More than 70% of Jewish teachers in unions fear that speaking up about antisemitism in their union could harm their careers or reputations, according to a study published Thursday by the Anti-Defamation League. 

The report, “Antisemitism in U.S. Teachers Unions,” surveyed 307 Jewish members of teachers unions in 24 states — with significant representation from California, Massachusetts and New York — as well as two focus groups of current union members. These groups featured active and retired K-12 teachers and non-teaching staff, with one group representing Massachusetts districts and the other representing California.

The responses revealed a climate of pervasive hostility toward Jewish union members. Since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, Jewish union members reported that their unions passed resolutions blaming Israel for the massacre, promoted curricular materials containing antisemitic content and repeatedly declined to address antisemitism concerns raised by Jewish members. Several respondents noted a double standard in Israel being singled out for criticism in ways no other country faces. 

While antisemitism in teachers unions existed before Oct. 7, the report states that the attacks “accelerated and intensified dynamics that were already present.” In June, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission opened an investigation into the National Education Association — the nation’s largest teachers union — over its alleged failure to address antisemitism.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents (73%) said they feel compelled to self-censor in teachers’ union spaces, and almost half (47%) reported reducing their participation in union activities because of harmful rhetoric or behavior targeting Jews, Zionists or Israel. 

More than 70% agreed that statements about the Israel-Hamas war failing to condemn Hamas or the Oct. 7 attacks are a problem in their union, while 68% flagged calls to cut ties with mainstream Jewish organizations as problematic. 

The climate hasn’t improved over the nearly three years since the attacks, the teachers said: About 52% witnessed minimization or denial of the Oct. 7 attacks in the past year, roughly 49% heard “Zionist” used as a slur and approximately 44% said speakers justifying violence against Jews or Israel had been platformed at union events. 

Furthermore, union leadership has largely failed to respond, according to those who participated in the survey. Among members who raised concerns, 69% said they were not satisfied with the response. More than a quarter of respondents said their union had sponsored programming related to Jews, Zionists/Zionism or Israel in the past year, and 78% of that group described the programming as biased. 

Jewish members are responding by pushing for reforms, with requests made including asking for clear condemnation of threats and harassment against Jews (almost 76%), balanced antisemitism education (73%) and concrete guardrails against harassment tied to Jewish identity and Zionism (71%).

One respondent described an environment where “Jewish educators have gone into hiding. They do not admit to being Jewish or wear any identifying clothing/jewelry. We are still being told not to speak.”  

The report comes weeks after major Jewish organizations expressed “reason for optimism” that the NEA was taking meaningful steps to address rising antisemitism following its annual Representative Assembly, held last month. The organizations credited NEA’s Jewish Affairs Caucus with pushing through three amendments to the NEA Constitution and a resolution on Jewish education at this year’s RA. The gathering marked a stark contrast from last year, when delegates voted to boycott ADL materials in a measure Jewish groups condemned as antisemitic, among other disruptive events.

In addition to preventing measures that would antagonize or exclude Jewish members, at this year’s convention, members also passed resolutions that were “good for the Jews,” including one that recognized Jews as a protected ethnic minority, according to Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, which worked closely with NEA and its Jewish caucus over the past year and spearheaded the effort to revise regulations and pass the new rules. 

Addressing the report’s findings, Shira Goodman, the ADL’s vice president of public affairs, said there is more work to be done. 

“Jewish educators have shown extraordinary courage, showing up to meetings, filing complaints, running for leadership positions and advocating from within, often at real personal and professional cost,” Goodman said in a statement about the report.  

“They are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for the same dignity and belonging that unions promise every member. The reforms they are calling for are reasonable, achievable and entirely consistent with the values these institutions claim to uphold. It is time for union leaders to listen and to act.”