A letter expected to be shared with the St. Paul schools board of education Wednesday calls for the district to require staff training on Jewish identity and antisemitism following a resolution by a teachers’ union on the war in Gaza.
Organized by SPPS teachers and parents as well as the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas, the letter has been signed by 531 people since becoming available on Friday, according to Sami Rahamim, spokesperson for the council. According to its website, JCRC “fights antisemitism and prejudice, safeguards the Jewish community, advocates for Israel, provides Holocaust education, promotes tolerance and social justice, and builds bridges across the Jewish and broader communities.”
The letter refers to a resolution passed by the St. Paul Federation of Educators in November, which the letter describes as one that “erased Jewish experiences and promoted the terrorist organization Hamas’ narrative describing the October 7, 2023, invasion of Israel as ‘multiple resistance organizations in Gaza revolt[ing] against Israel.’”
“This narrative justifies the killing, kidnapping, and rape of innocent people, normalizing the worst antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust,” the letter states. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., Canada and the European Union.
Resolution
The resolution passed by SPFE in November called for its national union, the American Federation of Teachers, to sign a national arms embargo letter to President Joe Biden and resolved that SPFE would sign the letter as a local union. The embargo letter calls for the Biden administration “to immediately halt all military aid to Israel as part of the work to secure an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the war in Gaza.”
Before voting on the resolution, Jewish SPFE members read a response from St. Paul rabbis expressing that the resolution made Jewish community members feel less safe.
“Regardless of intent, the impact of this resolution and the rhetoric surrounding it invites systemic isolation, exclusion, and dehumanization of Jewish voices and concerns in our schools,” Wednesday’s letter states. “And while SPPS has a longstanding commitment to fostering safe and inclusive learning environments for all students and staff, the painful and insulting erasure of consensus Jewish concerns in the SPFE discourse reveals a critical gap in the protection and support for our Jewish community members.”
A representative for SPFE could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
The letter urges SPPS to require staff training from JCRC on Jewish identity and antisemitism.
According to the letter, the training should “Raise awareness of the complexity of Jewish identity.” “Increase understanding of the unique ways anti-Jewish language, symbols, and behaviors manifest, and their impact on individuals and communities.” “Empower educators and staff to recognize and appropriately respond to incidents of antisemitism in classrooms, hallways, and online platforms.” “Foster inclusive practices that create a sense of belonging for Jewish students and staff, reinforcing their right to safety and respect within our schools.” And “Build stronger alliances between educators, parents, and community members to proactively combat hate and discrimination in all forms.”
SPPS teacher Tiffany Goldman, who signed Wednesday’s letter, said as an educator she thinks enlightening people and having discussions is always positive.
“As a Jewish woman, a Jewish teacher in St. Paul Public Schools, I want the best for every student and right now, I feel like our Jewish students, they’re not getting the best because there’s a lot of misinformation out there. And I think providing the training will help fill some of the holes that exist. And I think that it will support SPPS in being the best that it can be for all of our students,” Goldman said.
Response from SPPS
Views expressed or actions taken by any of the district’s labor unions are those of the union, according to a SPPS statement provided in response to Wednesday’s letter.
“The Saint Paul Federation of Educators (SPFE) is a labor union that represents Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) teachers, educational assistants, and school and community service professionals. SPFE, like all labor unions, operates independently and separately from the district,” the SPPS statement said.
“SPPS has clear policies and procedures in place regarding what is allowed and appropriate in the classroom. Our schools remain committed to maintaining learning and working environments that are free from discrimination, harassment, violence and retaliation. The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict brings up many strong emotions. Resources are available for any SPPS students or staff who need support at school.”
The goal of the training the letter calls for is to give SPPS staff a window into the Jewish experience and what harmful ideas are circulating now, including in the district, Rahamim said.
“And what does it look like to show empathy for Israelis and Palestinians without reducing a complex, tragic conflict into a binary where one side is good and one side is evil,” Rahamim said.
Goldman said throughout the process with SPFE, district members have been supportive and she said she hopes things will continue to be positive.
“I feel like one thing we do as educators really well is, once we find something where we can do better, we do better,” Goldman said. “And so I think that that’s a powerful thing for educators to hold. And I think this is a place where we can do better. We can do better for, not just our Jewish students, but we can do better for all of our students.”
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