In: https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-846892 < Back The 2025–26 California state budget presented by Governor Gavin Newsom last month notably fails to allocate funding for Assembly Bill 101 (AB101) - yet another glaring reminder of the rushed and ill-conceived nature of the requirement for districts to offer Ethnic Studies courses. As spelled out in the bill – without funding, it is not mandated – which means districts do not need to implement it. Ethnic Studies, as it stands, is an attempt to implement a divisive, politically charged curriculum under the guise of promoting diversity. The absence of funding in this year’s budget is just one of many problems with the state’s approach to Ethnic Studies. Instead of forcing schools to implement this controversial program, we should pause the push for Ethnic Studies as a graduation requirement. Newly proposed legislation AB1468 includes the addition of standards, but the lack of oversight as to who will set those standards and who will impose those standards means the same bad actors can and likely will take over. The last time we trusted the state to create a committee of “experts,” the Governor ended up vetoing the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum three times. Ethnic Studies Includes Anti-Israel Indoctrination The rushed rollout of the statewide Ethnic Studies model curriculum in 2019 led to a document that faced significant criticism, particularly from the Jewish community, for containing elements of antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment. For example, “Zionism” was used in a negative context as it was associated with oppression, colonialism, and apartheid. Palestinian struggles were framed through the lens of “liberation,” which positioned Israel as an oppressive force. Further, it was an unbalanced narrative as the unique Jewish historical experiences of the Holocaust, the Jewish diaspora, and the importance of Israel to the Jewish people were excluded. Far from being a tool for unity, Ethnic Studies is a vehicle for activism, often pushing ideologies that have no place in our schools. The so-called Liberated Ethnic Studies curriculum has come under fire for promoting rhetoric that encourages students to view each other through the lens of identity politics, pitting one group against another. This type of curriculum fosters resentment and division, rather than the mutual respect that should be the foundation of any educational experience. This is not education; it’s indoctrination. And the worst part? Parents are being kept in the dark about what is being taught in these courses. In many districts, repeated requests for transparency about the content of Ethnic Studies lessons are ignored, and what we have found is deeply troubling: a curriculum full of inaccuracies, bias, and discriminatory content. This practice is a violation of AB101 (if it were funded) as well as the existing CA Education Code regarding new materials. As parents, we expect our children’s education to promote truth, critical thinking, and understanding—not to serve as a breeding ground for political activism. Yet, that’s exactly what Ethnic Studies has become. It is not teaching our children to think critically about history, culture, and society; it is teaching them to see the world through a divisive and narrow ideological lens. California’s Education Quality – 41st Out of 50 States Meanwhile, California’s public education system is already struggling. Though one of the largest in the United States, its enrollment has declined by 14% in the past decade, currently serving 5.5 million students across 9,000 schools. According to 2024 data from the US Department of Education, though California has the 5th largest economy in the world, it ranks 19th in the nation for per-pupil spending. It is ranked 41st in the country for overall educational quality, with students performing below the national average in key subjects like math and reading. As the recently released 2024 National Education Report Card showed, a full 72% of California’s 4th and 8th graders cannot read at grade level. Furthermore, according to the Public Policy Institute of California, the University of California and California State University both report that incoming students are not adequately prepared in key subjects. Rather than add yet another unfunded mandate to our struggling school system, we should focus on fostering critical thinking, mutual respect, and an understanding of our shared history within our current approved course catalog - without the political baggage that Ethnic Studies bring to the table. Previous Next

PeerK12 has curated a selection of videos to help guide you through the process of learning the issues so you can advocate for your school. @peerk12 VIDEO COLLECTIONS We have curated the video collections below to help guide you in your learning process. If you have a video or have seen a video that you'd like to recommend be added to one of our collections, please send us an email with the link and a short description of your recommendation. IN THEIR OWN WORDS... Underestimate them at your own peril... Watch what they say in their own words and most of all: Believe them when they tell you who they are.... Video documentaries These documentaries explore a range of issues that affect education and indoctrination in America, and the recurring indoctrination of antisemitic and anti-Israel rhetoric in our schools. Video UNPACKED FOR EDUCATORS Topics range from ancient Jewish history, Judean exile from the Holy Land, the Diaspora & Pogroms to Jewish life in America, Zionism & the eventual founding of Israel. Video Debunking anti-israel myths Take a look at these videos that debunk common "mainstream" lies and misconceptions so that you too can debunk the lies in real time. Video All Videos All Categories Play Video Play Video 01:27:11 California’s Antisemitism Bill Explained plus Hostages Release Breaking News In this episode of The Israeli-American Podcast, we begin with breaking news — President Trump’s newly brokered agreement to free Israeli hostages held by Hamas terrorists. We examine what’s known about the deal’s first phase, its implications for Israel’s security and deterrence, and how it underscores renewed American leadership in the Middle East. Then we turn to California, where Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 715, legislation originally introduced to combat antisemitism and anti-Israeli discrimination in public schools. While we appreciate the bill’s intent, ICAN remains deeply concerned that lawmakers stripped the legislation of real enforcement power before passage. During the September 10 Senate Education Committee hearing, legislators removed the antisemitism definition, investigative authority, and civil-rights enforcement mechanisms, leaving only a coordinator who can provide “technical assistance” but no authority to investigate or enforce protections. We break down what this means for Jewish and Israeli-American students, how AB 715 was positioned as legislative cover for advancing the Ethnic Studies mandate, and why ICAN is urging Californians to stay engaged ahead of the 2026 legislative session. Governor Newsom has already promised follow-up legislation — and ICAN will work to ensure it delivers real accountability and genuine protections, not symbolic politics. Play Video Play Video 01:04:00 Antisemitism in K-12 Education – A Warning Sign for Society This conversation examines how identity-based and activist frameworks have contributed to the rise of antisemitism in education, and what this reveals about deeper trends in institutional radicalization. Sign-up to receive our newsletter and hear about future events: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/KEDn1o7/youtube Read more about the Recapturing Liberty Through Education Series: https://www.theahafoundation.org/announcing-aha-foundations-new-6-part-webinar-series-recapturing-liberalism-in-education/ Speakers Bio: David Bernstein is the Founder and CEO of NAVI. A passionate advocate for free expression of ideas, he previously served as President and CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and as Executive Director of the David Project. David is also the author of Woke Antisemitism: How a Progressive Ideology Harms Jews. His leadership and commitment to Jewish advocacy have shaped his career, driving him to promote discourse on vital social issues. Naya Lekht is a scholar on contemporary antisemitism and works with the Jewish community to foster pride in the history of the Jewish people. Naya received her PhD in Russian Literature from UCLA where she wrote her dissertation on Holocaust literature in the Soviet Union. In 2018, Naya was a Scholar-in-Residence at Oxford University through the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism (ISGAP). A passionate educator and curriculum developer, in 2019 Naya joined as Director of Education at Club Z, a Zionist youth movement. Under her leadership, Club she developed a curriculum on Jewish peoplehood, Zionism, and Advocacy that is currently being used across the nation. In 2022, Naya was a presenter at the National Teachers Seminar at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC), where she taught Soviet Literature and Film. Naya is likewise a published author and most recently, joined as Educator Editor for White Rose Magazine, a non-partisan digital publication dedicated to exposing extremism and reteaching classical liberalism. Naya is currently teaching Zionism, the history of antisemitism, and working on her book, tentatively titled Zionism in the Diaspora: Reclaiming Israel Education. Links mentioned in the webinar: https://isgap.org/fellow/naya-lekht/ https://navivalues.org/resource-request-form/#start-here https://navivalues.org/ Play Video Play Video 01:59:20 PeerK12 Advocacy after October 7th w/ Nicole Bernstein & Tamar Caspi [Part 2] In this episode Tamar Caspi and Nicole Bernstein discuss the aftermath of the October 7th attacks and the surge of antisemitism in K-12 schools. They share their experiences mobilizing parents and educators to combat hate, the challenges of school responses, and the role of social media in spreading antisemitic sentiments. The conversation highlights the need for strategic political and legal actions to protect Jewish civil rights in educational settings. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to PeerK12 and Recent Events 01:11 The Impact of October 7th on Jewish Students 05:04 Mobilizing Against Antisemitism in Schools 10:09 The Challenge of School Responses to Hate 12:04 The Role of Social Media in Antisemitism 16:26 Confronting Hate Speech and Accountability 23:21 Strategic Responses to Antisemitism 29:49 The Broader Implications of Indoctrination 35:45 Political and Legal Strategies for Change 41:22 Building a Cohesive Strategy Against Antisemitism About PeerK12 Co‑founders of PeerK12: Partnering with Nicole Bernstein, Tamar co‑founded the organization in 2021. PeerK12 works to counteract institutionalized Jew-hatred in K‑12 education by mobilizing communities for legal protections, policy reform, and curriculum transparency. Website -https://www.peerk12.org/ Keywords #PeerK12, #antisemitism, #ethnicstudies, #Jewisheducation, #communityactivism, #AB101, #Jewishidentity, #educationpolicy, #K12schools, #Jewishhistory, #education, #antisemitism, #communityadvocacy, #schoolpolicies, #misinformation, #Jewishidentity, #ethnicstudies, #parentinvolvement, #activism, #socialjustice Play Video Play Video 01:50:26 PeerK12 Moms Fight for Jewish Civil Rights w/ Nicole Bernstein & Tamar Caspi [Ep 5 Part 1] Nicole Bernstein & Tamar Caspi, co-founders of PeerK12, speak about their mission to combat Jew hatred in K-12 education. They discuss their backgrounds, the emergence of ethnic studies, and the implications of AB 101 on Jewish students. The conversation highlights the complexity of ethnic studies curriculum, the importance of community mobilization, and the need for resolutions condemning antisemitism. They also explore how current events influence activism and the experiences of antisemitism in schools, emphasizing the importance of unity within the Jewish community. The conversation delves into the challenges faced by Jewish communities in the context of education, particularly regarding the spread of misinformation and antisemitism. They discuss the importance of community mobilization, the role of parents in advocating for their children's rights, and the need for accountability within school districts. They reflect on past experiences and the lessons learned, emphasizing the necessity of proactive engagement and collaboration with other communities to address these issues effectively. About PeerK12 Co‑founders of PeerK12: Partnering with Nicole Bernstein, Tamar co‑founded the organization in 2021. PeerK12 works to counteract institutionalized Jew-hatred in K‑12 education by mobilizing communities for legal protections, policy reform, and curriculum transparency. Website -https://www.peerk12.org/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Peer K12 and Its Mission 09:57 The Emergence of Ethnic Studies and Its Implications 19:06 The Controversy Surrounding AB 101 26:00 The Role of the Liberated Ethnic Studies Consortium 34:00 Real-Life Impacts of Antisemitism in Schools 39:58 Mobilizing the Community Against Antisemitism 43:15 The Importance of Nuanced Resolutions Against Antisemitism 44:39 Community Response to Antisemitism in Schools 46:51 Inclusion of Jewish Heritage in Education 49:10 Understanding Anti-Zionism and Its Implications 50:19 The Role of Student Advocacy in School Policies 54:18 The Impact of Immigrant Values on Community Support 57:10 The Complexity of Jewish Identity and Community Dynamics 01:01:11 The Challenge of Addressing Antisemitism in Education 01:06:22 The Need for Jewish Community Self-Care 01:09:07 The Role of Parents in Combating Antisemitism 01:13:05 Case Study: Addressing Classroom Incidents of Antisemitism 01:20:28 The Principle of Accountability 01:21:49 Going Public for Change 01:23:10 Navigating School Board Procedures 01:24:59 Community Support and Solidarity 01:26:12 Mobilizing Diverse Communities 01:28:04 The Power of Collective Action 01:29:19 Activating Parental Involvement 01:30:47 The Role of Transparency in Education 01:32:35 Curriculum and Accountability 01:34:29 Consequences of Inaction 01:35:18 The Importance of Community Engagement 01:39:15 Lessons from the Past 01:40:53 Ongoing Advocacy and Support 01:45:01 Challenges with Legacy Organizations 01:47:38 The Need for a New Approach #PeerK12, #antisemitism, #ethnicstudies, #Jewisheducation, #communityactivism, #AB101, #Jewishidentity, #educationpolicy, #K12schools, #Jewishhistory, #education, #antisemitism, #communityadvocacy, #schoolpolicies, #misinformation, #Jewishidentity, #ethnicstudies, #parentinvolvement, #activism, #socialjustice Load More

Support PeerK12 — dedicated to protecting Jewish civil rights in K-12 schools. Your tax-deductible donation helps investigate antisemitic incidents, mobilize diverse communities, train students and educators to combat bias, and drive meaningful policy change. Join us in defending safety, dignity, and fairness for all students. help us protect jewish children in schools PeerK12 is all about taking action. When Jew-hatred and intolerance go unchallenged, PeerK12 steps in as a proactive and relentless force for accountability and change. W e operate like first responders, arriving on the scene within minutes of receiving a report. Parents know that when they call us to report Jew-hatred in their school. We don’t miss a beat. We immediately jump into action to help them keep their kids safe by holding the districts accountable for protecting Jewish Civil Rights in K-12. Speed & accuracy are crucial. It's a race against time as we analyze dozens of data points to formulate and implement the best course of action. Your investment will fund the following core activities: Investigate and respond to antisemitic incidents with urgency Mobilize diverse communities for impactful, cross-cultural advocacy Train parents, educators, and students to identify and combat bias in schools Push for meaningful policy changes that hold schools accountable All donations to PeerK12 are tax deductible via our Fiscal Sponsor, The Israeli-American Civic Education Institute 501(c)(3), EIN: 83-1657444. Prefer to pay by check? Make checks payable to "Israeli-American Civic Education Institute" and add "PeerK12" to the memo line. Mail checks to: PeerK12 c/o Israeli-American Civic Education Institute 8549 Wilshire Blvd #2393, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 Multi-year Investment In Our Mission If you'd like to make a significant contribution or a multiyear pledge please contact us at info@peerk12.org . PeerK12 is a proud recipient of a NATAN Foundation Grant We are proud to work alongside other grassroots organizations in the 'confronting antisemitism' grant category. For more information on the grant and the category, click here . To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

June 5, 2025 Ethnic studies course is a disaster in the making in SFUSD Carol Kocivar Should a controversial ethnic studies curriculum be mandated in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) without approval by the board of education? Originally Posted In: https://thevoicesf.org/ethnic-studies-course-is-a-disaster-in-the-making-in-sfusd/ < Back This is not a theoretical question. SFUSD is doing that right now. This is the second year the school district is forcing ninth graders to take the course without formal curriculum approval by the school board. And to add insult to injury, last year it was a required SFUSD ninth-grade course but it was not approved by the University of California as meeting the A–G requirements. A course that is not approved does not get credit toward the University of California/California State University entrance requirements. Board responsibility One of the most important responsibilities of a school board is to approve what is taught. California Education Code § 60000(c) (2022) : Instructional Materials; Legislative Intent (c) The Legislature further recognizes that the governing boards of school districts have the responsibility to establish courses of study and that they must have the ability to select instructional materials appropriate to their courses of study.[2] For several years, the board and superintendent have been treating formal board approval of this curriculum like a hot potato. The inside scoop It’s not like they have not been asked to step up. I served on the district’s Public Education Enrichment Fund board, which has funded the course to the tune of millions of dollars. And I reminded staff and the superintendent more than once that the board should formally approve the curriculum. Spending millions on a course that is not required Below is a table showing SFUSD spending on this non-board-approved course. Ethnic Studies Support FY 23-24 Budget $1,505,958 FY 24-25 Projected Budget $1,748,890 Source: SFUSD Yup, that million dollar number popped right out at me. Why is a district in a financial crisis spending millions of dollars on a course that is not required for graduation by the state and is not required for entrance into California’s higher education system? Code Red concern of parents in the district To say that the ethnic studies curriculum is controversial is an understatement. There are lawsuits throughout the state calling out discriminatory content. It is so bad that Governor Newsom has refused to put funding in the budget to pay for a mandated state course. And a bill is pending in the legislature that prohibits the use of any curriculum or instructional materials if it would subject a pupil to unlawful discrimination. Better alternatives for teaching ethnic studies – Give high school studies more time for electives. The SFUSD one-year ethnic studies course does not give students enough time to take electives that interest them. Cut the course down to one semester and consider making it an elective. – Do not require the course in ninth grade. Most students do not have the background in United States or world history to put the course into perspective. – Revise the focus of the course. Ensure the ethnic studies course encourages students to appreciate and understand the many ethnicities in SFUSD. All of them have had challenges. All of them have many proud moments of success. A course that emphasizes a political philosophy of “us against them” loses the nuance of learning to work together and learning to value the strengths of each other. – Board review and approval. With so much controversy over what is taught, allow a thoughtful process with public input on the curriculum to ensure it is not discriminatory. Yes, it is a hot potato But it is our hot potato. With community input, the school board and the district should approve a curriculum that meets the test of not subjecting any student to unlawful discrimination. Previous Next

Letter templates to send to teachers to request NOT to schedule tests or important events on Jewish holidays. Jewish Holidays Send a Letter to Your Teacher About Tests on Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Other Important Dates RESECHEDULING AN EXISTING TEST ON YOM KIPPUR Copy and paste the below letter into your email and then customize it to ask your teacher to reschedule a test that is set for Yom Kippur this Thursday, October 2nd: Subject: [Topic ] test scheduled for Yom Kippur this Thursday, October 2, 2025 Hi [teacher name ], My son/daughter, [name ][ID # if applicable ] is in your [# ] period [subject ] class. I learned over the weekend that there is a test scheduled for this Thursday October 2nd - which is Yom Kippur - the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people . Scheduling a major test on Yom Kippur forces my child to choose between faith and academics and adds another burden of jumping through test make-up hoops no other students face. I respectfully request that the planned test please be rescheduled to a non-holiday date so my son/daughter is not unfairly disadvantaged or penalized for observing the Holiest day in the Jewish Faith. Legal protections & common practice: Title VI requires schools to prevent discrimination against Jewish students (protected as a group sharing ancestry/ethnicity). California Department of Education Inclusive Practices to Support All Students’ Cultural Observances, Fall 2025 California Department of Education Calendar of Religious Dates to Avoid School Scheduling Conflicts In California, Ed. Code §§ 48205 & 46014 excuse religious observance and require equitable, no-penalty make-ups for full credit. For future reference: In order to avoid future scheduling conflicts - here is a link to the religious dates calendar for 2025 provided by the California Department of Education with the list of the holiday dates to avoid for the remainder of 2025. Thank you for ensuring [student's name] receives the same consideration afforded to other protected groups. Please confirm the revised plan. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Phone/Email] Subject: Yom Kippur—No exams and equitable make-ups for [Student Name] Dear [Teacher Name] , Yom Kippur on [date] is the holiest day for the Jewish people. Scheduling tests that day forces Jewish students to choose between faith and academics—an unequal burden others don’t face. Under Title VI , schools must prevent discrimination against Jewish students (shared ancestry/ethnicity). In California, Ed. Code §48205 and §46014 excuses religious observance and requires fair make-up for full credit. Major districts already avoid assessments on these days or provide non-punitive, equivalent make-ups (e.g., both LAUSD and NYCPS close for Yom Kippur; Montgomery County, MD issues explicit guidance). My request: Do not schedule tests/quizzes/graded deadlines on Yom Kippur. If something is already set, provide a no-penalty, equivalent make-up (same format/weight), offered during regular school hours—not lunch/zero-period/after-hours. Please confirm the plan for [Student Name] . Thank you for ensuring equal treatment. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Phone/Email] REQUEST THAT TESTS not to be SCHEDULED on yom kippuR Copy and paste the below letter into your email and then customize it to request that tests not to be scheduled on Yom Kippur and make-ups are to be equitable.

See PeerK12’s impact - a detailed timeline of major wins: from exposing antisemitic policies in K-12 schools to mobilizing parents, influencing school districts and lawmakers, removing biased curricula, and building nationwide coalitions to defend Jewish civil rights in education. a look back at some of our biggest wins from 2024 unapologetically fighting Jew-hatred in K-12 january 2024 january 2024 january 2024 january 2024 Mobilization Wins 🔥 Exposed the Massachusetts Teachers Union scandal, ensuring parents had a voice in the fight against antisemitic bias in education. ✔ Stopping Antisemitic Policy Moves: Successfully mobilized against a San Diego ceasefire resolution, blocked the reappointment of a problematic local imam to the Human Rights Coalition (HRC), and supported Iran divestment policies—all leading to critical policy shifts. Advocacy in Action ✔ Influencing Educators: Launched awareness efforts against the San Diego Educators Association’s (SDEA) ceasefire resolution, setting the stage for continued advocacy in K-12 spaces. Impactful Partnerships ✔ Trained parent groups in Connecticut & New Jersey, equipping them with the tools to push back against antisemitism in schools. ✔ Built strategic relationships with the American Jewish Medical Association (AJMA) and JewsInSchool, expanding our advocacy reach. february 2024 february 2024 february 2024 february 2024 Mobilization Wins ✔ Rapid Response Saves the Day: Within two hours, mobilized to shut down an antisemitic panel at Helix Charter H.S.—a Saturday morning victory proving the power of community action! 🔥 Addressing School Bias: Confronted issues at La Jolla Country Day and the National Conflict Resolution Center, keeping antisemitism in check. Advocacy in Action ✔ Direct Engagement with School Districts: Organized high-level meetings with Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) & San Diego Unified (SDUSD) on Ethnic Studies, DEI, and combating Jew-hatred. Impactful Partnerships ✔ Partnered with UCSD professors and local parent groups to hold critical Ethnic Studies training sessions, ensuring Jewish perspectives were included. march 2024 march 2024 march 2024 march 2024 Mobilization Wins ✔ 1,580 Voices Strong! Led a petition against SDUSD’s antisemitic newsletter—forcing content removal and holding the district accountable (again!) ✔ Direct Action Stops Antisemitic Curriculum: Mobilized to remove a San Dieguito Union High School (SDUHSD) Ethnic Literature class filled with anti-Jewish bias. Advocacy in Action 🔥 Challenging State Leadership: Pushed back on Governor Newsom’s apology letter to the Muslim community—ensuring Jewish concerns weren’t ignored. ✔ Equipping Parents Nationwide: Trained Jewish parents in San Francisco, Berkeley, Seattle, Orange County, and Poway, preparing them to stand up for their children. Impactful Partnerships 🔥 Jewish Parent Advocacy Fly-In to Washington D.C.—Secured a hearing request with the Congressional Workforce and Education Committee! Expanded impact by joining forces with Parents Defending Education and #EndJewHatred. april 2024 april 2024 april 2024 april 2024 Mobilization Wins 🔥 Keeping Schools Free from Hate: Successfully removed a Palestinian flag from a school library in PUSD, securing new policies to prevent future political displays. ✔ Coached district parents on requesting, preparing for and participating in a district Parent - Student - Administrator workshop. Advocacy in Action 🔥 San Diego Unified (SDUSD) removed false, antisemitic content from an Arab American Heritage Month proclamation—another win for factual, unbiased education! Trained parents in North Carolina, Illinois & NYC, ensuring national preparedness. Impactful Partnerships 🏛 Official Recognition for Jewish Communities: Secured City of San Diego and Chula Vista proclamations for #EndJewHatredDay and a Jewish American Heritage Month resolution. may 2024 may 2024 may 2024 may 2024 Mobilization Wins 🔥 Dismantling Antisemitic DEI Groups: Mobilized against PUSD’s JEDI group—immediate dissolution of its antisemitic leadership! 🔥 Exposed Bias in Ethnic Studies: Successfully uncovered SDUSD’s Ethnic Studies Department as the force behind a controversial Jewish American Heritage Month resolution, leading to board apologies. Advocacy in Action 🔥 D.C. Fly-in for the Bipartisan Congressional Hearing on Antisemitism in K-12—briefed key lawmakers, ensuring Jewish students' concerns reached national decision-makers. 🔥 Defending Jewish Teachers: Supported a UC High teacher targeted for her Jewish identity, ensuring false complaints against her were dropped. Impactful Partnerships Strengthened alliances with Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM). june 2024 june 2024 june 2024 june 2024 Mobilization Wins 🔥 PUSD School Board Vote on DEI Group: Successfully mobilized support to dismantle a problematic DEI group, ensuring a more balanced and inclusive school environment. Advocacy in Action 🔥 High-Profile Documentary Screening: Hosted a panel discussion with filmmaker Eli Steele on Killing America at UCSD, drawing 150 attendees, including school board members. 🎤 National Stage: Featured as a guest speaker on a national webinar, further amplifying our advocacy efforts. Impactful Partnerships Strengthened ties with California Policy Center, enhancing our ability to influence education policy. ✔ Policy Research Presentation: Provided a detailed policy analysis with the California Policy Center, arming key stakeholders with data-driven arguments against antisemitic bias in education. july 2024 july 2024 july 2024 july 2024 Mobilization Wins 🔥 Exposed Bias in SDUSD Ethnic Studies Consultant Hiring: Mobilized against misleading job descriptions—resulting in official amendments to ensure compliance with state law. ✔ Chula Vista Schools Officially Recognize Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM): Mobilization led to JAHM being added to the district calendar, with a commitment to provide appropriate curriculum resources. Advocacy in Action 🔥 In-Person Advocacy with Local & State Officials: Strengthened relationships with lawmakers to push for stronger protections against antisemitism in education. 🎤 Seattle Training for Jewish Professionals & Lay Leaders: Helped prepare local leaders to counter antisemitism in K-12 spaces. Impactful Partnerships 🔥 AFT Forced to Back Down: Launched a petition and media campaign (with JewsInSchool, StandWithUs, and others) in response to multiple anti-Israel resolutions at the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). RESULT: Under intense media pressure (New York Post, etc.), AFT tabled, denied, or watered down every antisemitic resolution. Joined forces with StopHateinSchools, a critical move toward systematizing responses to school-based antisemitism. august 2024 august 2024 august 2024 august 2024 Mobilization Wins 🔥 ✔ Took on San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) Again: Mobilized against Ethnic Studies implementation, ensuring proper oversight. Advocacy in Action 🔥 Moderated High-Impact Webinars: Led discussions with top figures, including Eitan Chitayat (#ImThatJew) and Israeli President Isaac Herzog—shaping the global conversation on Jewish identity 📚 Equipping Parents with Tools: Hosted JewsInSchool webinar series—including a K-12 Advocacy Toolkit—helping parents nationwide fight antisemitism in their children's schools. Impactful Partnerships 🎤 Featured at the CA for Equal Rights (CFER) Annual Conference: Led a K-12 panel discussion, influencing state-level policy conversations on antisemitism in education. Strengthened collaborations with Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) to expand advocacy reach. september 2024 september 2024 september 2024 september 2024 Mobilization Wins 🔥 High Tech High’s "Nakba Assignment" Stopped: Forced the teacher to issue a public apology, setting a precedent for challenging anti-Israel bias in lesson plans. ✔ Exposed Bias in SDUSD’s Ethnic Studies Newsletter: Successfully mobilized to remove the promotion of "The Teacher," a biased film, and documented a pattern of antisemitic offenses—forcing the department to implement oversight policies. Advocacy in Action 📚 10/7 Toolkit Sent to Every California School Superintendent: Ensuring accurate resources about Hamas' terror attack were accessible to educators ✔ SDUHSD Ethnic Studies Battle Continues...: Huge turnout, strong community engagement, and a feature for PeerK12 on ABC 10News solidified the Jewish community’s powerful voice in curriculum decisions. Impactful Partnerships ✔ Chicano Park Antisemitic Marquee Removed: Worked directly with the Mayor’s office to take down harmful messaging—holding those responsible accountable. 🎤 Engaged with School Board Candidates: Sent official questionnaires to every San Diego County school board candidate, ensuring they take a stance on antisemitism in K-12. october 2024 october 2024 october 2024 october 2024 Mobilization Wins 🔥 Shifted San Dieguito's Ethnic Studies Curriculum: Forced the removal of the term "Systems of Power"—which often carries anti-Israel bias—and replaced it with “Progress & Barriers.” ✔ International Heritage Day Incident Resolved: Responded to anti-Israel bias at Design39 K-8, securing a district-wide apology and a commitment to stronger oversight. Advocacy in Action 📚 Published & Promoted School Board Candidate Papers: Released analysis across 11 districts, covering 17 races and 19 candidates. 🎤 Co-Hosted & Moderated Two Major Candidate Forums: SDUSD Area A Forum with local PTAs @ Clairemont High DMUSD Forum with the League of Women Voters Impactful Partnerships 🔥 Trained Parents in 4 Cities: Coronado, Ann Arbor, Philadelphia, and Orange County—expanding our national advocacy network. Launched the PeerK12 Incident Tracking Platform - powered by StopHateinSchools.org - allowing parents to document and report antisemitic incidents across schools. november 2024 november 2024 november 2024 november 2024 Mobilization Wins 🔥 Proactively Shaping JAHM in Chula Vista Schools: Ensuring Jewish American Heritage Month is implemented properly, not watered down. Advocacy in Action ✔ 10/7 Survivor Event Leaves a Lasting Impact: Hosted two events featuring NOVA survivor Rom El Hai, with 100 teens and 65 community members—deepening awareness about the horrors of Hamas' attack. Impactful Partnerships Strengthened advocacy efforts with Jewish National Fund (JNF) to secure greater community backing. 🏛 Honored with a VIP Invite to the Empowered Education Conference in Sacramento, further cementing our influence in education policy. december 2024 december 2024 december 2024 december 2024 Mobilization Wins ✔ Final Phase of SDUHSD Ethnic Studies Implementation: Led advocacy efforts, creating talking points and direct action requests for Board Trustees—ensuring Jewish concerns remained central to curriculum changes. Advocacy in Action 🔥 Beverly Hills Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) Mayors Conference: Featured as a panelist on antisemitism in K-12 education, educating city leaders and policymakers on how to combat antisemitism in schools. Impactful Partnerships Built an alliance with ICAN, further expanding our reach into education policy and advocacy.

Access PeerK12’s Holocaust Remembrance (every Jan 27th) resources for K-12 educators and students. Find age-appropriate lesson plans, reading lists, and background materials to honor International Holocaust Remembrance Day with historical context, meaningful discussion, and educational support. international holocaust remembrance day The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27th - the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau - as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a time to remember the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution. As we are witnessing an alarming rise of antisemitism around the globe, it is more important than ever for us to recognize the critical lessons of Holocaust history as we commemorate the victims and honor the survivors. Below is a list of appropriate, unbiased resources for students in grades K-12 to learn about International Holocaust Memorial Day. These resources provide educational material that is factual, sensitive, and suitable for young learners at different grade levels. K-5 (Elementary School) United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) – “For Children ” The USHMM offers resources specifically designed for younger learners. These include age-appropriate explanations of the Holocaust, videos, and interactive tools. Facing History & Ourselves “The Holocaust: A Learning Site for Kids” Facing History provides resources that help students understand the consequences of intolerance and prejudice through stories and historical facts. "Paper Clips" - A Documentary Paper Clips is the moving and inspiring documentary film that captures how these students responded to lessons about the Holocaust-with a promise to honor every lost soul by collecting one paper clip for each individual exterminated by the Nazis. Despite the fact that they had previously been unaware of and unfamiliar with the Holocaust, their dedication was absolute. Their plan was simple but profound. The amazing result, a memorial railcar filled with 11 million paper clips (representing six million Jews and five million gypsies, homosexuals and other victims of the Holocaust) which stands permanently in their schoolyard, is an unforgettable lesson of how a committed group of children and educators can make a difference. RECOMMENDED BOOKS “The Butterfly” by Patricia Polacco Book Summary: A picture book based on the true story of a young girl and her family’s escape from the Holocaust. The narrative is accessible to young children and conveys the impact of the Holocaust in an age-appropriate manner. “The Story of the Holocaust” by Judy Press Book Summary: A simplified, illustrated version of the Holocaust story, with focus on the experiences of Jewish children during the Holocaust. This book is designed for younger children, emphasizing hope, remembrance, and education. 6-8 (MIDDLE School) Yad Vashem – Educational Resources for Schools Yad Vashem’s educational platform includes multimedia resources, lesson plans, and survivor testimonies, suitable for middle school students exploring the Holocaust in a respectful manner. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) “A Teacher’s Guide to the Holocaust ” is aimed at educators, however it contains valuable teaching materials such as lesson plans, survivor stories, and age-appropriate resources that are effective for middle school students. RECOMMENDED BOOKS “Number the Stars” by Lois Lowry Book Summary: A historical novel that tells the story of a young Danish girl who helps a Jewish family escape the Nazis. This book is a powerful way to introduce the Holocaust’s human impact to middle schoolers. “The Holocaust: A New History” by Laurence Rees Book Summary: This is a well-balanced and accessible historical account suitable for middle schoolers, providing an understanding of the Holocaust in clear and thoughtful language. 9-12 (HIGH School) United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) USHMM offers interactive online programs, webinars, and digital resources that allow high school students to explore various aspects of the Holocaust in depth. Holocaust Education & Archive Research Team (HEART) This site provides a range of academic-level resources, survivor interviews, historical context, and articles on the Holocaust for high school students. Facing History & Ourselves – “The Holocaust” Facing History offers lesson plans, documentaries, survivor stories, and primary-source materials that help high school students grapple with the complexities of the Holocaust and its modern-day implications. Anne Frank House – Education Resources The Anne Frank House provides online educational tools, including materials to support learning about the Holocaust through the lens of Anne Frank’s life and legacy. RECOMMENDED BOOKS “The Diary of Anne Frank” Book Summary: This famous first-hand account of a Jewish teenager hiding from the Nazis during the Holocaust is a profound introduction to the personal experiences of Holocaust victims. It is often taught in high school classrooms. “Night” by Elie Wiesel Book Summary: This is a powerful autobiographical account of Wiesel's experience in Nazi concentration camps, written for older students. The themes of memory, trauma, and human dignity are explored, and it is a staple for high school curricula on the Holocaust. GENERAL (FOR ALL AGES) International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) The IHRA offers a wealth of resources on Holocaust education, including guides, lesson plans, and educational tools suitable for all ages, with a focus on remembrance and combating antisemitism. The Holocaust Education Trust The Trust provides various educational materials, including videos, articles, and lesson plans, to help explain the Holocaust in a way that is respectful, factual, and appropriate for different age groups. “Auschwitz: The Past Is Present” (PBS Documentary) This PBS documentary provides a sensitive exploration of Auschwitz’s history, including survivor stories, and is suitable for high school students. The content is educational but requires adult guidance for younger audiences. FREE Teacher Trainings for International Holocaust Remembrance Day can be found here, many of these also offer a certificate and/or graduate credit: Echoes and Reflections Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust Independent Institute: Comparative Cultures Ethnic Studies Curriculum Unit 6, Jewish Americans Balanced Learning StandWithUs

December 8, 2025 Students form human swastika on Calif. high school football field - call for ‘annihilation of Jews’ in Hitler-themed Instagram post Joe Burn Eight San Jose high school students formed a human swastika on their school’s football field in a horrifying display of antisemitism that has sent shockwaves through the Silicon Valley community. Originally Posted In: https://nypost.com/2025/12/08/us-news/human-swastika-formed-by-students-at-bay-area-branham-high-school/ < Back Eight San Jose high school students formed a human swastika on their school’s football field in a horrifying display of antisemitism that has sent shockwaves through the Silicon Valley community. The disturbing scene was photographed and shared in a since-deleted Wednesday social media post that featured an antisemitic 1939 quote from Adolf Hitler. “If the international Jewish financiers in and outside Europe should succeed in plunging the nations once more into a world war, then the result will not be the Bolshevization of the earth, and thus the victory of Jewry, but the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe,” read what appeared to be an Instagram caption. Branham High School announced Friday that an investigation has been launched, as first reported in the J. The Jewish News of Northern California. The eight students have been identified, but their names will not be revealed due to federal law. “Our message to the community is clear: This was a disturbing and unacceptable act of antisemitism. Actions that target, demean, or threaten Jewish students have no place on our campuses,” school principal Beth Silbergeld said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times. Silbergeld, who is Jewish, refers to herself as “Educator, conscious eater, mama, urban hippie, sneakerhead, NJ to CA,” according to her Instagram. Maya Bronicki with the Bay Area Jewish Coalition (BAJC) told NBC Bay Area that a fellow student at Branham High School came across the shocking photo and alerted his parents and other families. BAJC spokesperson Tali Klima condemned the human swastika display in a blistering statement. “To have children echoing Hitler’s words is frankly just shocking and heartbreaking, and the entire community has been rocked by this,” Klima said in a statement, according to The Guardian. “This bold and premeditated display has really shaken everyone.” State Sen. Scott Wiener, who shared a photo of the human swastika on Facebook, applauded the school’s swift response but raised concerns over the incident. “We need to ask ourselves why these students believed it was ok to do this — not just the swastika but linking it to extermination of Jews due to ‘international financial Jews,'” the Democrat wrote . “Antisemitism is pervasive & growing. It’s leading to harassment & violence against Jews. Yet, there’s an orchestrated campaign to deny its existence. We see this in the lies spread in opposition to the Jewish community’s work this year to pass state legislation on school antisemitism,” he added. Wiener’s post, however, elicited a wave of troubling responses in support of the eight students, including one that read: “This gives me faith in the next generation.” Another Facebook user wrote, “The youth are healing.” The hateful act has been reported to San Jose Police Department, and the district also stated it will work with Anti-Defamation League, the Bay Area Jewish Coalition and the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Bay Area. The human swastika episode marks at least the second time this year that Branham High School made headlines in connection to antisemitism allegations. Back in April, the California Department of Education (CDE) ruled that an ethnic studies course discriminated against Jewish students, according to The Times of Israel. The formal complaint was lodged by the Bay Area Jewish Coalition, and accused teachers of presenting biased information about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a 12th-grade ethnic literature course. According to the state DOE ruling, a teacher showed students a pro-Palestinian news explainer “The Israel-Palestine conflict: a brief, simple history,” but not a pro-Israel perspective. “In order for the information to be unbiased, there would have needed to be a video that reflected a pro-Israel perspective. This would have encouraged students to create authentic answers regarding the questions provided in the lesson,” the CDE report said. Previous Next

December 31, 2025 MVLA school district approves new graduation requirements Giuseppe Ricapito The Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District voted to modify the graduation requirements of the class of 2027 and beyond to reflect its truncated ethnic studies requirement. Originally Posted In: https://www.losaltosonline.com/schools/mvla-school-district-approves-new-graduation-requirements/article_453220d5-2430-4726-b787-b9b4b3c3af28.html < Back At a meeting on Dec. 15, the board unanimously voted to approve its updated graduation requirements. The change drops the social studies graduation requirement from 40 credits to 35 credits, reflecting the drop in the ethnic studies requirement from 10 credits to 5 credits. Elective credits are increased from 55 credits to 60 credits. Graduation requirements will remain 220 credits. The board of trustees voted 3-2 at an Oct. 27 meeting to cut the required social studies course, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. Support for shortening the requirement came from trustees Vadim Katz, Catherine Vonnegut and Alex Levich. Trustees Esmeralda Ortiz and Thida Cornes cast the dissenting votes. Ethnic studies is currently a year-long course at the district that teaches students about the study of race, contributions of people of color in the United States and contemporary social movements. “This is what the board has already voted for,” Superintendent Eric Volta said at the meeting. District officials previously noted that the school sites may develop new offerings in social studies electives to avoid staff cuts accompanying the reduction of its ethnic studies requirement from a year to single semester. At the Dec. 15 meeting, district staff members offered their own recommendations to bridge the drop in social studies requirements. Dave Campbell, president of the district teachers association, presented a staff plan to recommend the requirements of one semester of ethnic studies and one semester of world studies for freshmen. “Adopting this sequencing aligns with community feedback requesting a robust and globally focused freshman experience,” he said at the meeting. “It reduces ethnic studies to one semester in a way that minimizes disruption for students and prepares them for more rigorous coursework in their sophomore year and beyond.” Campbell said the course coverage would follow the Holocaust, World War II and Latin American history. He said the option offered clear reliable course pathways rather than variable elective enrollment. Nate Bowen, social studies department coordinator at Mountain View High School, said at the meeting he hoped any changes would be the least disruptive to students and teachers. He referred to the proposal as “vital.” “It’s going to help bring my department much needed stability and a sense of normalcy,” he said of the proposal. Volta said previously that department heads and educators at individual school sites are developing the potential social studies elective options for eventual consideration by the district. A timeframe was not provided for board consideration of the teachers’ social studies proposal. Previous Next

July 24, 2024 Wikipedia’s Jewish Problem Izabella Tabarovsky The site seems to be intentionally trafficking in disinformation related to Jews, Israel, and Zionism Originally Posted In: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/wikipedia-jewish-problem < Back In June, a group of Wikipedia editors and administrators rated the Anti-Defamation League as “generally unreliable” on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and “roughly reliable” on antisemitism “when Israel and Zionism are not concerned.” They also evaluated the ADL’s database of hate symbols, deeming it as “reliable for the existence of a symbol and for straightforward facts about it, but not reliable for more complex details, such as symbols’ history.” The anonymous editors, with unknown backgrounds or academic credentials, accused the ADL of “conflating” anti-Zionism with antisemitism and relying on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, which, they claimed, brands all criticism of Israel as antisemitic and stifles pro-Palestinian speech. They also accused the ADL of “smearing” Students for Justice in Palestine by calling on universities to investigate whether the group provided material support to Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. All of these critiques are assertions not of fact but of leftist dogma, designed to create the impression that left-wing antisemitism does not—indeed, could not—exist. “Wikipedia’s leadership are clowns,” tweeted Larry Sanger, Wikipedia’s co-founder, in response. Sanger had earlier declared Wikipedia’s neutrality—on all issues—effectively dead . But the general public has yet to catch up. With 6.6 billion visits in June, Wikipedia ranked the fifth-most-visited site worldwide, outranked only by Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. For many students and scholars, it serves as a starting point for research—a source of sources to be investigated further. Closer to home, what’s clear is that Wikipedia’s articles are now badly distorted, feeding billions of people—and large-language models that regularly train on the site, such as ChatGPT—with inaccurate research and dangerously skewed narratives about Jews, Jewish history, Israel, Zionism, and contemporary threats to Jewish lives. Wikipedia was launched on Jan. 15, 2001, as a single English-language edition at www.wikipedia.com by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger. Sanger announced the launch on the mailing list of Nupedia, Wikipedia’s predecessor, which he and Wales had also created. Whereas Nupedia was a peer-reviewed online encyclopedia with a seven-step approval process, Wikipedia, as stated in its name, is a wiki: a collaboratively edited site managed directly by its users through a web browser. The site is operated by the Wikimedia Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization, but is a “self-governing project,” whose largely anonymous volunteer editors—referred to internally as Wikipedians—are subject to a set of “policies and guidelines .” Wikipedia’s key principles are codified in “five pillars,” which include writing from a neutral point of view and using reliable sources to document key arguments. Another pillar urges editors to treat each other with respect and seek consensus on contentious topics. Disputes are resolved by volunteer administrators and can be escalated all the way to the Wikipedia Arbitration Committee (aka Wikipedia’s “Supreme Court”). Punishment can include bans varying in severity and length of time. Today, Jewish people and the Jewish story are under an unprecedented global assault, and Wikipedia is being used as a weapon in this war. Wikipedia also prides itself on radical transparency: Every edit can be seen by everyone on a specially designated page. Discussions related to each article are documented on “talk” pages and publicly available. Today there are some 330 language editions of Wikipedia hosting over 60 million articles. In theory, Wikipedia’s model of self-governance sounds unimpeachable: a crowd-sourced, transparently run project democratizing knowledge and empowering every person on the planet to participate in its creation. Yet problems started to emerge from the beginning. Civility quickly went out the door. Conflict-resolution mechanisms proved increasingly byzantine, and mechanisms meant to assure neutrality proved easy to manipulate. Hierarchies formed, as old-timers acquired greater clout and wielded it to prevail in increasingly bitter edit wars. Newcomers found it difficult to break through old-timers’ “fortress mentality.” “Wikipedia is amazing, but it’s become a rancorous, sexist, elitist, stupidly bureaucratic mess,” observed one writer in 2014. Structural problems soon translated into content related ones, including on Jewish topics. In 2004, a spokesperson for the Polish branch of Wikimedia Foundation created an article in English describing an extermination camp in Warsaw, where the Nazis gassed 212,000 Poles. The story—a fiction—remained on the site for 15 years before the Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed the problem in 2019. By then, the article had been translated into multiple languages, and its claims incorporated into multiple other Wikipedia articles. An estimated half a million people got exposed to the lie. Last year two historians published a bombshell paper demonstrating how a group of ideologically driven editors spent years systematically distorting Polish Jewish history across multiple Wikipedia articles to align it with far-right Polish nationalist preferences. Working in concert, the group falsified evidence, promoted marginal self-published sources, created fake references, and advanced antisemitic stereotypes. It whitewashed “the role of Polish society in the Holocaust,” “minimize[d] Polish antisemitism, exaggerate[d] the Poles’ role in saving Jews,” blamed Jews for the Holocaust, and generally steered “Wikipedia’s narrative on Holocaust history away from sound, evidence-driven research, toward a skewed version of events,” wrote the authors, Jan Grabowski and Shira Klein. Wikipedia’s mechanisms proved entirely inadequate in the face of this motivated, organized assault. Working “as a monolith,” the group manipulated the procedures, coordinated edits, and rallied to each other’s support when challenged. Users seeking to correct the group’s edits found themselves outnumbered and outmaneuvered. “Challenging the distortionists takes a monumental amount of time, more than most people can invest in a voluntary hobby,” wrote Grabowski and Klein. The distortionists exhausted their opponents with endless debates, aggressive “battleground behavior,” rudeness, and “mass deletions,” leading some to simply give up on editing the topic. Volunteer administrators called upon to resolve conflicts were unqualified to adjudicate content issues and unwilling to invest the hours required to sort through sources. Another case involved Croatian-language Wikipedia. There, a right-wing group of “real-life friends, ideological sympathizers and political allies” captured the entire site and proceeded, among other things, to whitewash the history of World War II-era Croatian fascist organization Ustaše, its Nazi puppet Independent State of Croatia(NDH), and the Jasenovac extermination camp where tens of thousands of Serbs, Roma, and Jews were murdered. Interlinked articles created a “web of deception” whose goal was “to influence the reader’s final moral or value judgment” of events, wrote an independent consultant Wikimedia hired in 2021 to evaluate the situation. The distortionists learned how to “dynamically” adjust “their behavior in order to avoid raising too many alarms or triggering reaction by the global community.” They established sock-puppet accounts to undermine voting procedures, and obstructed discussion with the help of “well-known disinformation tactics” such as “relativization of facts, whataboutism, discreditation of other participants and outright bullying.” So complete was the capture that local press began to refer to Croatian Wikipedia as “Nazi Wikipedia” and “NDH-pedia.” The most incomprehensible part about this is that it took Wikimedia Foundation 14 years from the time the first complaints began to surface to do something about it. The report apportioned much of the blame to Wikimedia’s failure to act in a timely and forceful manner. It warned that the entire situation gave a green light to other bad actors to come in and do the same and that “a more resourced and better-organized attempt could be harder to detect and eventually reverse.” Sounding a similar alarm in their paper on the Polish Jewish Wikipedia capture, Grabowski and Klein noted, on the basis of a leaked email, that the Polish government had “picked up” on “Wikipedia’s weakness” and was making plans to hire an adviser to introduce changes to the Hebrew-language Wikipedia. “We need to be super discreet on this score,” wrote a Polish government official and noted that the adviser “will need a larger budget to cover this expense. It can be arranged if the Foreign Office allocates more money.” And that was all before Oct. 7, 2023 These days, Wikipedia ranks its “perennial ” go-to sources—The New York Times , The New Yorker , NPR, MSNBC, and BBC—as “generally reliable” and extends the ranking to the openly partisan far-left outlets like Haaretz , The Intercept, The Nation , and The Guardian . Al Jazeera and the NGO Amnesty International (both known for their anti-Israel bias) are rated as “generally reliable” as well. The far-left Israeli NGO B’Tselem isn’t included on this list, but, as Aaron Bandler notes in Jewish Journal , Wikipedia editors have staunchly defended its reliability and referenced it in articles. On the other hand, conservative sources such as Fox News, The New York Post , Washington Examiner , and Washington Free Beacon are coded various shades of unreliable, with the Beacon getting the “generally unreliable” grade—one notch above “deprecated.” The Palestinian leader’s scholarly abstract sheds light on the crude deformations of Soviet Zionology and how they are reflected in today’s universities This ranking tells us what kind of slant we can expect in Wikipedia’s articles about Israel, Zionism, and anti-Zionist antisemitism. In the wake of Oct. 7, “generally reliable” sources have trafficked in disinformation, as when The New York Times splashed the Al Ahli hospital bombing hoax over its front page, helping spark violent anti-Jewish riots across the world; or when The New Yorker legitimized Holocaust inversion—a long-running staple of anti-Zionist propaganda originating in the 1960s USSR. Conservative outlets, on the other hand, have produced reporting that tells Israel’s side of the story and have looked far more critically at the anti-Israel campus protests. The “generally unreliable” Washington Free Beacon has arguably produced the most extensive reporting on the protests. Wikipedia editors, however, are warned against using the Beacon as a source, which is why of the 353 references accompanying Wikipedia’s article on the pro-Palestinian campus protests, the overwhelming majority is to liberal and far-left sources plus Al Jazeera. One-sided sources are just one among a host of problems in Wikipedia articles related to Oct. 7 and the war that followed. In a World Jewish Congress report released in March, Dr. Shlomit Aharoni Nir documents numerous ways in which relevant Wikipedia entries have become de facto anti-Israel propaganda. From biased framing to omissions of key facts to stressing anti-Israel examples while ignoring the Israeli side of the story, to promoting fringe academic perspectives on Zionism—Wikipedia’s editors and administrators have actively worked to subvert the site’s neutrality policy on this topic. As in other instances, conflicts and bullying behavior predominate, with Israeli editors describing uniquely “hostile and disrespectful” treatment. Israeli users, who are most knowledgeable about the Oct. 7 events, often found themselves locked out of editing key articles, which were open for editing only to users who’d made over 500 edits. Several editors told Aharoni Nir that there were a number of activists who operated anonymously and were “responsible for the anti-Israel tone.” Among some of the most troubling instances Aharoni Nir documented were calls for deletions of crucial articles. These included articles describing individual massacres on Oct. 7, such as those at Netiv HaAsara, Nir Yitzhak, Yakhini, and other kibbutzim and moshavim, as well as articles describing Hamas beheadings. Some of the calls succeeded. So did the call to erase the article about Nazism in Palestinian society (a “documented historical and sociological phenomenon,” notes Aharoni Nir). By contrast, the article normalizing equations between Israel and Nazi Germany—a propagandistic concept that has been weaponized against Jews for decades––remains on the site. Meanwhile, Wikipedia’s Arabic site openly abandoned the principle of neutrality last December when it temporarily went dark in solidarity with the Palestinians, then added the Palestinian flag to its logo and posted a pro-Palestinian statement at the top. Israel’s Wikipedia community protested. Wikimedia Foundation—you guessed it—did nothing. Many, undoubtedly, will note the irony of the ADL being attacked by the Wikipedia woke, given the criticism the organization and its head Jonathan Greenblatt have faced from the Jewish community for their progressive tilt and failure to focus on left-wing antisemitism. But the ADL has long been in social justice warriors’ crosshairs. In 2020, 100 hard-left groups signed an open letter demanding that the left “ drop the ADL ” as an ally. Ten days after Oct. 7, the director of the pernicious Institute for the Critical Study of Zionism attacked the ADL for daring to stand up against anti-Israel hate. And in January, The Nation published a piece whose title, “The Anti-Defamation League: Israel’s Attack Dog in the US,” read like a Pravda headline circa 1970. The Wikipedia editors who won the battle over downgrading the ADL used this piece to back up their arguments, along with articles in the hard-left Guardian and Jewish Currents , further confirming that the action had been driven not by an honest consideration of sources but political bias. In response to a letter by 43 Jewish organizations requesting it review the decision, Wikimedia issued a press release referring to Wikipedia’s supposedly inviolable mechanisms that must be preserved to keep it “neutral and free from institutional bias.” All content decisions are made by “Wikipedia’s volunteer community” in a transparent manner, with clear processes in place, and Wikimedia dares not interfere in the magic of that process. The brush-off, however, reads like an evasion so crude, it borders on deception. It’s true that Wikipedia’s old-timers tend to resent interventions from the foundation, but the foundation isn’t as powerless as it claimed in the release. In fact, Wikimedia’s senior management says something else entirely in its other communications. See, for example, this blog Maryana Iskander, Wikimedia’s CEO, published three weeks after Oct. 7. There she extolled Wikimedia’s crucial role in fighting “mis/disinformation, censorship and other threats,” listing them among the four top things the foundation does “to make sure Wikipedia can get closer to its vision of representing the sum of all knowledge.” Whatever Wikimedia does to combat mis/disinformation and censorship, when it comes to Jewish topics it is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, there are troubling signs that in the recent battle over the ADL, Wikipedia’s editors used some of the techniques we’ve encountered already—combativeness, manipulation, and taking advantage of administrators’ ignorance—to edge out their opponents and push through their own agendas. One Wikipedian who opposed the new ADL classification quit editing, having become “fed up ” with bias among the administrators. Editors told the Jewish Journal that Wikipedia’s existing system is “overrun by political actors who are running circles” around volunteer administrators. One editor said it would be easy for anti-Israel activists to make a case that everything the ADL does relates to Zionism and ultimately squeeze its content off the site completely. Another suggested that Wikipedia must shift from an all-volunteer oversight system to one based on “paid, vetted experts in each field that also have a strong grasp on the nuances of debate, mediation, and arbitration to ensure that Wikipedia policy and principles are actively enforced.” With Zionism, Israel, and antisemitism at the heart of the global disinformation endeavor, we may already be witnessing a concerted effort to capture these areas of Wikipedia and turn them into anti-Israel propaganda. The people doing this could be domestic zealots or state actors like Iran or China—or all of the above. What’s clear is that Wikipedia’s vaunted decision-making transparency aside, the anonymity of its editors and administrators is a major obstacle to understanding who produces content and for what purpose. Meanwhile, Wikimedia’s Croatia report notes that when it comes to ideological capture, time is of the essence. The longer Wikipedia audiences are “exposed to disinformation and bias while being assured by the Wikipedia community’s decades-long built reputation that they are reading neutral, fact-based information,” the greater and more irreversible the effects. Rewriting a subverted part of the site after 15 years does nothing to change the minds of those who had previously fed off of the propaganda. Today, Jewish people and the Jewish story are under an unprecedented global assault, and Wikipedia is being used as a weapon in this war. Yet there are no signs that Wikimedia—which washes its hands of any decision-making responsibility with regard to Wikipedia’s content yet raises millions off its back—recognizes its role and responsibility at this moment. Would it like to wait 10-15 years, the way it did with the Polish Jewish and Croatian projects, to see how bad things get before it intervenes? Or is it brushing off the Jewish community’s concerns because, like its editors, it, too, conflates left-wing bias with neutrality? Whatever the answer, it’s a terrible look for an organization that seeks to provide free access to “the sum of all human knowledge.” It’s crucial that we understand that the attack on the ADL in this case is actually an attack on any source of unbiased information about Jews or Israel. Zooming out, ideological capture of critical information resources is a threat to American society as a whole. If one of the world’s most influential conduits of knowledge decides it wants to turn itself into the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, that’s its prerogative. The rest of us need to get informed, warn the world about it, and demand accountability. ----------------------- Izabella Tabarovsky is a scholar of Soviet antizionism and contemporary left antisemitism. She is a Senior Fellow with the Z3 Institute for Jewish Priorities and a Research Fellow with the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism and ISGAP. Follow her on Twitter @IzaTabaro . Previous Next

PeerK12 offers resources to users on antisemitism in education. Resources RESEARCH ARTICLES podcasts VIDEO COLLECTIONS Curriculum Jewish American Heritage Month Ethnic Studies Unions california San Diego Nationwide Federal LegaL & Public Policy Toolkits IHRA Resolutions Relevant Elections

Check out PeerK12’s School Board Elections page - learn how we educate voters, candidates, and school-district stakeholders about Jewish civil-rights in K–12, support policy advocacy, and mobilize communities to influence school board and public-school elections for fairness, transparency, and accountability. SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE POSITIONS Get to Know THE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOr YOUR SCHOOL BOARD Questionnaire Results BY THE NUMBERS 17 Different races 11 San Diego area school districts 19 Candidates 04 Open-ended questions 31 "Support" or "Oppose" STATEMENTS 14 Multiple choice questions OCTober 29TH event recording: CANDIDATE TOWN HALL FOR SAN DIEGO UNIFIED AREA A VIEW RECORDING A special thank you to the candidates: Sabrina Bazzo and Dr. Crystal Tull; and to our co-hosts: Clairemont High School Foundation Friends of KAVOD Charter School Marston Middle School PTA Toler Elementary PTA To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. HOW DID THE CANDIDATES IN YOUR DISTRICT ANSWER? Questionnaire Results

Explore PeerK12's comprehensive resources on Ethnic Studies in K-12 education. Understand its ideological origins, potential impacts, and learn how communities can advocate effectively protect their students from radical ideologies, ensure transparency in their school districts, and provide unbiased curriculum for their children. Ethnic Studies in K–12: What’s Really Happening & Why It Matters Ethnic Studies is being introduced into classrooms across the country; often without transparency, oversight, or accountability. At PeerK12, we’ve been on the front lines of this issue - supporting families, exposing harmful curriculum, and holding school systems accountable. We don’t just explain the problem. We help you understand it, challenge it, and stop it. Isn’t Ethnic Studies Supposed to Be a Good Thing? It sounds good: “equity,” “inclusion,” “real history.” But underneath that language is a framework rooted in activism, ideology, and political outcomes - not balanced education. Ethnic Studies grew out of the 1968 Third World Liberation Front movement, and it was designed to “reimagine” education through a lens of power, identity, and systemic oppression. The goal of 'authentic' and 'real' ethnic studies is to 're-educate students away from traditional American values (Judeo-Christian) and into becoming Marxist-style socialists. They achieve this by teaching students to reject everything America stands for: democracy, free speech, capitalism, individual choice, and pluralism. Ethnic Studies is about changing the entire value system of American students. This isn't an education problem - it's a political one. What’s happening in schools right now? Growing concerns from families and educators include: Politicized classroom environments Lack of parental visibility into curriculum Classroom dynamics that divide students along racial identity lines Documented incidents of bias and discrimination - including antisemitism This isn’t hypothetical. We’re seeing the real-world impact play out in classrooms every day. PeerK12 Analysis: We’ve Done the Work, So You Don’t Have To PeerK12 is tracking this issue at every level: policy, classrooms, and real-world incidents. Our Analysis Covers: California legislation (AB 101, AB 1468, AB 715) Curriculum breakdowns and red flags Real cases impacting students and families You’re not getting theory.You’re getting real insight from the front lines. Is the San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) System Officially Broken? Is the San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) Officially Broken? PEER K12 Sep 21, 2025 CA AB 715: Governor Newsom Signs Antisemitism "Civil Rights" Bill That Protects Absolutely No One What began as a promising civil-rights bill to protect Jewish and Israeli-American students in California’s public schools has been gutted beyond recognition. Nicole Bernstein Oct 9, 2025 To Protect Zionism, We Must Reject Ethnic Studies We cannot protect Jewish students while endorsing a curriculum that teaches others to hate Jews. And we cannot defend Zionism while legitimizing an ideology that slanders it as oppression. Nicole Bernstein May 20, 2025 1 2 3 4 PeerK12 OpEds & Blogs Real World Impact What’s Happening in Schools Right Now: Curriculum is being introduced with little transparency Districts are creating their own content with no oversight Classrooms are becoming politicized Students are being divided - not unified When ideology replaces education, students feel targeted or silenced, classrooms become divisive, and trust in schools breaks down - which results in dozens of formal complaints and lawsuits being filed just to ensure Jewish civil rights are protected. PeerK12 can help navigate through all of this - you don't have to try and deal with this alone. Click arrows or play button to scroll through real world examples of ethnic studies PhD 'experts' and their social media, lessons, trainings, mobilizations, legislative action alerts etc. Incidents in K-12 Collection - click to enlarge images Portland Teachers Union December 2023 ARE (Association of Raza Educators) San Diego - Ceasefire Now - rally at Jimmy Gomez' office Incidents in K-12 Collection - click to enlarge images 1/61 Ethnic Studies in California: Litigation & Complaint Tracker Litigation Tracker California Department of Education Federal Office of Civil Rights Jewish Families vs State of California & California Dept. of Education The Louis D. Brandeis Center and StandWithUs filed a landmark lawsuit in February 2026 against the state of California, the State Board of Education, the CDE, and Superintendent Tony Thurmond — described as the first lawsuit against a state over failure to protect K-12 Jewish students — citing incidents in Berkeley, Los Angeles, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Campbell Union, Fremont, Etiwanda, and Oakland. Berkeley USD The Deborah Project sued Berkeley USD over its use of ethnic studies materials alleged to foster discriminatory beliefs about Israel and the Jewish community, without offering parents a chance to review the contents. A California Superior Court ruled the materials could be discriminatory, establishing a landmark precedent. Campbell Union High School District Named in the February 2026 Brandeis Center and StandWithUs lawsuit against the state; the district was cited for a high-profile incident in which six Branham High students formed a human swastika on the football field and posted it with a Hitler quote. East Bay Times Hayward Unified School District The Deborah Project sued for release of records related to ethnic studies instruction; the district settled and agreed to pay the group's legal fees. Los Angeles USD A suit filed by the Deborah Project alongside a Jewish parents' group was dismissed after two and a half years in December 2024. Jewish Currents A separate suit by Jewish teachers challenged collective bargaining laws, alleging the teachers' union helped create an ethnic studies curriculum described as antisemitic. Mountain View-Los Altos UHSD The Deborah Project sued for records related to ethnic studies instruction; the district settled and agreed to pay the group's legal fees. Oakland USD The state of California sued Oakland USD in March 2026 after the CDE found the district had discriminated against Jewish students in multiple instances and the district then failed to complete the required corrective actions by the March 1 deadline. Palo Alto USD The Brandeis Center and Cohen Williams LLP filed a Brown Act complaint in Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, alleging the district violated open meeting laws by misleading the public about its ethnic studies curriculum and graduation requirement. Santa Ana USD The Brandeis Center, ADL, and AJC filed suit in Orange County Superior Court in September 2023, alleging the district developed ethnic studies courses in secret infected with antisemitism; the district settled in February 2025, agreeing to halt three courses pending redesign and paying $43,000 in legal fees Sequoia Union High School District Six families of students at Woodside and Menlo-Atherton high schools, represented by The Deborah Project and Ropes & Gray, filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court (Northern California) alleging rampant antisemitism, inaccurate instruction, and deliberate indifference by administrators. University Prep Academy (San Jose charter school) A student and her parents filed a federal lawsuit against the charter school and its executive director, also naming the Santa Clara County Office of Education and the California Department of Education as defendants, over months of antisemitic bullying. Ethnic Studies: Webinars & Podcasts Start at the Beginning: The Ethnic Studies Origin Story Discover hidden connections between historical activism, controversial educational mandates, and today’s fierce ideological battles unfolding inside classrooms nationwide. After you see this video, you'll understand precisely how concepts such as intersectionality, decolonization, land acknowledgements, and dismantling systems of power have quietly reshaped curricula -and why this matters profoundly, even if you don't have kids currently attending K-12 schools. Ethnic Studies All Categories Play Video Play Video 04:37 UNDERSTANDING ETHNIC STUDIES IN 5 MINUTES OR LESS Hey Everyone, I finally made a short explainer video onto the subject of Liberated Ethnic Studies. This is a good one to share with friends who don't see the concern. Please like share and if you haven't subscribe! All of the in-depth videos are on the live page. The subject is heavy and nearly every parental advocate is covering it because it is that urgent. Music Ben Sound License code: O0CETJWKOQ7YK6GO Play Video Play Video 13:13 Ethnic Studies: Education or Indoctrination? California is proposing a mandatory ethnic studies class that is so far-left, that even California’s liberal media are expressing concern. It will teach California high school students that capitalism is an oppressive system akin to white supremacy, and word like Misogynoir, Positionalities, and cis-hetero-patriarchy. And YouTube decided to instantly demonetize this episode before it had a title, tag, description, or was even made public. I wonder what Google felt was too controversial? How did the bots read this episode? SUPPORT US: Patreon.......►https://www.patreon.com/americauncovered SOCIAL: Facebook...► https://www.facebook.com/America-Uncovered-1819821761677650/ Instagram..► https://www.instagram.com/chinauncensored Twitter........► https://twitter.com/USUncovered us news red pill gender equality president trump political news Play Video Play Video 02:06 Mother Testifies Against Ethnic Studies Bill: “Not Everything That Sounds Good IS Good” Kofi Montzka, a Minnesotan attorney and mother of three, testified against H.F. 1269 on March 21, 2023. "We used to have a race-based system. We got rid of it, and now you all are trying to bring it back.” For more information on this legislation and how to contact your legislators, go to www.americanexperiment.org/bait-and-switch/ Play Video Play Video 05:40 What Students REALLY Learn in Ethnic Studies Classes? Curious about what students REALLY learn in ethnic studies classes? Watch this video to find out the eye-opening insights shared by students themselves! What Students REALLY Learn in Ethnic Studies Classes? Play Video Play Video 02:31:03 California Forum on Ethnic Studies in Public Schools Are ethnic studies classes giving students a broader perspective—or pushing ideological agendas? The California Forum on Ethnic Studies in Public Schools is your chance to speak up. This live-streamed, citizen-hearing style event brings students, parents, and educators together to share their real-world experiences—directly with policymakers—fostering honest dialogue about what’s happening in classrooms across California. Join us as we tackle the tough questions: 🔹 Are ethnic studies courses meeting ed code standards? 🔹 How can we keep education free from political bias and discrimination? 🔹 What should parents, teachers, and lawmakers do next? This is your opportunity to take action and be heard. Whether you’re a concerned parent, a passionate educator, or a student with firsthand experience, your voice matters. Play Video Play Video 01:15:56 Ethnic Studies: From Radical Roots to Government Mandate Join the Institute for Liberal Values with the Coalition for Empowered Education livestream discussing the problems with Liberated Ethnic Studies and what the coalition is doing about it. Play Video Play Video 01:03:07 4. Teach Ethnic Studies - The Racist Roots and History of Critical-Liberated Ethnic Studies Understand the racist roots and history of Critical-Liberated Ethnic Studies and the ideologies and structures that guide and inspire the DEI efforts in today’s educational institutions. 1. Ideological Subversion: Increase your understanding of the process of ideological subversion in social justice education. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucjhIilHoYw 2. Guiding Principles: Infuse the Empowered Social Justice Guiding Principles into social justice teaching and learning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtRG3iPK8Dg 3. Standards and Resources: Use the Empowered Social Justice framework and resources to teach ethnic studies in grades 9-12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD1DD10RtIw 4. Teach Ethnic Studies: Use the Empowered Social Justice framework and resources to teach ethnic studies in grades 9-12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghES0tnAWuA Download the free Empowered Social Justice Resources and learn more: https://tinyurl.com/DrLeeESJR Play Video Play Video 01:08:11 1. Ideological Subversion: Empowered Social Justice Resources Video Series about the Empowered Social Justice Resources: 1. Ideological Subversion: Increase your understanding of the process of ideological subversion in social justice education. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucjhIilHoYw 2. Guiding Principles: Infuse the Empowered Social Justice Guiding Principles into social justice teaching and learning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtRG3iPK8Dg 3. Standards and Resources: Use the Empowered Social Justice framework and resources to teach ethnic studies in grades 9-12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD1DD10RtIw 4. Teach Ethnic Studies: Use the Empowered Social Justice framework and resources to teach ethnic studies in grades 9-12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghES0tnAWuA Download the free Empowered Social Justice Resources and learn more: https://tinyurl.com/DrLeeESJR Frequently Asked Questions about ethnic studies What is ethnic studies, and how is it different from multicultural education? ETHNIC STUDIES: "Ethnic studies is the interdisciplinary study that centers Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders, Chicanx/Latinx, American Indians/Native Americans, and Africana/Black/African Americans who have experienced, survived, and resisted settler colonialism, racism, and hegemonic systems of oppression. Using ethnic studies epistemology, content and pedagogy, ethnic studies aims to educate students to be socially, politically, and economically conscious of their personal connections to local and (trans)national histories. Students study topics through the intersectional lenses of race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexuality, ability, language, immigrant status, and class. They analyze indigeneity, white supremacy, oppression, privilege, and decolonization, and work toward empowering themselves as anti-racist leaders in social justice activism." MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION: As established in California SB 48, this includes the contributions of all ethnic, religious, LGBTQ+, and disabled communities to California and U.S. history. What does CA's AB 101 entail? AB 101, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2021, mandates a one-semester ethnic studies course for high school graduation starting with the class of 2030. High schools were supposed to offer this course beginning in the 2025–26 school year. However, this mandate was contingent on state funding, which was never allocated, rendering the mandate null and void. Is ethnic studies currently a graduation mandate in California? No - although AB 101 mandated ethnic studies for high school graduation by the Class of 2030, the law’s implementation is contingent on state funding, which was estimated at roughly $276 million. As of early 2026, California's AB 101 ethnic studies requirement remains largely unfunded, with no new funding included in the 2025-26 budget. Since AB101 remains totally unfunded, the mandate is not active, yet many districts are already implementing courses anyway, often with little public transparency (and multiple resulting lawsuits statewide). Funding Status: The mandate is technically inoperative or paused in many districts due to a lack of state funding. Budget Shortfall: Governor Newsom did not include funding for the 2025-26 fiscal year, citing a $2.9 billion state budget shortfall. Impact on Districts: Without state funds, districts are struggling to cover costs for teacher training and curriculum development, leading some to pause implementation. Future Outlook: The requirement is contingent upon future funding appropriation, with observers looking to future budget revisions for updates. LAST UPDATED: March 2026 What are the legal requirements for ethnic studies courses? Ethnic studies courses must not promote bias, bigotry, or discrimination, must be appropriate for all students, and cannot include or promote religious doctrine. All curriculum must be fact-based, and not promote communism as a preferred ideology over democracy and capitalism. These requirements are outlined in Education Code §§ 51225.3(a)(1)(G) and Article 4 Section §§ 51530. Do schools have to use the state’s model ethnic studies curriculum? No. Districts can choose from four options: A course based on the state’s model curriculum. An existing ethnic studies course. An A–G approved ethnic studies course (meeting UC/CSU requirements). A locally developed course, approved by the school board at a public meeting. However, any course used must have ethnic studies as its primary content and comply with anti-bias laws; and: By law, ethnic studies courses: Must not promote bias, bigotry, or discrimination. Must be appropriate for students of all backgrounds. Cannot include or promote religious doctrine. These rules are outlined in Education Code §51225.3(a)(1)(G). Why is there so much concern about antisemitism in ethnic studies? Hundreds of incidents and lawsuits have documented antisemitic content or behavior in ethnic studies programs. Jewish and Israeli-American students have been excluded or vilified in some lessons. After October 7, 2023, many of the leading PhD experts in ethnic studies glorified Hamas and minimized Jewish perspectives. In Oakland, more than 30 Jewish families had to transfer their children out of the public school district due to the hostile and dangerous environment that ethnic studies had created inside classrooms. The Congressional House Ed & Workforce Committee (Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education) has held two official Congressional hearings to investigate the rise of antisemitism in K-12 and found a direct link to Ethnic Studies as one of the root causes: May 2024 and September 2025 The 2024 California Commission on the State of Hate found that these issues are widespread and unmonitored. The California Department of Education has investigated and found that the following three school districts are guilty of violating the civil rights of their Jewish students, teachers, and faculty with their ethnic studies curriculum: Campbell Union High School District Santa Clara Unified School District (USD) Tamalpais Union High School District (home district and alma mater of CA Governor Gavin Newsom) Ethnic studies related lawsuits in CA school districts: CA Department of Education Berkeley USD Hayward USD Los Angeles USD Mountain View–Los Altos UHSD Palo Alto USD San Diego USD Santa Ana USD Sequoia Union High School District Federal Office of Civil Rights Investigations due to ethnic studies implementation (Title VI - National Origin Discrimination Involving Religion): Berkeley USD Fullerton USD Lammersville USD Los Angeles USD Oakland USD Placentia-Yorba Linda USD Roseville City School District San Francisco USD West Contra Costa USD Why did AB 1468 (ethnic studies "content standards") fail to pass the CA legislature? AB 1468 (Feb 2025) would've created official content standards, curriculum frameworks, and state compliance monitoring for ethnic studies by 2028. It also included: A mandatory advisory committee made up mostly of scholars in the four “core” disciplines. A statewide mandate for districts to submit all ethnic studies curricula to the state by June 30, 2026 (which would have been before the proposed state standards would have been adopted). A new role for the CA Dept. of Ed to monitor compliance, but without clear mechanisms for enforcement. The bill faced tremendous negative pressure from teachers unions due to the curriculum transparency requirement. The bill also faced negative pressure from organizations (including PeerK12 and our coalition partners) due to the dangers of elevating ethnic studies to the same level as math, English, Science, etc. and would have resulted in it becoming an admissions requirement for UC and CSU. Read more about this bill here: https://www.peerk12.org/post/a-new-ethnic-studies-bill-in-california-overview-of-ab-1468 Who decides what gets taught in ethnic studies classes? Currently, local school boards approve the curriculum, but there are no specific guidelines in place - outside of the guardrails in AB101 - added to ensure school districts would not include any of the removed bigoted, antisemitic, and biased content that previously made the model curriculum unusable. Dozens of lawsuits sprang up across California as school districts failed to implement any of the guardrails or protections, especially around the Jewish American experience and the Israel-Palestinian Wars. Doesn’t California already require inclusive and diverse education? Yes. SB 48 (2011) requires inclusive instruction on the contributions of all cultural groups, including LGBTQ+, religious, and disabled people. Ed Code § 51204.5 and § 60040 mandate inclusive and bias-free materials. These laws already allow multicultural education without ethnic studies-specific mandates. Is there effective oversight for ethnic studies courses? No, there is no effective oversight. While AB 101 prohibits bias and discrimination, there is no enforcement mechanism. The State Board of Education does not vet local curricula unless districts adopt the state model. The Attorney General’s 2024 legal alert reiterates anti-bias obligations but admits no active enforcement. Ethnic studies remains largely unregulated, with unvetted and often divisive materials being introduced into classrooms. Submit a Question on Ethnic Studies Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Submit your question here and we will get back to you - and potentially add your question to our FAQ's to help others better understand this issue as well. First name* Last name Email* Submit Your Question* Submit

PeerK12 is unapologetically fighting institutionalized antisemitism in K-12 dedicated to unapologetically fighting institutionalized Jew-hate in K-12 education. Partners Equality Educational Responsibility for & Who We Are we are problem solvers PeerK12 stands unapologetically against institutionalized Jew-hatred in every form. Join us in this vital mission—whether you're a parent, educator, or concerned citizen, your support amplifies our impact. Together, we can ensure that hate finds no home in our schools. Join Us Join Our Tribe COMMUNITY EDUCATION Nothing About Us, Without Us Advocacy, Access & Policy TAKE ACTION What We Do we are collaborative Working with parents, students, & teachers - along with other grassroots organizations - we are actively engaged with administrations and school boards, in addition to lawmakers, throughout the country, to protect Jews by exposing and permanently eliminating institutional Jew-hatred in K-12. Support Us One Voice, One People STRONGER TOGETHER SURVIVE & THRIVE Our Jewish Experience Exposing, Enabling & Enforcing OVERSIGHT & ACCOUNTABILITY How We Do It we get results Whether it is passing resolutions, mobilizing the community, writing petitions, enforcing ed code, or educating Congress, we do whatever it takes to get accountability and results and permanently dismantle Jew-hatred indoctrination in the K-12 ecosystem. Work with Us parent & community lay leader A huge thank you for your leadership, strength, and community organizing. The uncountable hours you have devoted to learning, strategizing, and then teaching our community leaves me feeling a debt of gratitude that I can only repay by doing what I am able in my relationships to continue the stand against anti-Semitism. What amazing role models you are to people of all ages, but especially for our children.

Facts Matter — a detailed, historically grounded PeerK12 analysis debunking common misinformation about the Arab-Palestinian narrative. Learn evidence-based historical context, documented peace offers, and factual rebuttals to widely spread claims about the conflict. Debunking Lies video library Need to brush up a bit on ancient history, world religions, global politics, local geopolitics, and archeology? We got you. Take a look at these videos below that debunk common "mainstream" lies and misconceptions and see for yourself.... >> Visit the full Travel Israel Channel . The Ethnic Cleansing of Jews within Muslim Countries (sub: DE, ES, FR, IT) Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Debunking Myths by Traveling Israel All Categories Play Video Play Video 09:27 7 Things pro-Palestinians Forgot to Tell You (...this war is not about land...) sub: DE, ES, FR, IT 7 Things pro-Palestinians Forgot to Tell You (...this war is not about land...) You hear so much about Israel and Gaza in the news. But there are a few things that pro-Palestinians forget to tell you. Here is a quick summary of the things you need to know. --- Follow me... ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/travelingisrael Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/travelingisrael/ Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@travelingisrael1 Play Video Play Video 18:35 The Nazis and the Arabs of Palestine: the Untold (yet Documented) connection The Nazis and the Arabs of Palestine: the Untold (yet Documented) connection Or become a member and get early access to my videos as well as other perks! Support me on Ko - fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael Recommended books: Nazi Palestine - https://books.google.de/books?id=vjsLAqafdQ8C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ViewAPI&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false Genealogy of Evil: Anti-Semitism from Nazism to Islamic Jihad - https://www.amazon.com/Genealogy-Evil-David-Patterson/dp/0521132614 Mufti And the Fuehrer – Rise and fall of Hajj Amin Al-hussein - https://www.amazon.com/Mufti-Fuehrer-Rise-Fall-El-husseini/dp/B0000CMKI8 --- Follow me... ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/travelingisrael Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/travelingisrael/ Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@travelingisrael1 Play Video Play Video 09:34 A Message to MUSLIMs from an ISRAELI. This is your biggest problem… A message to Muslims from an Israeli. This is your biggest problem… Like my content? Want to support my work and get smarter? Get my Jerusalem digital tours here - https://www.travelingisrael.com/shop-products/ Or become a member and get early access to my videos as well as other perks! Support me on Ko - fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael --- Follow me... ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/travelingisrael Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/travelingisrael/ Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@travelingisrael1 Play Video Play Video 25:07 The Palestinian Refugee Problem Explained (Nakba and the Arab narrative) sub: DE, ES, FR, IT #nakba #vox Vox full video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGVgjS98OsU&t=4s&ab_channel=Vox Like my content? Want to support my work? Become a member and get early access to my videos as well as other perks! Support me on Ko - fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael 0:00 - Intro 1:00 - Deir Yassin intro 8:20 - The Partition plan 10: 55 - Plan D 14:10 - Deir Yassin 18:08 - The Battle of Haifa 20:35 - The Arab armies invaded Israel 21:09 - Palestinian refugees 23:00 - zoom out --- Follow me... ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/travelingisrael Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/travelingisrael/ Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@travelingisrael1 Play Video Play Video 17:33 10 Questions PRO-Palestinians Can’t Answer (Can You Prove Me Wrong?) 10 Questions PRO-Palestinians Can’t Answer (Can You Prove Me Wrong?) Like my content? Want to support my work and get smarter? Get my Jerusalem digital tours here - https://www.travelingisrael.com/shop-products/ Or become a member and get early access to my videos as well as other perks! Support me on Ko - fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael 0:00 - intro 1:48 - The oppressed people of the Middle East 4:28 - Stolen Land 5:56 - Why wasn’t an independent Palestinian state established between 1948 and 1967? 7:58 - Egypt 9:24 - Genocide 9:52 - Blacks and Palestinians 13:03- The State of Palestine 14:01- The R-word 14:58 - Tell me who your friends are --- Follow me... ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/travelingisrael Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/travelingisrael/ Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@travelingisrael1 Play Video Play Video 15:44 Genocide, ethnic cleansing and apartheid in the Middle East Like my content? Want to support my work? Please become a member and get early access to my videos and other perks! Support me on Ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael --- Follow me... ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/travelingisrael Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/travelingisrael/ Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@travelingisrael1 Play Video Play Video 16:35 Palestinians: The World's Most Privileged Refugees The PALESTINIANS are the most PRIVILEGED refugees in the World. UNRAW textbooks - https://unwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-Report-UNRWA.pdf https://www.impact-se.org/wp-content/uploads/UNRWA-Education-Textbooks-and-Terror-Nov-2023.pdf Support the communities - https://donate.kkl-jnf.org/plant-a-tree/ref/16/ --- Follow me... ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/travelingisrael Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/travelingisrael/ Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@travelingisrael1 Play Video Play Video 11:58 The Jews NEVER Stole Any Land (But the Arabs did) Like my content? Want to support my work and get smarter? Get my Jerusalem digital tours here - https://www.travelingisrael.com/shop-products/ Or become a member and get early access to my videos as well as other perks! Support me on Ko - fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael --- Follow me... ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/travelingisrael Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/travelingisrael Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/travelingisrael/ Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@travelingisrael1

Curated and recommended resources for K-12 to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month. jewish american heritage month Jewish American Heritage Month, celebrated in May, is an opportunity to learn about the history, contributions, and experiences of Jewish Americans. Below is a curated list of unbiased, educational resources appropriate for students in grades K-12 that highlight Jewish American history, culture, and contributions. These resources offer a broad and balanced view of Jewish American history, culture, and contributions, suitable for all grade levels. Whether through books, websites, or multimedia resources, these materials ensure a respectful and comprehensive exploration of Jewish American heritage during Jewish American Heritage Month. $30,000 in scholarship funds for San Diego 11th & 12th grade students We’re proud to launch our Jewish American Heritage Month Student Contest for San Diego juniors and seniors - in partnership with the Combat Antisemitism Movement and the Tikvah Fund. Learn More JAHM RESOURCES FROM OUR trusted partners Jewish American Heritage Month – Official Website This website provides resources, events, and information to help educators and students explore the history of Jewish Americans. The Jewish Americans: A PBS Series by David Grubin The set of lesson plans that draws from the PBS series,THE JEWISH AMERICANS, explores immigration, identity, contribution, assimilation, discrimination, change, and confrontation. The plans may be used for a deeper examination of the ways Jewish life fits into U.S. history. The set may also frame comparative research of non-Jewish immigrant experiences. Available Lesson Plans: Who Are You? Lesson Two: A Living Tree The Best of Times, The Worst of Times Talk Show Jews in America, the Civil Rights Moveme... Play Video Play Video 07:59 The History of Jewish Life in America Jews have lived in the United States since 1654 — before the states were even united — when twenty-three Sephardic settlers fled to New Amsterdam. Today, the Jewish population of America stands at 7.5 million. Overcoming brutal sweatshop conditions, assimilationist pressure, antisemitic regulations and even lynchings, American Jews have helped positively shift the country’s politics and economics. Though they weren’t always welcomed with open arms, and despite the challenges they have faced over time, American Jews have flourished in what is now home to the world’s second largest community of Jews. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:37 Jews during the American Colonial Era 01:37 General Ulysses S. Grant and Antisemitism 02:04 Jewish success in the mid-1800s 02:26 Russian Jewish immigration and textile industry sweatshops 03:19 Jewish involvement in the working class struggle 03:53 Redefining Jewish identity and changing Jewish rituals 04:18 The American Reform Movement 04:39 The Pittsburgh Platform and Conservative Judaism 05:16 Antisemitism in America 05:40 False conviction and lynching of Leo Frank 06:02 The Johnson-Reed Act Jewish immigration quotas 06:56 Jewish activism and success 07:24 American Jewish representation today 07:43 Outro Subscribe and turn on your notifications so you don’t miss future uploads! https://www.youtube.com/UNPACKED?sub_confirmation=1 Recommended video—Who are the Jewish US Supreme Court Justices? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR6D3cejcls&list=PL-DNOnmKkUaZrTGuvoIJFOgn4nr375SR_&index=25 We have merch! – http://shop.Unpacked.media/?utm_medium=youtube&utm_source=video-description&utm_campaign=merch Let’s connect: Website — https://www.Unpacked.media Instagram — /unpackedmedia Twitter — /unpackedmedia TikTok — /unpackedmedia Facebook — /unpackedmedia ----------- Co-Executive Producers: - Melinda Goldrich - Shmuel Katz Gold Level: - Goldrich Family Foundation ----------- Image and footage credits: – Ajay Suresh – T’ruah – Israel GPO-Fritz Cohen – German Fuentes pavez – eHillel – Temple Emanu-El NYC – Kasala Productions – Justin Kroger – Allison Graham ----------- About The Jewish Story: Understand three thousand years of Jewish history in these short videos based on the book Letters to Auntie Fori: The 5,000-Year History of the Jewish People and Their Faith by the renowned historian Sir Martin Gilbert. Learn the Jewish story from the ancient Israelites of the Bible to Hellenization, the Jews of the Middle Ages to modern day, and more. About Unpacked: We provide nuanced insights by unpacking all things Jewish. People are complex and complicated — yet we’re constantly being pushed to oversimplify our world. At Unpacked we know that being complex makes us more interesting. Because of this, we break the world down with nuance and insight to drive your curiosity and challenge your thinking. #AmericanJews #jewish #antisemitism Play Video Play Video 06:32 Is the book of Exodus the story of America? New channel alert https://youtube.com/@todayunpacked The ancient Jewish Exodus from Egypt began the formative nation-building epoch of the Jewish people. The experience is so renowned that it continues to reverberate in freedom struggles across the globe. Long before the colonies united to form the United States of America, and ever since, the Exodus story has been a touchstone for American intellectual, religious and social thought, influencing everything from the White House to best-selling books, the fight for the abolition of slavery to the filming of Hollywood mega-hits. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:46 The Exodus from Egypt 01:03 Colonial Era references to the Exodus and Pharoah 02:27 American political leader references to Moses 03:10 Black slavery and civil rights references to Jewish slavery and the Exodus 05:23 American cultural and social references to the Exodus story 06:30 Outro Subscribe and turn on your notifications so you don’t miss future uploads! https://www.youtube.com/UNPACKED?sub_confirmation=1 Recommended video—Moses and the Exodus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBdWaMBYZJM&list=PL-DNOnmKkUaYVJIFmU_RBihx8wezolzqL&index=3 We have merch! – http://shop.Unpacked.media/?utm_medium=youtube&utm_source=video-description&utm_campaign=merch Let’s connect: Website — https://www.Unpacked.media Instagram — /unpackedmedia Twitter — /unpackedmedia TikTok — /unpackedmedia Facebook — /unpackedmedia ----------- Executive Producers: — Mitch Julis Gold Level: — The Julis Romo Rabinowitz Family Silver Level: — Sharon and Elie Gindi Foundation — Simms-Mann Family Foundation Bronze Level: — Dot & Basil Haymann — Amy & Harlan Korenvaes ----------- Image and footage credits: National Archives and Records Administration Library of Congress Paramount Bristol Museum and Art Gallery Storyblocks Artgrid Prelinger Archives Sapphire Films National Portrait Gallery MGM / Technicolor / Colorcraft Royal Collection United Artists Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group National Gallery of Art Massachusetts Historical Society U.S. Diplomacy Center John Carter Brown Library The Jewish Museum National Museum Liverpool Cincinatti Art Museum Lucasfilm Ltd Encyclopedia Britannica Films Pixabay The Illustrated London News Army Pictorial Center Mead Art Museum Smithsonian UCLA Film & Television Archive's Hearst Metrotone News Collection Newspapers.com: The Gazette and Daily The White House U.S. Congress C-Span Lockheed Aircraft Corporation ----------- This video is from the series Restoring the American Story, co-produced with Yeshiva University’s Straus Center. It explores the timelessness of Torah values and how they influenced the fabric of American ideology and its moral foundation. These videos take a closer look at how Jewish principles have inspired the U.S. founding fathers, key historical figures and modern day leaders, leading to the relevancy of Torah values today. About Unpacked: We provide nuanced insights by unpacking all things Jewish. People are complex and complicated — yet we’re constantly being pushed to oversimplify our world. At Unpacked we know that being complex makes us more interesting. Because of this, we break the world down with nuance and insight to drive your curiosity and challenge your thinking. #Exodus #passover #americanhistory Play Video Play Video 06:24 Esther in America Queen Esther might be a costume of choice on Purim for young Jewish children around the world, but she is also known for inspiring America and its citizens for hundreds of years. In fact, the presence of her name is revealed when examining episodes in American history ranging from colonists rebelling against England to New York City’s most recently elected mayor. Indeed, the story of Queen Esther – the heroine of the Purim story – continues to provide motivation and joy to people of all stripes and ages around the globe. Play Video Play Video 09:51 How did a Sephardic Jew Save the American Revolution? Haym Salomon, a Sephardic Jew from Poland, is the largely unknown benefactor of the American Revolution. Immigrating to the American colonies just before the outbreak of the War of Independence, Salomon used his unique business and language talents to outwit British forces several times, and used his brokerage business to fund the final Battle of Yorktown. But the American Revolution was not the only cause he believed in; Salomon also left behind a legacy of building and strengthening the Jewish community in the newly formed United States of America Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:35 Haym Salomon’s origins 01:04 Lead up to the American Revolution 01:31 Jews in the American colonies 02:39 Siding with revolutionaries fighting for liberty 03:25 Financing the rebel army 03:45 Arrest for espionage 04:02 Interpreter for the British 04:30 Helping rebels escape British custody 04:45 Escape from death sentence 05:16 Launching a brokerage firm 06:40 George Washington sends for Salomon 06:58 Funding the Battle of Yorktown 07:19 Financing the new American government 07:41 Advancing the Jewish American community 08:19 Death and debt of Haym Salomon 08:53 Other Jews in the American Revolution Subscribe and turn on your notifications so you don’t miss future uploads! https://www.youtube.com/UNPACKED?sub_confirmation=1 Recommended video—Were Jews Responsible For Bringing Down The USSR? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-MfbDGEUx0&list=PL-DNOnmKkUaa6YEEEhDmTnLlWKc5a3TYH&index=11&t=8s&pp=gAQBiAQB We have merch! – http://shop.Unpacked.media/?utm_medium=youtube&utm_source=video-description&utm_campaign=merch Let’s connect: Website — https://www.Unpacked.media Instagram — /unpackedmedia Twitter — /unpackedmedia TikTok — /unpackedmedia Facebook — /unpackedmedia ----------- Image and footage credits: Bruce Anderson Beyond My Ken https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:GNU_Free_Documentation_License,_version_1.2 The Patriot Titanic Gangs of New York Hamilton Guardians of the Galaxy Battling Butler The New World Sons of Liberty John Paul Jones John Adams History of the World Part 1 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat The Three Stooges Trading Places Jerry McGuire Ace Ventura 2 When Nature Calls The Big Bang Theory Oceans Eleven ----------- Executive Producer: — Barry Skolnick Co-Executive Producer: — Shmuel Katz ----------- About Explainers: From ancient Jewish traditions to the modern State of Israel, we explain it all. Diving into anything and everything related to Jewish culture, history, and even religion. Understand Jewish holidays, Israeli politics, Jewish diasporic communities, and more. Learn about Judaism in pop culture, debunking myths about Jews, and explore obscure Israeli landmarks. We’re asking questions as basic as “What is the Talmud?”, and as obscure as “How did hip-hop boost Kosher wine sales?”, and everything in between. About Unpacked: We provide nuanced insights by unpacking all things Jewish. People are complex and complicated — yet we’re constantly being pushed to oversimplify our world. At Unpacked we know that being complex makes us more interesting. Because of this, we break the world down with nuance and insight to drive your curiosity and challenge your thinking. #Jewish #history #4thofjuly #americanrevolution Play Video Play Video 07:49 A Jewish American Tale | The Jewish Story | Unpacked Jewish life in early 20th century America meant a constant question of identity. At a time when being an immigrant was far from celebrated, young Jews worked to free themselves from the “old country” traditions of their immigrant parents. This all came to a head when the world witnessed the horrors of the Holocaust. Suddenly, progressive American Jews needed to decide what was more important: their American values or the suffering of fellow Jews across the world. As Jews learned to balance the American dream with traditional Jewish values, a rich cultural diversity began to develop which has led to the great impact Jews have had on the United States until today. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:36 Russian Jewish immigration 01:07 The Johnson Reed Act and Jewish immigration quotas 01:52 Native born Jewish Americans 02:38 Education - opportunity and assimilation 03:00 Rejection of Jewish identity and Jewish middle class 03:23 "Cultural" judaism 03:41 Housing covenants, university quotas, country club bans 04:22 Jewish parallel institutions 04:50 Nazi Germany and American Jewish communities 05:40 US government's resistance to helping European Jewry 06:10 American society opens up to Jews 06:30 American Jews strengthen Jewish identity 07:01 Diverse hybrid Jewish and American identity 07:34 Outro Subscribe and turn on your notifications so you don’t miss future uploads! https://www.youtube.com/UNPACKED?sub_confirmation=1 Recommended video— The History of Jewish Life in America https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDZHNuS2L3o&list=PL-DNOnmKkUaa6YEEEhDmTnLlWKc5a3TYH&index=4 We have merch! – http://shop.Unpacked.media/?utm_medium=youtube&utm_source=video-description&utm_campaign=merch Let’s connect: Website — https://www.Unpacked.media Instagram — /unpackedmedia Twitter — /unpackedmedia TikTok — /unpackedmedia Facebook — /unpackedmedia ----------- Co-Executive Producers: - Melinda Goldrich - Shmuel Katz Gold Level: - Goldrich Family Foundation ----------- Image and footage credits: eHillel Matt Gunther Isaac Leicht ISU Library. SCUA. AV Collection. Jonathan McIntosh John Phelan USHMM Yad VaShem ----------- About The Jewish Story: Understand three thousand years of Jewish history in these short videos based on the book Letters to Auntie Fori: The 5,000-Year History of the Jewish People and Their Faith by the renowned historian Sir Martin Gilbert. Learn the Jewish story from the ancient Israelites of the Bible to Hellenization, the Jews of the Middle Ages to modern day, and more. About Unpacked: We provide nuanced insights by unpacking all things Jewish. People are complex and complicated — yet we’re constantly being pushed to oversimplify our world. At Unpacked we know that being complex makes us more interesting. Because of this, we break the world down with nuance and insight to drive your curiosity and challenge your thinking. #americanjews #americandream #ww2 Play Video Play Video 10:23 Can Americans Be Patriots and Zionists? The Louis Brandeis Story | Great Jewish Heroes | Unpacked The first Jewish U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Louis Brandeis, was born in 1865 in Louisville, Kentucky to Jewish German immigrants. Brandeis grew up assimilated into American life and knew more about his German roots than his Jewish ones. Graduating first in his class from Harvard Law at the age of 20, Brandeis worked as a lawyer and was a leading reformer, fighting against poverty and injustice and defending equality and workers’ rights. While defending Jewish workers, Brandeis connected with his own Jewish heritage. Upon learning about Theodor Herzl’s call for a Jewish state in response to antisemitism and assimilation, Brandeis began to rally Jewish Americans around Zionism and support for Israel. Though asked to lead the American Zionist Movement, Brandeis instead chose to be an advocate for Zionism and American Jews by becoming a supreme court justice and remained a vocal supporter of Jewish dual loyalty. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:39 Downplaying Jewish identity in America 01:36 Brandeis saw no contradiction 01:58 Brandeis' youth 01:25 Progressivism 02:48 Reformer 03:34 Theodor Herzl 04:06 Resonance with the Zionist Movement 04:41 Proud American and vocal proponent for the Jewish state 05:11 Woodrow Wilson's rejection of Jewish nationalism 05:53 The outbreak of WW1 06:11 The Federation of American Zionists 07:26 Brandeis and the American Zionist Movement 08:54 Jewish pride and American pride 10:08 Outro Subscribe and turn on your notifications so you don’t miss future uploads! https://www.youtube.com/UNPACKED?sub_confirmation=1 Recommended video— Repairing the World: is Tikkun Olam Jewish?? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf4GkbuiHnA&list=PL-DNOnmKkUaazY2E0ifs-L73CoLZ4mMjb&index=1 We have merch! – http://shop.Unpacked.media/?utm_medium=youtube&utm_source=video-description&utm_campaign=merch Let’s connect: Website — https://www.Unpacked.media Instagram — /unpackedmedia Twitter — /unpackedmedia TikTok — /unpackedmedia Facebook — /unpackedmedia ----------- Executive Producers: Michael Maling Adam Milstein Barry Skolnick Co-Executive Producers Russell Greenberg Gloria Kaylie Andy Lappin Gold Level: Koum Family Foundation Robyn & Russell Greenberg Harvey & Gloria Kaylie Foundation Crain-Maling Foundation Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation Skolnick Family Charitable Trust Bronze Level: Susan & Marc Sacks Meryl & Sam Solomon ----------- Image and footage credits: Center for Jewish Life/American Jewish Historical Society/Hadassah Archives Central Zionist Archive Ein Hashofet Archives Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections Department at Brandeis University/Louis D. Brandeis: An Inspiring Life Florida State Archives Harvard Historical and Special Collections Israel Government Press Office Franz Jantzen/Supreme Court of the United States Laura Kneedler Library of Congress David Matlow Herzl Collection Spielberg Archive StoryBlocks Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life ----------- About Unpacked: We provide nuanced insights by unpacking all things Jewish. People are complex and complicated — yet we’re constantly being pushed to oversimplify our world. At Unpacked we know that being complex makes us more interesting. Because of this, we break the world down with nuance and insight to drive your curiosity and challenge your thinking. #Supremecourt #LouisBrandeis #Jewish Load More The National Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) This website is a valuable resource for exploring Jewish contributions to American life, including notable Jewish American figures, historical timelines, and stories from Jewish American communities. Jews in Early America: From Inquisition to Freedom Touro Synagogue History; George Washington Letter; Religious Liberty in America; Jews in Early America; Jewish Burial Ground k-5th grades Free Professional Development for educators and materials in preparation for Jewish American Heritage Month (K-5), including l esson plans, teaching ideas, reading lists and more resources. The Jewish Museum – Educational Resources for Kids This museum offers interactive online activities and educational materials about Jewish culture and traditions, designed for younger audiences. BOOKS "The Keeping Quilt” by Patricia Polacco Book Summary: This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of a Jewish family’s heritage through the creation of a quilt, passed down through generations. It highlights family traditions, Jewish identity, and immigrant experiences. “The Passover Story” by David A. Adler Book Summary: A simple and engaging retelling of the Passover story, perfect for elementary school students. It introduces key Jewish traditions and holidays in an accessible way. 6-8th grades Library of Congress: Jewish American Heritage Month – Education Resources The Library of Congress provides online exhibits and educational materials, such as articles and images, which explore the history of Jewish Americans and their impact on American society. Facing History and Ourselves – Jewish American History Resources Facing History offers lesson plans, videos, and primary sources to explore the contributions of Jewish Americans in various aspects of society, including civil rights, politics, and the arts. BOOKS “The Story of the Jews: Finding the Words 1000 BCE – 1492 CE” by Simon Schama This engaging book is part of a broader series that explores Jewish history and culture. While it spans more than just American history, its accessible narrative helps middle schoolers understand the broader context of Jewish identity and contributions, including in the U.S. “The Orphan’s Tale” by Pam Jenoff Set during World War II, this novel explores Jewish history and culture through the lives of two women, one Jewish and one non-Jewish, in a traveling circus. This is an appropriate read for middle schoolers with some background in Jewish history. 9-12th grades Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History (NMAJH) Educational Resources The NMAJH provides a wealth of resources for high school students, including online exhibits, educational videos, and collections related to the Jewish American experience. Topics include immigration, civil rights, and the role of Jewish Americans in shaping U.S. history PBS – "The Jewish Americans" (Documentary) This three-part PBS documentary offers a rich history of Jewish Americans, tracing their experiences from the early colonial days to the present. It’s an excellent resource for high school students to understand how Jewish Americans have shaped and been shaped by American history. Jewish Virtual Library – “Jewish American History” The Jewish Virtual Library provides a comprehensive collection of articles, essays, and resources covering Jewish American history from early immigration to modern contributions in politics, science, and culture. The Holocaust Education & Archive Research Team (HEART) While HEART focuses primarily on Holocaust education, it also includes relevant information about Jewish American history and the post-Holocaust Jewish experience in the United States BOOKS “The Jewish Americans: A History in 3 Acts” by David M. Rubenstein Book Summary: This comprehensive book chronicles the experience of Jewish Americans from colonial times to the present. It highlights their contributions to American culture, politics, and society. It’s appropriate for high school students studying U.S. history and Jewish culture. “The Rise of David Levinsky” by Abraham Cahan Book Summary: This 1917 novel is one of the first American works to explore the life of Jewish immigrants in the U.S. It’s a powerful look at the challenges and aspirations of Jewish Americans during the early 20th century. MUSEUMS Library of Congress Jewish American Heritage Month: A Commemorative Observances Legal Research Guide National Archives Jewish American Heritage Month Smithsonian Jewish American Heritage Month American Library Association Jewish American Heritage Month The National Jewish Museum’s Virtual Jewish American History Month Resources: NMAJH Virtual Exhibits The National Museum of American Jewish History offers virtual exhibits and interactive tools that provide insight into Jewish American history. Their educational programs and exhibits are designed for both students and educators. PRINTABLE 60 PRINTABLE POSTERS OF JEWISH-AMERICAN HEROES GOOGLE ARTS & CULTURE JEWISH AMERICAN HISTORY This interactive site offers virtual exhibits, videos, and immersive experiences that explore Jewish American culture and contributions. It’s suitable for learners of all ages and can be used as a supplement to classroom lessons. CURRICULUM JewsInSchool JAHM curriculum The Trevor Project Exploring Identity for Jewish American Heritage Month San Diego County Office of Education Guide to Observing Jewish American Heritage Month Institute for Curriculum Services

June 13, 2025 Randi Weingarten’s ‘No Kings’ push shows teachers union is prioritizing activism over education Rikki Schlott Critics say unions taking part are undermining their members by taking an overtly partisan stance. Originally Posted In: https://nypost.com/2025/06/13/us-news/randi-weingartens-no-kings-push-prioritizes-activism-over-education-source/ < Back Over 1,500 rallies will be held against Donald Trump across the USA tomorrow as part of what organizers have dubbed “No Kings Day.” Critics say unions taking part are undermining their members by taking an overtly partisan stance. The American Federation of Teachers, American Postal Workers Union, and Communications Workers of America are all listed as partners of No Kings Day. AFT president Randi Weingarten is set to speak at the Philadelphia No Kings Rally. School choice activist Corey DeAngelis told The Post Weingarten’s involvement reveals “that teachers unions are more invested in political activism than in prioritizing education. Their actions expose them as little more than an arm of the Democratic Party, pushing a radical agenda that puts taxpayers on the hook for funding the K-12 education of illegal immigrants,” DeAngelis said. Weingarten spearheaded a No Kings town hall on Tuesday , declaring the event is “about strong public schools, supporting working families, and our fundamental freedoms.” The Zoom call also featured Democrat Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Al Sharpton. “The people are the most important decision makers in the country. Not a king, not a dictator,” Weingarten said during the call . She is set to speak at the Philadelphia event, and the AFT has an entire webpage of volunteer opportunities populated with No Kings Day events . Weingarten has also promoted the event to her more than 100,000 followers on X. “Where was this outrage from Randi Weingarten when her local affiliates fought to keep schools closed for years during the COVID era?” DeAngelis asked. “Imagine if Randi Weingarten fought half as hard to improve public education. Maybe then more than a quarter of American kids would be proficient in math.” The protests are billed as a counter to the Army’s 250th anniversary military parade in DC, as well as the president’s 79th birthday, which falls on the same day. The rallies are expected to disrupt hundreds of cities in all fifty states, and have been backed by activist organizations like Black Lives Matter and the ACLU. The day’s military parade will travel down the National Mall in Washington DC and will reportedly include uniforms, arms, and vehicles from every major American war, starting with the Revolutionary War, then moving on to display more recent Abrams tanks and P-51 Mustangs. No Kings Day organizers have dubbed the parade “a made-for-TV display of dominance,” while their own events on Saturday are “a national day of action and mass mobilization in response to the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the Trump administration” – somehow omitting the president was overwhelmingly democratically elected just seven months ago. Jamie Bauer, a representative of No Kings, told The Post that they have indication that their crowd could exceed 75,000 in New York City alone. Other “flagship” rallies are planned in Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Charlotte, and Atlanta. No Kings is orchestrated by the 50501 Movement (short for 50 protests, 50 states, one movement), a grassroots anti-Trump group that reportedly formed on Reddit . They first held a No Kings rally on February 5th, then another on President’s Day, and a third in March. No Kings pledged not to hold a rally in DC, after President Trump warned that protesters at the military parade would face “very heavy force.” “Instead of allowing this birthday parade to be the center of gravity, we will make action everywhere else the story of America that day: people coming together,” the group declared on their website . But Trump, for one, doesn’t agree with the characterization of him. “I don’t feel like a king, I have to go through hell to get stuff approved,” he said on Thursday . “We’re not a king at all, thank you very much.” Previous Next

May 5, 2025 CAM REVIEW | Ethnic Studies: The Dangerous Ideology Quietly Shaping US Classrooms Combat Antisemitism Movement If you’ve ever wondered why young Americans are embracing increasingly extreme views on race, power, identity, Israel, and Jews, this webinar connects the dots with clarity, historical depth, and urgency. Originally Posted In: https://combatantisemitism.org/special-features/ethnic-studies-the-dangerous-ideology-quietly-shaping-us-classrooms/ < Back Why are Jewish students facing unprecedented levels of antisemitism — from grade school on up to the university level and beyond? The answer may not lie only in biased news reporting on global events or inflammatory social media discourse, but also deep within the American education system itself. A 2023 survey conducted by Harvard CAPS/Harris revealed that 79% of Americans aged 18–24 believed all white people were oppressors and all people of color oppressed. That same poll found 67% in this age group saw Jews as oppressors, 60% felt the Hamas October 7th attack was was justified, and 73% trusted Hamas to accurately report casualty figures in Gaza. These aren’t isolated beliefs — they form a coherent worldview shaped not by spontaneous cultural trends, but by a deliberate ideological framework increasingly embedded in classroom curricula. In an eye-opening webinar last week, titled “The Ethnic Studies Origin Story: Uncovering the History Behind The Most Controversial Discipline ” and hosted by the Israeli-American Civic Action Network (ICAN) , Nicole Bernstein, co-founder of PeerK12 , traced the roots of this phenomenon back to its source: the rise of Ethnic Studies. Far from being a neutral academic discipline, Ethnic Studies was born from radical activism. It emerged alongside anti-colonial uprisings, Third World Liberation fronts, and revolutionary Marxist frameworks — movements that sought not only to critique Western society, but to dismantle and rebuild it entirely. Bernstein explained how these ideas, once confined to fringe university departments, have entered the K–12 classroom through decades of institutional advocacy, policy lobbying, and grassroots organizing. Today, these same ideologies form the backbone of state-mandated Ethnic Studies curricula across the country, often under the radar of parents, school boards, and even teachers. Concepts like “intersectionality,” “decolonization,” and “dismantling systems of power” are now presented to children as academic truths — not political theories. But as Bernstein made clear, their intellectual DNA is anything but neutral. The result is an educational movement that does more than teach history — it reframes the American story itself through a rigid ideological lens, silencing alternative viewpoints and replacing inquiry with indoctrination. If you’ve ever wondered why young Americans are embracing increasingly extreme views on race, power, identity, Israel, and Jews, this webinar connects the dots with clarity, historical depth, and urgency. Bernstein doesn’t just inform — she exposes the origin story of an educational revolution that is reshaping how the next generation thinks. Whether you’re a parent, educator, policymaker, or concerned citizen, this is the key to understanding how we got here — and why we can’t afford to stay silent any longer. Watch the full recording of the webinar — and find out what’s really being taught in American schools. Previous Next

October 3, 2022 Hitler 'had strong leadership qualities' says teacher, photo placed with MLK, JFK Michael Starr Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's photo was placed on a board next to inspirational leaders such as Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy. Originally Posted In: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-718888 < Back Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's portrait was placed alongside inspirational historical leaders in a San Diego school history class last week, and when a student complained the teacher explained that Hitler had committed bad deeds but was a great leader, NGO Partners for Equality and Educational Responsibility in Kindergarten thru 12th grade (PeerK12) told The Jerusalem Post . At the Carmel Valley Middle School, as part of a lesson for 7th graders, Hitler was included on a board that displayed the likes of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, US president John F Kennedy, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. According to PeerK12 , a 12-year-old student communicated to their teacher that it was inappropriate to display a photo of Hitler alongside such positive role models. The teacher reportedly told the student that “Hitler may have done some bad things, but he also had strong leadership qualities.” How did the parents and school respond? In response to the incident, the San Dieguito Union High School District said "A lesson in World History included a discussion of various historical figures, along with images of them on a whiteboard in the classroom. The images were directly related to the curriculum and displayed during a lesson. After a concern was raised regarding one of the images and the impact it had on a student, it was taken down." However, PeerK12 said that the student that had complained was initially moved to another history class . The NGO further said that while Principal Vicki Kim reportedly told the parent of the student that the portrait would be removed in response to his complaint, the teacher only removed Hitler's picture upon receiving further inquiries from the community. "This is revisionist history, plain and simple," PeerK12 told the Post . "This was not a lesson on World War II or the Holocaust, and in the fact this teacher is only tasked with teaching history until 1914. If this teacher is a Holocaust denier then she must be relieved of her duties immediately. This erasure of Jewish history cannot go unchecked." “Ignorance at best, malice at worse is how we would describe a teacher comparing Adolf Hitler, a genocidal maniac, to global leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr," remarked the NGO StopAntisemitism. “Hitler may have done some bad things, but he also had strong leadership qualities.” Carmel Valley Middle School teacher PEER K-12 also claimed that the parent of the student had contacted the Anti-Defamation League, but had been told that the school was already a part of the ADL's anti-bias training program "No Place For Hate." Carmel Valley Middle School received the designation as a "No Place For Hate school" in May. Calls to investigate Hitler incident PeerK12 also claimed that the parent of the student had contacted the Anti-Defamation League, but had been told that the school was already a part of the ADL's anti-bias training program "No Place For Hate." Carmel Valley Middle School received the designation as a "No Place For Hate school" in May. The families of students and PeerK12 formally called for the school district to hold an investigation into the incident. StopAntisemitism also said that it called "on the San Dieguito Union High School District board to investigate the teacher’s actions, the Principal’s failure to appropriately follow up, and the overall curriculum that would result in such atrocious educational instruction." This incident is not the first racially charged incident that the San Dieguito school board has grappled with this year. In June, Superintendent Cheryl James-Ward was fired over remarks about Asian students and their families' wealth as a reason for their academic success. Previous Next

June 13, 2024 How Public Schools Became Ideological Boot Camps Robert Pondiscio In nearly every public school in the country, children are given curriculum materials that have no official oversight or approval. Originally Posted In: https://www.thefp.com/p/how-public-schools-became-ideological-boot-camps < Back A pair of teachers at New Jersey’s Fort Lee High School recently taught students that Hamas is a peaceful “resistance movement” and Israel is committing genocide. Teachers at California’s Berkeley Unified School District are “indoctrinating students with antisemitic tropes and biased, one-sided anti-Israel propaganda disguised as education,” according to a complaint by the Anti-Defamation League. Meanwhile, students recently chanted “from the river to the sea” at college campus “tentifadas” —but when pressed could identify neither. Why does this keep happening? And how can public schools at once be hotbeds of radicalism and “woke” indoctrination, yet produce students who are so poorly informed about the radical causes they ostensibly espouse? The answer has a lot to do with one of American education’s dirty little secrets: on any given school day in nearly every public school in the country, curriculum materials are put in front of children that have no official oversight or approval. It’s true that schools might have a state- or district-adopted curriculum, but that doesn’t mean it’s getting taught. Nearly no category of public employee has the degree of autonomy of the average public school teacher—even the least experienced ones. Teachers routinely create or cobble together their own lesson plans on the widely accepted theory that they know better than textbook publishers what books kids will enjoy reading and which topics might spark lively class discussions. Not your child’s school or teacher? Wanna bet? A 2017 RAND Corporation survey found that 99 percent of elementary teachers and 96 percent of secondary schools use “materials I developed and/or selected myself” in teaching English language arts. The numbers are virtually the same in math. But putting teachers in charge of creating their own lesson plans or scouring the internet for curriculum materials creates an irresistible opportunity for every imaginable interest group that perceives—not incorrectly—that overworked teachers and a captive young audience equal a rich target for selling products and pushing ideologies. This ungoverned mess is how the majority of high-profile curriculum controversies happen. Earlier this year, The Free Press ’s Francesca Block broke news that PS 321 in Brooklyn, New York, sent kids home with an “activity book” promoting the tenets of the Black Lives Matter movement, including “queer affirming,” “transgender affirming,” and “restorative justice.” The book was not authorized for classroom use either by the NYC Department of Education or Brooklyn’s Community School District 15. It appears to have begun its journey into students’ backpacks at the massive “Share My Lesson” website run by the American Federation of Teachers, the nation’s second largest teachers union. The site claims 2.2 million members—more than half of all U.S. public school teachers—and hosts “more than 420,000 resources” that have been “downloaded more than 16 million times.” Lee & Low Books, the publisher of What We Believe, the BLM activity book, is a Share My Lesson “partner ” and includes the book in its “anti-racist reading list for grades 3–5.” Other Share My Lesson partners include Amnesty International, the ADL (the Anti-Defamation League), GLSEN , and the Southern Poverty Law Center—all producing free lesson plans and materials for classroom use. The advocacy group Parents Defending Education has documented over a thousand incidents of schools teaching lessons on race, gender, or other hot-button issues that parents deemed inappropriate or upsetting. They are seldom traceable to formally adopted school curriculum. But there are 75 different lesson plans and resources for conducting “privilege walks ” and more than 100 lessons and resources on “preferred pronouns” at Teachers Pay Teachers, another lesson sharing megasite . Prior to legislative efforts to ban the teaching of critical race theory in public schools, there were only three school districts in the country known to have expressly authorized teachers to use the New York Times 1619 Project in lesson plans: Chicago, Buffalo, and Newark, New Jersey. However, the Pulitzer Center, which partnered with the Times to produce 1619 Project classroom materials , claimed to have “connected curricula based on the work of [Nikole] Hannah-Jones and her collaborators to some 4,500 classrooms”—another illustration of the yawning chasm between curriculum that is officially adopted and what actually gets taught. Teachers putting controversial material in front of children, either naively or to pursue an agenda, isn’t even the worst of it. When they hunt for materials to engage students, teachers shoot low. A 2019 study published by the Fordham Institute rated most of the materials on Share My Lesson and Teachers Pay Teachers as “mediocre” or “probably not worth using.” A similar report from The New Teacher Project found that students “spent more than 500 hours per school year on assignments that weren’t appropriate for their grade and with instruction that didn’t ask enough of them—the equivalent of six months of wasted class time in each core subject.” Disadvantaged students were the hardest hit. Choose-your-own-adventure lesson planning inevitably results in gaps and repetition when there’s no coherent blueprint for what students should learn, or when those plans are disregarded by schools and teachers. Which river? Which sea? It was never covered. All of this should be sobering to parents and policymakers who think “curriculum transparency” is the solution to classroom controversies. Knowing the curriculum or programs a school district has “adopted” is a cracked lens. Absent regulations specifically requiring teachers to post all lesson plans and materials online on a daily basis, including material they create or find on the internet, it’s nearly impossible to say with any certainty what occurs inside the black box of the public school classroom. Robert Pondiscio is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the author of How the Other Half Learns . Follow him on Twitter at @rpondiscio . Previous Next

July 9, 2024 StopHateInSchools: Ethnic studies in K-12 Staff Writer Lessons learned and a roadmap for protecting the rights of Jewish students and teachers Originally Posted In: https://www.stophateinschools.org/blog/ethnic-studies-in-california-lessons-learned < Back A big thank you to the PeerK12 team (Nicole Bernstein, Tamar Caspi and Eveie Schwartz) for sharing their research, insight and practical experience confronting the individuals, organizations and ideologies that are either contributing to or actively promoting systemic anti-Jewish hate in K-12 schools. We also want to thank everyone who attended the webinar and contributed great questions to the discussion. PeerK12 is a San Diego-based, grassroots, non-profit that works across public, charter and private schools to champion the rights of Jewish students and teachers. They've been at it for several years and have learned a lot along the way. Their approach, detailed in the video below, provides a pragmatic model for parents and community leaders to follow. VIDEO CLIP ONE The webinar also covered the long history of geopolitical events and cultural shifts from the advent of the Cold War through the end of the 20th century that laid the groundwork for the emergence and, later, the widespread adoption of ethnic studies. Ideological differences like capitalism v. communism and democracy v. totalitarianism have, over time, been intentionally transformed into promoting conflict, for example, between those labeled as oppressors and those identified as oppressed or colonizers v. indigenous. This lens through which events are interpreted and people are sorted, which has become embedded into our educational system, now also uses words like "apartheid" and "genocide" to assert (false) moral authority and pressure Jewish students and teachers to declare for one side or the other with Jews and Israelis identified as on the "bad" side. (For example, this incident from a Bellevue Washington elementary school .) With this backdrop, PeerK12 drilled into the specifics of how ethnic studies entered the education system in California (video below). These slides also include a number of details regarding the emergence of ethnic studies in Washington State. VIDEO CLIP TWO. One of the webinar attendees asked the central question, "given the scale and embedded nature of this content on every level of our education system, what actions should we be taking and what has proven to be most effective?" PeerK12 detailed a number of critical steps including: Thorough and ongoing research. Understand the perspectives, intentions and organizational relationships of the decision makers whether those are elected officials or professional educators (teachers and administrators). Build trust based relationships with principals, superintendents and school board members. Whether you align with their political views or not, there are many well-meaning individuals who are simply less-well educated on this topic or may be navigating difficult waters with their staff and peers. And, because this topic is nuanced and hard, you're going to find yourself across the table from someone who has a different perspective and you need to be open minded enough to learn and understand why they hold their beliefs. Be a reliable resource for these people. Pay attention and speak up. People behave differently when they know they're being watched carefully and when the tone of the dialogue is respectful, positive and solutions oriented. Know and use the school or school district's rules and policies. Follow them with regard to who to contact, how to escalate, etc. Cite specific, documented policies and hold schools accountable to adhering to their own rules. Show up when people do the right thing. Thank people when they take positive actions. Don't only attend school board meetings or send emails to complain. Acknowledge the good work and efforts that educators are doing along the way. Be nimble and able to mobilize quickly when action is needed. This short video offers a high-level roadmap for what you can do in your community and school district: VIDEO CLIP THREE. Please contact us if you are interested in watching a recording of the full webinar or would like to be notified of upcoming webinars. Thank you. Previous Next

March 5, 2025 EXCLUSIVE: DOJ Opens Antisemitism Investigation Into the University of California System Gabe Kaminsky The Department of Justice says one of the largest public university systems in the country may be discriminating ‘against employees who are or are perceived to be Jewish or Israeli.’ Originally Posted In: https://www.thefp.com/p/exclusive-doj-opens-antisemitism < Back The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the sprawling University of California system over concerns about antisemitism, The Free Press has learned. In a letter sent Monday evening to the UC system and seen by The Free Press , the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division informed UC president Michael Drake of its investigation. “Our investigation is based on information suggesting that since at least October 7, 2023, the University of California may be engaged in certain employment practices that discriminate against employees who are or are perceived to be Jewish or Israeli,” wrote DOJ officials Mac Warner and Michael E. Gates in the letter. “Accordingly, the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division has authorized a full investigation to determine whether the University of California is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination as set forth above.” “We were recently notified of the Department of Justice’s decision to initiate a civil rights investigation in the University of California system,” a spokesperson for the UC system told The Free Press . “We want to be clear: the University of California is unwavering in its commitment to combating antisemitism and protecting everyone’s civil rights. We continue to take specific steps to foster an environment free of harassment and discrimination for everyone in the university community.” The investigation comes on the heels of the DOJ forming a task force in February made up of representatives from the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to combat antisemitism. That follows the executive order President Donald Trump signed in his first days in office allocating federal resources to address “the explosion of antisemitism” on college campuses. The order, moreover, directed the DOJ to take immediate action to “quell pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation, and investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities.” The antisemitism task force is being led by Leo Terrell, a civil rights attorney and recent Fox News contributor. It is under the auspices of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, an office that Trump tapped attorney Harmeet Dhillon, who has not yet been confirmed by the Senate, to lead. This UC investigation comes less than 48 hours after the Trump administration announced a review of federal funding to Columbia University, which had been a hotbed for anti-Israel activism since October 7, 2023, and where dozens of students were arrested last spring for participating in encampments and taking over a campus building. As The Free Press reported yesterday , Trump’s antisemitism task force is looking into more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia as part of the review—led by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the General Services Administration. The investigation follows a “Dear Colleague” letter sent by the Department of Education’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights two weeks ago which warned universities that the department “will no longer tolerate the overt and covert racial discrimination that has become widespread in this Nation’s educational institutions.” The letter states the department will “vigorously enforce the law on equal terms” to any K-12 or higher education institution which receives federal funding. -------------------------------------- Gabe Kaminsky is a reporter at The Free Press. Send him tips: gabe@thefp.com . Additional reporting by Frannie Block. Previous Next

Explore PeerK12’s ‘Detractors’ video collection - hard-hitting, classroom-ready content exposing anti-Jewish bias, ideological indoctrination, and misinformation in K–12 schools. These videos empower educators, parents, and students to recognize and confront intolerance and defend Jewish civil rights in education. In their own words VIDEO LIBRARY In their own words VIDEO LIBRARY In their own words VIDEO LIBRARY In their own words VIDEO LIBRARY Bringing The War Home Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied People's Conference for Palestine | May... All Categories Play Video Play Video 01:11:08 Opening Keynote | People's Conference for Palestine We are in an unprecedented moment in history. As we bear witness to the ongoing and brutal genocide against the Palestinian people, we are also part of building a mass movement that is committed to struggling for Palestinian national liberation. The demands for an end to the genocide, lifting of the siege of Gaza, an end to all US aid for Israel, and a free Palestine echo in the streets, in classrooms and universities, disrupting the halls of government and the daily lives of all genocide-profiteers. All backers of Zionism, Israel, and US imperialism have been put on notice. The perpetrators of genocide and occupation have names and faces, and the masses of people around the world stand against them in the millions. The movement for Palestine has never been stronger: but with this strength comes a monumental responsibility. This moment calls on us to strengthen our relationships, our strategies, our tactics, and our unity for the struggle ahead. We must build a shared assessment of the moment, and chart out the next phase of our struggle. The Palestinian people have been fighting for liberation for over 100 years, and are committed to continuing this fight generation after generation, until victory. Join us as organizations, collectives, movement leaders, community members, students and intellectuals, artists and cultural workers, and activists for a three-day convening to reflect, exchange, and strengthen ourselves and our fight for a free Palestine. Keynote by Sana’ Daqqa Sana’ Daqqa is an activist, journalist, and the wife of the martyred Palestinian prisoner Walid Daqqa. She has been a longtime activist in struggle to free Palestinian political prisoners, and is an accomplished journalist and analyst on issues of anticolonialism and political strategy. Sana’ and Walid gave life to their daughter Milad through the smuggling of sperm, and she has become a symbol of hope and resilience for the Palestinian people facing forced separation and imprisonment by the Occupation. Sana’ is currently leading a campaign to release the body of the martyr Walid Daqqa, which continues to be held illegally in Zionist prison until today. Play Video Play Video 03:02:51 Zionism and US Imperialism | People's Conference for Palestine Since its inception, Zionism has enjoyed significant support from imperial powers—first the British who colonized and delivered Palestine to Zionist settlers, and then the resource-hungry United States, keen on expanding its scope of power across the world. In exchange for acting as a proxy power for advancing US interests in the region, the Zionist project receives unconditional political and military aid. The mass movement for Palestine has exposed the shared agenda between US imperialism and Zionism throughout the past seven months, firmly charging the United States with the genocide of the Palestinian people. This session will deepen our analysis of the so-called “special friendship” between the U.S. and Israeli State as one rooted in racist state violence domestically and global domination abroad. Speakers: Richard Becker, Sara Kershnar, Yara Shoufani, Rabab Abdulhadi Moderator: Layan Fuleihan Play Video Play Video 00:40 The Movement for Palestine in North America ï½ People's Conference for Palestine Play Video Play Video 01:28:44 The War on Palestine | People's Conference for Palestine The Palestinian people have experienced endless warfare for over a century, yet never before have Palestinians endured a genocide of such catastrophic proportions. While this phase of the war on Palestine demonstrates a continuity of Zionist land-theft, imperialist collusion, and systematic annihilation of Palestinian life, it also presents important transformations within the Palestinian, Israeli, regional, and international political fields. This discussion will reflect on the lead-up to and contemporary impact of the war on Palestine, highlight the conditions on the ground, particularly in the occupied Gaza Strip, and offer insights on the stakes of the current moment for the future of Palestine and the Palestinians. Speakers: Ghassan Abu Sitta, Mustafa Barghouti, Jehad Abu Salim, Taher Herzallah Moderator: Laura Khoury Play Video Play Video 01:15:19 Sana' Daqqa: The Palestinian Prisoners' Movement & the Struggle for Liberation Sana’ Daqqa is an activist, journalist, and the wife of the martyred Palestinian prisoner Walid Daqqa. She has been a longtime activist in struggle to free Palestinian political prisoners, and is an accomplished journalist and analyst on issues of anticolonialism and political strategy. Sana’ and Walid gave life to their daughter Milad through the smuggling of sperm, and she has become a symbol of hope and resilience for the Palestinian people facing forced separation and imprisonment by the Occupation. Sana’ is currently leading a campaign to release the body of the martyr Walid Daqqa, which continues to be held illegally in Zionist prison until today. Play Video Play Video 01:32:37 People's Conference for Palestine | The Student Intifada: Zionism off Our Campus In April, students across North America took the solidarity movement by storm. Over one hundred encampments erupted in a matter of days, lifting the movement to new heights and setting the example of commitment to the struggle. The demands of the encampments revealed the deep linkages between ruling class institutions and the Israeli settler state, and their Popular Universities exposed the hypocrisies of higher education in the imperial core. The brutal suppression that followed is only a demonstration of the pressure the student movement was able to exert over the ruling class. This session will engage student organizers from across the world in a discussion on the strategies and tactics of the student intifada, the lessons learned, and the future of the student movement against the genocide and for a liberated Palestine. Speakers: Dawod Al-Taamari, Ibtihal Malley, Monty Rumbold, Ghaied Hijaz Moderator: Nidaa Play Video Play Video 01:37:55 How do Movements Achieve Transformation? | People's Conference for Palestine Historically, anti-imperialist and anticolonial liberation movements have shown us the importance of building sustainable political organizations. In this new phase of our movement, Palestinians in the North American diaspora and solidarity organizations must understand and adapt to the protracted nature of our struggle for liberation. This workshop will provide a dialectical comparative analysis of the North American anti-war movement in relation to the contemporary Palestinian liberation movement. What conditions have led us to this new phase, and how do we utilize this moment of heightened contradictions to advance our struggle for liberation from within the imperial core? Speakers: Wisam Rafeedie, Vijay Prashad, Hana Masri Moderator: Brian Becker Play Video Play Video 01:27:42 Palestinian Resistance and the Path to Liberation | People's Conference for Palestine Since the early 20th century, the Palestinian national liberation movement has cultivated a resistance project that sought to unify the Palestinian popular classes around shared vision and strategy. The various conditions facing the Palestinian people in the struggle against imperialism and colonialism—from exile to occupation, from siege to political isolation—has required creative forms of resistance. At the heart of the strategy for Palestinian liberation is the conviction that the struggle must transform the whole of society on social, political, psychological, and spiritual levels for it to succeed. More recently, the Palestinian resistance has proven itself resourceful and resilient in the face of conspiracies to liquidate the Palestinian struggle through normalization. This discussion will explore the advancements made by the Palestinian resistance over the last decade, demonstrating the role of the popular cradle in sustaining the Palestinian struggle. Speakers: Tara Alami, Raja Abdelhaq, Abdaljawad Omar, Jeanine Hourani Moderator: Sarah Abdelshamy

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This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. < Back Rethinking Schools SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site.

This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. < Back Association of Raza Educators (A.R.E.) LA RAZA This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site.