NYCDOE Under Fire Again for Antisemitic Messaging in Teacher Newsletter: “Genocide” Reference Sparks Outrage

Edited by: TJVNews.com

A Department of Education newsletter containing highly charged political language regarding the conflict in Gaza has sparked outrage among Jewish educators and watchdog groups, according to a report that appeared in The New York Post. The controversy marks the second time in recent weeks that official DOE communications have been criticized for promoting what some call antisemitic content.

🚨🤯*NYC Public Schools…at it yet AGAIN!*🤯🚨

This time around, “Teacher Career Pathways”, an NYCPS Professional Newsletter that is distributed to THOUSANDS of teachers, has a section in its Spring edition that is promoting antisemitic propaganda!

This is a DIRECT violation… pic.twitter.com/z9ndiz7Acn

— Matthew 🎗️🇮🇱 (@melamedtattele) April 30, 2025

The 14-page “Teacher Career Pathways” spring 2025 newsletter, which prominently displays both the Department of Education and United Federation of Teachers logos, was distributed to “master teachers” throughout the city’s 1,800 public schools over the past week, The New York Post reported.

Within a section titled “Teacher Leadership in Action,” the newsletter states: “The genocide in Gaza, among other global injustices, emphasized the urgent need for student voices to be centered and heard.” This reference appeared in connection with coverage of a student-led March 28 “Day of Action” organized by the Columbus Campus Youth Council in The Bronx, which was reportedly inspired by “pro-Palestinian protests” from last fall.

According to the information provided in The New York Post report, Jewish educators and antisemitism monitoring groups have condemned the newsletter as another example of anti-Israel sentiment permeating the city’s public education system. One teacher, speaking anonymously to The New York Post, expressed profound concern about the publication.

“This newsletter needs to be removed and someone needs to apologize immediately,” the teacher told The New York Post. “Does [New York City Public Schools] expect me, a Jewish educator, to disseminate a message that so callously references the ‘genocide in Gaza’ as the inspiration for this student group?”

The educator further questioned the framing of the student protest, characterizing the original demonstration as “a pro-Hamas protest, filled with antisemitic tropes,” rather than the noble catalyst portrayed in the DOE communication.

This incident follows closely on the heels of another controversy reported by The New York Post earlier this month, when Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos was forced to issue an apology after a different newsletter linked to a “Stop Gaza Genocide Toolkit” — a 17-page document containing politically charged messaging calling to “Stop arming Israel and free Palestine!”

The New York Post also reported that an anti-Israel group recently sent mass emails to hundreds of city teachers, encouraging a May Day strike and other forms of “civil disobedience” to protest the Gaza war. The Labor for Palestine Network urged union members to mobilize against what they termed “the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza” and suggested coordination with student groups—actions that city school officials instructed teachers to disregard.

Karen Feldman, co-founder of the NYC Public School Alliance and a 26-year teaching veteran, told The New York Post it was “deeply troubling” that official DOE publications have repeatedly “promoted politically charged language and glorified protests—better described as riots”—including events at the Christopher Columbus High School campus last year.

“Public schools must be spaces of learning, inclusion, and neutrality—not vehicles for inflammatory, historically inaccurate propaganda,” Feldman stated to The New York Post. “This is not genuine social justice—it is the spread of hate disguised as activism. Our schools should be cultivating informed citizens, not serving as training grounds for ideological indoctrination.”

The New York Post report noted that critics have pointed out these newsletters may violate regulations against political advocacy within city public schools. With two controversial newsletters in quick succession, questions are emerging about oversight protocols for official DOE communications and whether systemic issues might be contributing to what Jewish groups perceive as a pattern of antisemitism within the public education system.

Manhattan Councilwoman Julie Menin delivered a blistering rebuke, condemning the DOE’s repeated failures to prevent antisemitic rhetoric from appearing in official materials. “We were very clear with the chancellor that such instances can never occur again and that there need to be consequences for hate speech—and here we are weeks later with the same failure. DOE gets an F,” Menin told The New York Post, emphasizing the gravity of the misstep.

The controversial content appeared in a communication linked to the Career Pathways program, a DOE initiative that promotes select educators to “master teacher” roles, providing mentorship and instructional support to colleagues in exchange for stipends.

While the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) collaborates on aspects of the program, including candidate interviews and professional development, the union issued a swift disclaimer. “While we do work with the DOE on this program, we did not write or review this newsletter before it was released,” a UFT spokesperson clarified in a statement to The New York Post.

A DOE spokesperson admitted the offensive language had been removed once discovered but failed to identify who was responsible for including it in the first place. “This is unacceptable and, once discovered, we immediately removed this language from the newsletter. We are strengthening our review protocols for communications to ensure that all inappropriate political rhetoric is removed,” the department said in a written statement, as per the report in The New York Post.

However, critics remain unconvinced by what they see as bureaucratic deflection. Michelle Ahdoot, director of programming and strategy at #EndJewHatred, denounced the incident as part of a “clear pattern of Jew-hatred in official communications from the DOE.”

Speaking to The New York Post, Ahdoot declared, “It’s time to hold the chancellor accountable for her deliberate indifference to the continuing injustice targeting Jewish students and families. We demand public condemnation of these communications along with a full investigation as to who is responsible for allowing these horrific missteps to repeatedly occur.”

The climate within New York City public schools has grown increasingly hostile for Jewish educators and students since the Hamas-led October 7 massacre in southern Israel and the subsequent Israeli military response in Gaza. As The New York Post has documented in multiple reports, incidents of harassment and intimidation are on the rise, particularly amid a surge in pro-Hamas and anti-Israel demonstrations.

In one chilling episode reported by The Post, a veteran Jewish teacher at Hillcrest High School in Queens was forced to lock herself in an office as a mob of students roamed the halls looking for her. The incident occurred just weeks after the Hamas attack, leaving many educators shaken and fearful for their safety.

The recurrence of anti-Israel messaging in DOE-sanctioned platforms underscores a systemic failure in oversight and cultural sensitivity. Despite public outcry and assurances of reform, The New York Post has repeatedly highlighted the department’s sluggish and reactive posture in addressing antisemitism. Many stakeholders now say stronger leadership and accountability are urgently needed to stem the tide of hate speech infecting the city’s schools.

“This isn’t just a bureaucratic error—it’s a moral collapse,” Menin told The New York Post. “Our schools should be safe spaces for every student and teacher, regardless of their background or faith.”