"Jewish educators have gone underground": Antisemitism in US teachers' unions hits record highs

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) published a new report today (Thursday) revealing that Jewish teachers in the US describe a hostile atmosphere, exclusion, and fear of professional consequences if they complain about antisemitism.

The report, "Antisemitism in Teachers' Unions in the United States," is based on a survey and focus groups with 307 Jewish members of teachers' unions across the education system, from kindergartens to high schools. The study focused specifically on the experiences of Jewish union members.

According to the findings, 73.6% of respondents said they feel the need to censor themselves in union spaces. 70% believe that raising concerns regarding the treatment of Jews could harm their reputation or lead to professional consequences. Almost half (47.6%) have reduced their participation in union activities due to rhetoric or offensive behavior toward Jews, Zionism, or Israel.

The report also points out that more than half of the respondents reported being exposed to the minimization or denial of the October 7 attack atrocities over the past year. 49% heard the term "Zionist" used as a slur, and 44% stated that union events hosted speakers who justified violence against Jews or Israel. More than 70% defined the publication of war-related statements that fail to condemn Hamas or the acts of massacre as problematic behavior.

The report also highlights a severe crisis of trust in union leadership: among those who approached them with a complaint, 69% said they were not satisfied at all with the response. More than a quarter of respondents noted that their union promoted programs dealing with Jews, Zionism, or Israel in the last year, with 78% believing the content was negatively biased.

"My local union passed an official resolution that placed the responsibility for the Hamas attack on October 7 on Israel," one participant said. "We tried to propose amendments, but they rejected us and even silenced us with shouting."

Another participant testified: "Jewish educators have gone underground. They do not admit that they are Jewish and do not wear identifying symbols. We are still told not to speak."

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL, argued that these are not isolated cases. "What we found is not the actions of a few extremist elements, but a structural and cultural failure," he said. "Jewish educators deserve to feel safe and protected in their union spaces. Instead, they censor themselves and fear backlash."

The measures most supported by respondents included:

1. Explicit condemnation of threats and harassment against Jews by union leadership (76%)

2. Balanced and fact-based training on antisemitism (73.3%)

3. Establishment of clear rules against harassment based on Jewish or Zionist identity (71.7%)

The ADL called on unions to condemn antisemitism unequivocally, implement protection and enforcement mechanisms for Jewish members, review promoted study materials, and return their activity to a professional focus shared by all teaching staff.