Pro-Palestine activists have exhibited a nuanced proficiency in social engineering, adeptly leveraging various communication channels and organizational strategies to effectively mobilize support in K-12 students and coordinate actions globally. The precision of these responses, as evidenced by resources available as soon as October 12th, like the "Day of Resistance Toolkit" and the "Palestine Organizing Toolkit," along with decade-long calls to “Globalize the Intifada,” points to a deep-rooted network that extends beyond grassroots activism, hinting at support from more organized, state-backed, entities. Such organization suggests access to significant resources and training, hinting at backing from foreign parties with vested interests in the Israel-Palestine conflict and promoting a larger Globalize the Intifada agenda.
Efforts to disrupt public and school life, the radicalization of protest leaders, and the targeting of Jewish teachers and students highlight a pressing challenge: distinguishing genuine activism from movements that exploit the Palestinian cause to propagate anti-Jewish sentiments or advance the geopolitical ambitions of external entities. This alarming scenario emphasizes the need for robust monitoring mechanisms in schools to prevent political indoctrination and to ensure that education prioritizes students and their safety, fostering critical thinking and academic excellence. Implementing such measures is vital to protect the educational environment from divisive external influences, ensuring a safe and unbiased learning space for K-12 students.
We, the undersigned, recognize the critical importance of preserving the integrity of our educational institutions, promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills, and shielding them from foreign influence and political activism. As concerned citizens and parents, we advocate for the following measures:
1. Parental Oversight of Any Extracurricular Lessons or Literature: Classroom Parents Vote on Extracurricular Lessons and Materials
a. We recognize that teachers bring unique experiences to the classroom and we want to reform and formalize the process for teachers to teach extracurricular content. Currently, there is no oversight on extracurricular content outside of the defined curriculum.
b. Classroom parents should have the right to participate in the selection of extracurricular lessons and materials via a vote on a documented video call to ensure that the teacher’s proposed lessons align with DOE requirements and parents’ values and beliefs.
2. Disclosure of Teacher’s Political Activism
a. Teachers and faculty members must disclose if receiving funding from any country or organization sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control and must disclose their affiliations and financial ties to the Department of Education/DOE and classroom parents through a yearly report before the beginning of the school year.
3. Disclosure of Foreign Funding to Schools
a. Transparency regarding external funding sources to schools is essential to maintain the independence and impartiality of educational institutions; they must disclose their affiliations and financial ties to the DOE and classroom parents if receiving funding from any country or organization that is sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control through a yearly report before the beginning of the school year.
4. Prohibition of Covert Political Agenda Promotion:
a. Teachers and faculty members should refrain from promoting their own political agendas or using classrooms as platforms for political indoctrination. The primary focus of education should be developmentally appropriate and on fostering critical thinking, intellectual inquiry, and academic excellence, free from partisan bias or external influence.
5. Monitoring and Regulation of External Influence:
a. School administrations must implement robust monitoring mechanisms to detect and prevent external influence, including foreign-funded initiatives or political activism.
b. Existing DOE laws and regulations should be enforced by school administrators and the principal to safeguard against the infiltration of educational institutions by entities seeking to advance foreign interests or political agendas.
6. Promotion of STEM Skills and Academic Excellence:
a. STEM skills are crucial for preparing students for the challenges of the future and fostering innovation, problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities. We advocate for the enhancement of STEM education, including more resources on computer literacy, practical mathematical skills, qualified teachers, and hands-on learning experiences.
7. Prohibition of Sex or Political Education for Children Under the Age of 13:
a. We believe that subjects related to sex education and political ideologies should not be introduced to children under the age of 13. Such topics are not developmentally appropriate and require maturity and understanding that young children may not possess.
8. Disclosure of Psychological Challenges to Parents
a. In the interest of fostering a safe and inclusive school environment, it is proposed that any concerns regarding a student's psychological well-being or gender identity, identified or documented by school faculty, be communicated to the parents or guardians. Schools need to rebuild trust with parents, and school faculty will be outlawed from discussions or recommendations regarding hormone therapies or surgical interventions without the explicit consent of the parents or guardians of any student under the age of 18.
9. Require American History with at least 3 Days for WWII Holocaust Studies and 1 Day of Uyghur Studies:
a. Understanding American history and the Holocaust during World War II is essential for fostering a deeper appreciation of our nation's values, struggles, and the importance of human rights.
b. Understanding American history is crucial for fostering patriotism, civic engagement, and a deeper appreciation of our nation's values and struggles. Holocaust studies are an essential part of WWII Studies for promoting awareness of one of the darkest chapters in human history and preventing the recurrence of such atrocities.
c. Understanding the Uyghur genocide as an extension of Holocaust studies helps students better understand contemporary propaganda and ongoing atrocities, like those seen in modern-day concentration camps. It is the largest-scale detention of ethnic and religious minorities since World War II.
10. Disciplinary Action Against Teachers Violating Policy:
a. Teachers who knowingly violate these policies should face disciplinary action, first warning, then suspension, and then dismissal as outlined and enforced by existing Department of Education rules and regulations.
b. Regrettably, it has come to light that sexual criminals have infiltrated many DOE schools as teachers. The DOE must take immediate and decisive action within the bounds of the law to safeguard children and promptly terminate current and future identified perpetrators operating within our schools regardless of Union affiliations and their policies on these matters.
c. Such actions by those operating outside the bounds of existing DOE policies undermine the trust between educators, parents, and students and are not in compliance with established educational standards.
11. Staff Awareness of Abuse
a. It is imperative to raise awareness among stakeholders about foreign influence tactics with a mandatory 1-hour training for NYC teachers on foreign influence tactics. Understanding these tactics empowers stakeholders to recognize and resist undue external influence, safeguarding the integrity and independence of American education.
b. Teachers are trusted to safeguard parent’s children every day. Teachers should receive 1-hour training on identifying and reporting signs of abuse and sexual misconduct and be criminally prosecuted for not reporting it.
12. Implementation and Compliance with Title IX Guidance
a. Researchers in a major federally funded study from 2017 “A Case Study of K–12 School Employee Sexual Misconduct: Lessons Learned from Title IX Policy Implementation” found that 1 in 10 K-12 students experience sexual misconduct by a teacher. In a school of 1000 students, for example, that would be at least 100 victims. It recommends that school districts review their policy and implementation efforts to determine if they are compliant with the key elements of Title IX guidance.
b. Researchers also recommend that the federal and state departments of education establish accountability measures to track policy implementation and ensure school districts comply with Title IX guidance and provide high-quality low-cost training options. Further examination of prevalence data, victim and offender characteristics, effects on victims and school communities, criminal justice responses, and the effectiveness of prevention efforts are also recommended.
These measures are necessary to uphold the integrity of our educational system, promote academic excellence, and ensure that American schools remain bastions of independent thought and intellectual inquiry.
By signing this petition, we express our support for implementing these changes and call upon educational authorities to prioritize the best interests of our children and the integrity of our educational system.
Appendix
1. The detailed organization of a National Day of Resistance, including coordination across schools, has been leveraged to mobilize large-scale demonstrations rapidly. While effective for peaceful protests, this level of organization is being utilized to orchestrate disruptive actions that may escalate beyond peaceful intentions. The toolkits' comprehensive guidance on organizing protests, including dealing with law enforcement and counter-protesters, is being adapted for planning and executing violent operations. The tactical information provided could be repurposed to organize attacks or riots rather than peaceful demonstrations.
Protest Mobilizing from Fall 2023: Palestine Organizing Toolkit
Recruitment Tactics from National Student Day of Action for Divestment Toolkit
Protest methods from the National Student Day of Action for Divestment Toolkit
Organizing and role assignments from the National Student Day of Action for Divestment Toolkit
2. The guidance on framing the narrative around resistance and dismantling Zionism egregiously conflates legitimate criticism of Zionism with violently dehumanizing rhetoric and media toward Jews and Israelis. This conflation not only undermines genuine discourse but also strips individuals of their humanity, fostering a toxic environment ripe for hostility and conflict. Such tactics inevitably stoke tensions that erupt into violent confrontations during demonstrations. The methodologies and framing techniques laid out in these toolkits are particularly perilous as they are designed to entwine credible concerns with extremist ideologies, thereby manipulating and indoctrinating vulnerable individuals, including impressionable youth. This indoctrination often escalates into violent actions. Moreover, the strategic coordination and network-building endorsed in these toolkits not only facilitate dialogue but also serve as breeding grounds for recruiting individuals into extremist or terrorist-adjacent organizations. By intertwining legitimate political critique with radical agendas, these networks become potent conduits for the recruitment and radicalization of young, susceptible minds, potentially leading to violence and profound societal harm.
Messaging from Fall 2023: Palestine Organizing Toolkit
Dehumanizing Jews in 2021: Palestine Action Toolkit
