Massachusetts Teachers Association partnered with anti-Israel organization Massachusetts Peace Action to host webinar; webinar included anti-Israel sentiment and political activism

On October 26, 2024, the organization “Massachusetts Peace Action” hosted a webinar called “Books Not Bombs 2024: Increasing Federal Investment in Public Education.” The description of the event states that it will “explore how the November 5th election and political battles over education could shape the future of classrooms across the nation.” Notable speakers who are part of this event include employees of Cambridge Public Schools, National Education Association (NEA), and Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA). The MTA is notably listed as a co-sponsor of the event.

Massachusetts Peace Action accuses Israel of engaging “in an all out genocidal campaign against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip” online. The organization then states: “Our goal is to alter the course of U.S. policy from one of unconditional financial and political support for the Israeli genocide, occupation and apartheid of the Palestinian people to one that demands that Palestinians and Israeli Jews have equal political and human rights.” The Massachusetts Peace Action also shares anti-Israel posts on X often.

The Massachusetts Teachers Association partnered with an organization that is openly promoting anti-Israel views. The MTA already had a previous history of pushing anti-Israel and antisemitic views. In March 2024, the MTA pushed the idea to “divest all MTA staff pension funds and other investments from businesses that provide arms or other forms of military assistance to the state of Israel.” In June 2024, the union claimed in a webinar that people considered as “right wing” have “weaponized charges of antisemitism to attack progressive forces, to weaken and divide solidarity amongst oppressed people, and to shut down conversation.”

PDE received a video of the webinar. One speaker noticeably introduces himself using “they/them/their pronouns.” [Time Stamp: 20:00] He is a member of Massachusetts Peace Action and openly promoted anti-Israel views and opinions that are blatantly left wing. Another section of the webinar was on the topic of “The Human and Financial Cost of Israel’s Genocide of the Palestinian People.” [Time Stamp: 1:14:45]

Another part of the webinar had a speaker promote having young children learn about sexuality and gender identity and attacked states that passed laws prohibiting these lessons in schools. [Time Stamp: 2:09:00] One speaker thanked Vice President Kamala Harris for introducing the word “fascist” into everyday language. He then appeared to call former President Donald Trump a fascist. [Time Stamp: 2:25:50] This same speaker then complained about “crypto dark money” and the organization AIPAC for spending money on elections to stop “progressive” candidates