A pro-Palestinian group that previously downplayed Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attacks against Israel will be training teachers in Oakland, California, on Saturday to incorporate “Palestinian history, narratives, and culture into K-12 classrooms,” according to a parental rights group.
According to a flyer shared with The Daily Wire by Parents Defending Education, the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) will be holding a Saturday training called “Palestine in Our Classrooms: Teaching to the Moment — 75 Years of Resistance, Resilience, and Sumood.” MECA has come under scrutiny for its response to the October 7 terrorist attacks and ties to the Democratic Socialists of America.
The training will take place from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at an undisclosed location in Oakland at a cost of $25. Highlights of the training will reportedly include hearing “Palestinian and Arab Youth speak” on “the effects of invisibility and silencing,” “teaching Palestine through the arts — hip-hop to murals,” “multiple perspectives framework for teaching Palestine — focus on Gaza,” and “teaching about Palestine through stories — designed for k-5 educators.”
Credit: Parents Defending Education
Parents Defending Education director for outreach Erika Sanzi told The Daily Wire that the training was just an attempt to politicize the classroom.
“There is no reason for K-5 teachers to be talking about any of this with their students. The Teach Palestine organization is providing this training because it sees teachers as a vehicle for indoctrinating young children into their geopolitical worldview during the hours they are away from their parents. It is a definite red flag,” she said.
On October 8, the day after Hamas terrorists killed over 1,200 Israelis, MECA organized a pro-Palestinian rally in San Francisco. “We are witnessing the people of Gaza rising up to respond to decades of Israeli settler colonial violence. The US govt bears responsibility for its political, economic & military support of this brutal apartheid regime. Join us to stand in solidarity with Palestine,” the organization posted on X.
TODAY!
We are witnessing the people of Gaza rising up to respond to decades of Israeli settler colonial violence. The US govt bears responsibility for its political, economic & military support of this brutal apartheid regime. Join us to stand in solidarity with Palestine pic.twitter.com/MIYlToiqvE— MECA (@MECAForPeace) October 8, 2023
MECA was also associated with the Democratic Socialists of America summer training on “Educators for Palestine.” One of the sessions was facilitated by Jody Sokolower, a co-coordinator of the Teach Palestine Project at the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) and a co-founder of the Coalition for Liberated Ethnic Studies (CLES). Sokolower previously worked on a book about how to “integrate feminist and LGBTQ content into curriculum.”
In the weeks following the October 7 attacks, pro-Palestinian organizations have pushed for anti-Western materials to be integrated into the classroom, often through ethnic studies classes and curriculum.
The Daily Wire reached out to MECA for comment.