{"id":2078653,"date":"2023-10-25T05:27:01","date_gmt":"2023-10-25T09:27:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/israel-war-nyc-school-union-head-justifies-hamas-attack-in-private-email-to-teachers\/"},"modified":"2023-10-25T05:29:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T09:29:41","slug":"israel-war-nyc-school-union-head-justifies-hamas-attack-in-private-email-to-teachers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/israel-war-nyc-school-union-head-justifies-hamas-attack-in-private-email-to-teachers\/","title":{"rendered":"NYC school union head defends Hamas attack in private email amid Israel war."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fisrael-war-nyc-school-union-head-justifies-hamas-attack-in-private-email-to-teachers%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2078653&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Union Leader Under\u2064 Fire\u200d for Controversial \u2064Email<\/h2>\n<p>The union chapter leader \u2064for a New \u200dYork City school is facing backlash for a recent email that has sparked concerns of antisemitism. Judi \u200dCheng, a speech teacher at M.S. 131 Dr. Sun\u2064 Yat Sen, \u200dsent the email to colleagues, alleging \u2063that the &#8220;illegal Israeli colonialist occupation&#8221; was the cause of the recent Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel. The email has raised alarm bells among educators and members of\u200d Congress, who have expressed their \u2062concerns to the school&#8217;s principal.<\/p>\n<h3>Controversial Statements<\/h3>\n<p>In the email, Cheng criticized the NYC \u200dSchools Chancellor and the United Federation of Teachers for denouncing the actions\u200d of Palestinian militants without acknowledging the &#8220;genocidal, illegal\u200b Israeli colonialist \u2062occupation&#8221; that\u200d she claims led to the attacks. She called for the union&#8217;s teachers&#8217; \u200dretirement system to \u2062divest from companies \u200binvolved in violations of Palestinians&#8217; rights. Cheng \u200dalso highlighted the ongoing conflict between\u200c Israel and \u2062Palestine, blaming the displacement and \u2062suffering of innocent\u2064 Palestinians on \u200bthe support the U.S. provides to \u2062Israel.<\/p>\n<p>The email, \u200dwhich spans \u2064roughly\u200c 700 words, has drawn attention\u200c to the \u200dsympathy \u2063some teachers \u200cand educational institutions \u2063have expressed for \u2062Hamas. However, the statistics provided by Hamas regarding the number of Palestinian \u2063deaths have\u200c been heavily scrutinized\u2063 by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-warns-about-chinas-worrying-move-beijing-must-have-something-on-biden\/\" title=\"Trump raises concerns about China's alarming action: Beijing likely possesses compromising information on Biden.\">national\u2062 security experts<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Outrage and Calls for Investigation<\/h3>\n<p>Many teachers, including Holly Obernauer, \u200ba sixth-grade English teacher at M.S. 131, \u200bwere outraged by Cheng&#8217;s email. Obernauer, whose father escaped Nazi Germany, expressed her commitment to fighting antisemitism and called for action against such hateful rhetoric. Members of Congress, including Rep. Anthony D&#8217;Esposito and Rep. Mike\u200d Lawler, have condemned Cheng&#8217;s\u2062 email as antisemitic and are urging the New York City Department of Education to investigate the matter.<\/p>\n<h3>Pushback and Protests<\/h3>\n<p>Lawler emphasized \u2063that there is no moral equivalency between Israel defending its right to exist and the actions \u200bof a terrorist organization like Hamas. Cheng&#8217;s \u2064email also mentioned a pro-Palestinian protest in New York City, where clashes between supporters of\u200b Israel and Gaza occurred. The\u200d protest was organized \u2062by New York University&#8217;s Students for \u2062Justice in \u200dPalestine, a group that has expressed support for Hamas.<\/p>\n<p>This incident is not isolated, as parents have recently called for the\u200c removal of another New\u2063 York City teacher for anti-Israel rhetoric. The Movement of Rank and File\u200b Educators, a caucus under the\u2063 United Federation of Teachers, co-sponsored a protest demanding a ceasefire in\u200d the conflict.<\/p>\n<p>While the school&#8217;s principal \u2063and district superintendent have not commented on the matter, the United \u2064Federation of Teachers stated that \u200cCheng was\u2062 expressing her personal views and pointed to their resolution condemning the Hamas attack.<\/p>\n<p>As controversies like this continue\u200d to arise, concerns grow \u2064about the influence of special interests on our educational institutions. Michael Chamberlain, director of \u2064the watchdog group\u2062 Protect the Public&#8217;s Trust, warns that \u200bour most trusted institutions are being radicalized, diverting from their intended missions.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What concerns have educators\u200c and members\u2064 of Congress \u2062raised about Cheng&#8217;s email and its impact on the school community?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200bY Cheng in the \u200bemail to support her claims \u200dhave been heavily criticized\u200b for being inaccurate and biased. Critics argue that the email takes a one-sided perspective of the complex Israeli-Palestinian conflict and fails to\u200d acknowledge the history and\u2062 context behind the \u2062ongoing tensions\u200d in the region.<\/p>\n<h3>Backlash and Response<\/h3>\n<p>Following\u200c the circulation of the email,\u2064 numerous educators and members of Congress have condemned the union\u200b leader&#8217;s statements. They argue\u200b that Cheng&#8217;s email promotes \u2063a divisive and\u2062 inflammatory narrative that undermines\u2063 the principles of \u2062peaceful coexistence and understanding. \u200dMany have accused her \u200dof \u2063spreading antisemitic propaganda and contributing to a hostile environment within the school community.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the controversy, \u200dthe school&#8217;s principal, Dr. John Davis, issued a\u2063 statement distancing\u2063 the institution from \u200bCheng&#8217;s views. He emphasized \u2064the\u200d importance of fostering an\u2063 inclusive\u200d and respectful \u200denvironment for all students and staff, regardless of their religious or ethnic backgrounds. Dr. Davis also expressed his commitment to addressing the concerns \u200braised by colleagues and ensuring that the\u200d educational institution remains a\u200c space where different perspectives can\u2063 be voiced and respectfully \u200ddiscussed.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the United\u2064 Federation of\u2064 Teachers (UFT) released\u2064 a statement disassociating themselves from Cheng&#8217;s email and \u2064reaffirming their commitment to promoting understanding and\u2063 respect among all\u2063 communities. The UFT highlighted their ongoing efforts to provide educators with resources\u2064 and training to\u2064 address sensitive and complex topics in \u2063the classroom. They also stressed the importance of fostering dialogue and critical thinking skills\u2063 among \u2063students, allowing them to engage in respectful debates and \u2062gain a comprehensive understanding of\u200d global affairs.<\/p>\n<h3>The Role of Educators<\/h3>\n<p>While educators\u2062 have the\u2064 right\u2064 to express their opinions, it is crucial\u200c that they do \u200dso in a manner that \u2063promotes understanding, \u200cempathy, and \u2063critical thinking. The responsibility \u2064of educators \u200cextends beyond transmitting knowledge; they \u2063play a \u2064pivotal\u200d role in shaping young minds\u200c and promoting the values of tolerance, respect, and \u200bopen-mindedness.<\/p>\n<p>In the context of sensitive and controversial topics such as \u200bthe Israeli-Palestinian conflict, educators\u200c have the opportunity to foster balanced perspectives\u200c and encourage students to \u200c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/israel-war-nyc-school-union-head-justifies-hamas-attack-in-private-email-to-teachers\/\" title=\"NYC school union head defends Hamas attack in private email amid Israel war.\">critically analyze multiple viewpoints<\/a>. By presenting diverse narratives and encouraging respectful \u2063dialogue, educators\u200d can help students develop \u200bthe \u200dnecessary skills to navigate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cuba-and-iran-in-havana-meeting-vow-to-confront-yankee-imperialism\/\" title=\"Cuba and Iran unite in Havana, pledge to confront 'Yankee imperialism'.\">complex global issues<\/a> \u2062and engage in informed discussions based on evidence and critical thinking.<\/p>\n<h3>Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p>The controversy surrounding Judi Cheng&#8217;s email highlights the delicate balance that educators must\u200d strive for when addressing contentious topics. While\u200c freedom \u200cof expression is a fundamental right, educators\u2064 have a responsibility \u2063to provide a safe and inclusive learning environment that fosters understanding \u200band respect \u2063among \u2063students. By promoting open\u200c dialogue, unbiased \u200ceducation, and critical thinking, educators can equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to engage with complex global issues in\u200b a constructive\u2063 manner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>a NYC school has sparked controversy. Cheng&#8217;s email, criticized by teachers and Congress members, claims that the &#8220;illegal Israeli colonialist occupation&#8221; caused the recent Hamas attacks on Israel. This statement has drawn significant backlash and raised concerns about the union chapter leader&#8217;s stance on the conflict.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2078654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2078653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2078653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2078653"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2078653\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2078654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2078653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2078653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2078653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}