I’ve refrained until now from taking a public position on the Israel-Hamas war because it’s so divisive, and I don’t wish to wade into that maelstrom. But things have become so weird and negative in Oakland that I have to.
Oakland teachers are not immune to the epidemic of wokeism that infects so many other institutions. Too many of them, under the sway of their union, the Oakland Education Association (OEA), have chosen to associate with far-left causes that offend many Americans and are certainly not helpful in educating our children.
First, OEA shocked many people by their Oct. 27 statement that accused Israel of being solely responsible for the war. And worse: “The Israeli government created an apartheid state and the Israeli government leaders have espoused genocidal rhetoric and policies against the people of Palestine," they said, with no criticism of the terrorism enacted by Hamas on Oct. 6. Then, OEA added, “[W]e say clearly that OEA calls for a ceasefire and an end to the occupation of Palestine." You might wonder what business a teachers’ union has in butting into world politics, especially when that union is self-evidently failing in its mission. OEA even went as far as to instruct its members to use a curriculum guide, “Teach Palestine,” developed by a Berkeley nonprofit, the Middle East Children’s Alliance, most of whose leaders are Palestinians. Their website features a colorful photo of three children waving Palestinian flags; the organization essentially exposes American children to pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel propaganda.
Then, on Nov. 29, a group of Oakland teachers posted an online video urging that “all teachers in the whole city participate” in a Dec. 6 “pro-Palestine teach-in” that would further promote anti-Israel sentiment. While OEA did not directly sponsor this video, NBC Bay Area reported that “The video was posted by a Lincoln Elementary school teacher and Oakland Education Association (OEA) member,” and that “OEA…vowed to support educators who face disciplinary actions for their teaching.” This, after the Oakland Unified School District warned teachers “to follow policy in light of a new call to incorporate pro-Palestinian lessons as part of an organized teach-in coming up next week.”
Once again, you might objectively ask why the OEA is seemingly so intent on injecting their own personal political preferences into our childrens’ minds. There can be only one answer: OEA is a typically progressive, or woke, organization. Their original mission of educating students in the basics has been compromised by an obsession with politically grooming children into progressive causes, primarily race-based.
Whatever your position is on the Israel-Hamas war, or Israel’s response to it in Gaza, you should be concerned about the ultra-leftwing virtue signaling of OEA. OEA’s posturing violates the spirit if not the letter of California’s recently passed (2021) Assembly Bill 101, which makes California the first state to require Ethnic Studies as a high school graduation requirement. In championing that legislation, Gov. Newsom said AB 101 guaranteed that “courses will be free from bias or bigotry and appropriate for all students.”
Clearly, that message has not filtered down to the Oakland Education Association. Like all other woke organizations, their attitude of “my way or the highway” seeks to indoctrinate young, developing minds with simplistic, race-based messaging that blurs the complexities of issues like Israel-Palestine relations and turn little kids into future woke monsters.
Steve Heimoff