Jewish teachers resign from education union over claims of hostility towards Israel - The Jewish Chronicle

A number of Jewish teachers have resigned from the UK’s largest education union amid claims of intolerance and hostility towards Israel. Since February, 4 members of staff at London’s Jewish Free School have cancelled their membership with the National Education Union. Meanwhile, teachers at non-Jewish schools are also resigning or considering resigning amid an alleged intolerance of displaying support for Israel. Yvonne Greene, a business studies teacher at a local authority high school in Oxford, told the JC that in the past year the NEU has become “increasingly obsessed” with Israel and saying “horrible things” about the Jewish state. She said: “I’ve been a member of the NEU for 10 years and to begin with it was all fine - then maybe once a year they might have a pro-Palestinian article or letter in their magazine that they’d send out to other members. “Over the past year the union has become increasingly obsessed… “The (magazine) articles are just completely one sided – they never interview anyone from Israel, they never discuss the impact of rockets in Israel.” At last weekend’s pro-Palestine rally in London, Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the NEU, addressed a crowd that included people brandishing placards with antisemitic slogans. Ms Greene saw this as the “final straw” and she resigned from the NEU this week. In an email to the union, she said: “As a Jewish teacher, I no longer feel welcome in the NEU and therefore I no longer wish to be a member of this union or in any way associated with it.” Commenting on the resignation of Jewish teachers, a spokesperson for the NEU said: “The UK marches and rallies were attended by thousands of trade unionists from across the spectrum of TUC unions. “The NEU Joint General Secretary was one of several speakers at the London march/rally from UK unions. In addition to his NEU role, Kevin Courtney is the international spokesperson for the General Council of the TUC. “Both the NEU and the TUC have issued statements about the evictions at Sheikh Jarrah and subsequent developments, as have many other unions. The UN has also voiced concerns. “The NEU speaks out against all forms of racism including antisemitism. “Policy in support of affiliation to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign has been agreed democratically at annual NEU conferences and at TUC Congress.” This article was corrected on June 15 to say that 4 members of JFS staff have left the NEU since February