Friday, October 6, 2006
Further update on the story below (LA Teacher's Union Hosts Boycott Conference): Anti-Israel Rally Won't Be Held at Teachers Union
The Human Rights Committee of United Teachers Los Angeles had announced it would be a co-host of the rally at UTLA headquarters a week from Saturday, and support a boycott against Israel. After meeting with committee members, union President A.J. Duffy issued a statement saying the meeting could not take place at the union's building.
"While as educators and union members we encourage a respectful debate on the important issues of the day, this event has provoked very sharp feelings among our members and concerns that this meeting is inappropriate," Duffy said.
It was not immediately clear whether the committee would participate in the campaign against Israeli policies or whether the rally would be moved to another site.
Earlier, Duffy, who is Jewish [To the Left, a person's "status" is extremely important -- as important as the substance of what they have to say.], had taken an announcement of the rally off the UTLA website but said the committee was free to express its opposition to Israel. "This is a democratic union in a democratic nation and I will not sponsor censorship," he wrote on the website...
Update: UTLA has issued a statement at their web site (Word doc):
"While as educators and union members we encourage a respectful debate on the important issues of the day, this event has provoked very sharp feelings among our members and concerns that this meeting is inappropriate."
"We believe that to proceed with this meeting will only polarize our union members and members of the community. No one benefits from further hostility on these issues. We would hope that people of good will with differing views on the Middle East and other issues will find the appropriate settings for these discussions."...
For a little background on the Human Rights Committee, an emailer points out this conference they sponsored last April: 2006 Human Rights Conference: Human Rights and the Environment, featuring panels like, "The Gyn-Ecology: Reproductive Rights, Population Control, Eugenics and Education" and featuring keynote speaker Adam Shapiro of the International Solidarity Movement. You'll also find crossover between the committee and this group: Cafe Intifada. Yes, Cafe Intifada. Ah well, if you can't blow yourself up, at least you can sing songs about it...
Good to hear. I thought it was outrageous that they were holding this meeting of anti-semites at UTLA headquarters. If they could put more effort into teaching our kids and less into misguided political statements having nothing to do with the education of our children, we would all be a lot better off.
More from JewishJournal.com
United Teachers Los Angeles just says 'no' to Israel divestment push by union commitee
'Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) said he believes the group is "made up of a fringe of anti-Semites." The congressman added that perhaps UTLA should create a new committee for teachers supporting Israel...
"This is worse than a black eye. This goes to the heart of [UTLA's] credibility," said Stephen Saltzman, western regional director of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), before the UTLA announced the gathering could not take place on its property. "This is the largest teachers' union west of the Mississippi allowing itself to be used by extremist radicals who want to launch a campaign to attack the state of Israel and do so with the implied endorsement of the people teaching our children."...
Amanda Susskind, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said the strategy for boycott, divestment and sanctions is really a "campaign for the elimination of the state of Israel, spearheaded by extremist groups who use the same hateful rhetoric as states like Iran and terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah." '
hellow,my name is Yuichi takeyema from Japan.I am a member of Japanese teachers union which is the largest organization in Japan as a teachers' union.
I don't meen to comment anything about the thread above. I'm just intersted in your union activity because I'm also a member of Japanese Teacher's union . I'm a leadre of one of its branch. I have 250 teachers as members in this area. we have a big problem which a few new teachers come into our union these ten years.and so the rate of our organization is under fifty percent.How about yours?Hope your answer come back soon.Bye