US school classroom
US school classroomiStock

A national parents group is asking American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten to denounce two California unions that produced anti-Semitic statements.

“The undersigned organizations write to you because we are concerned about the recent adoption by two American Federation of Teachers (AFT) affiliates of anti-Semitic resolutions that falsely accuse Israel of ‘apartheid and war crimes’ and that formally endorse the Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) movement. The goal of the BDS movement is the destruction of Israel,” wrote the coalition of 15 groups in a letter addressed to Weingarten.

The group stated they were troubled Weingarten had not condemned the “egregious embrace of anti-Semitism” by the two unions, United Educators of San Francisco (UESF) and United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA). Further, they demanded that the two unions repeal the resolutions in question.

“You are leaving the impression that anti-Semitism, unlike other forms of bigotry, is tolerated in your ranks,” they said.

Added the group, “This is a terrible message to send at a moment when clarity and leadership are needed. We saw once again in recent weeks how inflammatory and dishonest anti-Israel rhetoric, when left unchallenged, can escalate to physical attacks on Jews. It is unacceptable that the teachers’ union you head has affiliates that are using the AFT’s name and infrastructure to promote this kind of hateful rhetoric.”

They also suggested three steps in order to rectify the situation and hold those in leadership positions to account.

“Ms. Weingarten, we ask you to put yourself in the shoes of a Jewish child sitting in a classroom run by a teacher who, for reasons we cannot understand, is obsessed with the Jewish state. This teacher falsely accuses Israel of all manner of crimes and offenses, embraces in the name of ‘social justice’ the anti-Semitic and often violent BDS movement, and supports the destruction of only one country in the entire world – the Jewish country. How should that Jewish child feel about his or her teacher and school? And how should all this make the rest of us feel about your leadership of the AFT?”

So far, the American Federation of Teachers has not responded to the letter, reported the Washington Free Beacon.

The American Principles Project, one of the groups that signed the letter, told the Free Beacon that it is highly questionable why teachers unions are using up their resources crafting anti-Semitic statements while the American education system is in dire need of repair.

"No wonder the number of children being homeschooled has doubled over the last year and a half," said Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project. "Not only are the teachers' unions bankrupting us, they are destroying the next generation of Americans. They must be held accountable."