PeerK-12 Official Statement Expressing Strong Objections at the Politicization of San Diego Unified School District’s Jewish American Heritage Month Proclamation | April 30, 2024
April 30, 2024 -- We express our profound disappointment and disapproval regarding the inclusion of individuals like Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, and others in the proclamation for San Diego Unified School District's Jewish American Heritage Month, as posted in the agenda for Tuesday, April 30th school board meeting.
These individuals are known for their divisive and politically motivated stances that are starkly anti-American and anti-Israel. Their controversial views are Marxist and are not representative of the Jewish community and undermine the purpose of this observance.
It is deeply concerning that the school district has chosen to politicize Jewish American Heritage Month, just as they did Arab American Heritage Month with the inclusion of Edward Said and Doris Bittar, by endorsing figures who polarize and detract from the celebration of a rich and diverse heritage.
These decisions are not only a significant oversight but also a severe misjudgment that politicizes and tarnishes the intent of such commemorations. By doing so, the district has regrettably used both heritage months as political pawns, which is unacceptable and deserving of strong condemnation.
This proclamation is the antithesis of the Resolution Condemning Antisemitism that SDUSD adopted on October 26, 2021 in both spirit and content as it is not "inclusive and reflective of best practices and the full diversity of the Jewish people and Israeli-Americans."
PeerK-12 is committed to values that foster unity, respect, and understanding across all communities - therefore, we demand immediate correction and oversight to ensure that such missteps are not repeated.
We urge the school district to uphold the spirit of this heritage month by celebrating figures who unify rather than divide, reflecting the true values of our community and country. Materials, appropriate figures, videos, curricula, and additional resources for Jewish American Heritage Month can be found here: https://jewsinschool.org/jewish-heritage-month and here: https://jewishamericanheritage.org/for-educators.
PeerK-12
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Past Action Alerts
APRIL 17, 2024 -- HELP WARN CA LEGISLATORS ABOUT MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN HEADING TO SACRAMENTO
The Coalition for Liberated Ethnic Studies (CLES), which is behind the antisemitic and hate-filled Ethnic Studies curriculum, is planning a lobbying onslaught in Sacramento on April 17th. It is targeting the California lawmakers in a disinformation campaign advocating for policies that directly contribute to the rise of antisemitism in California’s K12 schools and college campuses.
Specifically, they seek to normalize anti-Zionist antisemitism by opposing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.
And they want their version of “liberated” ethnic studies to be mandatory for admission to University of California schools, potentially limiting academic choice for students.
Please use this link which will take you to the JILV website where you can send an email to these legislators to oppose their efforts.
March 26, 2024 -- Jewish Parent National Coalition Petition with @JewsInSchool
to US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona & the House Committee on Education
Tuesday, March 26, 2024 – PeerK12 has joined forces with JewsInSchool, representing a coalition of 11 national Jewish parents, students, teachers and organizations to petition the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and urge the Department of Education for reforms to K-12 educational systems including curriculum, teacher training and the definition of antisemitism:
We are so proud to announce that JewsInSchool has united with thousands of our community members and 11 organizations in Jewish educational advocacy and leadership to speak loudly and proudly for our next generation, Jewish students in K-12. Our letter to the DOE has specific asks in terms of reforms we believe will create a more fact-based and equitable and safe educational environment not just for JewsInSchool like students, parents & teachers, but everyone seeking education in K-12.
@peerk12 @myncsy @nycps_alliance @enoughisenoughorg @jewtla @jilvorg @jsu.international @studentsforjewishadvocacy @parentsunite_ @bucketsoverbullying @icanaction
Together we are stronger!
#doe #sdusd #nycdoe #lausd #mta #k12education #curriculum #antisemtisim #amisraelchai #jewish
March 2024 -- Response to CA Gov. Newsom's "Open Letter to Muslims / Ceasefire Now"
California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote an Open Letter to California’s Muslim, Palestinian American, and Arab American Communities, where he decried Islamophobia and called for a ceasefire in Gaza. To our knowledge, he has never written anything like this to California's Jewish, Zionist and Israeli-American communities. He writes about several examples of anti-Muslim hate crimes, yet he doesn't mention that in 2022, antisemitic hate crimes in California outnumbered anti-Muslim hate crimes by a ratio of over 7-1.
He says "Muslims on campus are suffering from bias," yet when Jews at Berkeley had to be evacuated with police protection from an event when they were attacked by an antisemitic mob at the end of Feb 2024, we did not hear a word about that.
It’s time for us to send HIM a message by demanding an end to his double standard, dehumanizing and delegitimization of the Jewish American experience that he does more for the Jewish community!
Click here to send a response letter with a strong message to Gov. Newsom that the Jewish population of California (and ALL Jewish Americans) will not stand for this blatant pandering to pro-Hamas supporters in California and beyond.