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A Norfolk science teacher, Andrea Abeyesinghe, who is the chair of the local Palestine Solidarity Campaign branch that temporarily managed to get Israeli contestants banned from the World Bowls Tour, voiced her upset that the activist organisation Stand Up to Racism (SUTR) was not going far enough in condemning Zionism.
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Abeyesinghe told the group she wanted the National Education Union (NEU) to do more to encourage teachers to “speak the truth” about Zionism. “I think the NEU needs to produce some approved resources so that teachers do not feel scared,” she wrote.
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Last year, Alex Kenny, a former NEU executive, called in the publication Labour Outlook for trade unionists from across the UK to “continue to build pro-Palestine and anti-war initiatives in our unions and workplaces”.
And just before Passover, the former president of NEU Redbridge, Sajia Iqbal, filmed herself clearing the Israeli-made food section of Sainsbury’s in Ilford.
Palestine has long been a focus of the NEU, which sponsors trips to Israel and the West Bank. Four out of 14 executive members of the PSC are also high-ranking officials of the NEU.
At its conference earlier this month, the NEU agreed to create resources to “raise awareness” about the situation in “Palestine”. It can also be revealed that the union is planning an event called “Understanding and Advocating for Palestine in our Schools” in Liverpool in June.
Jewish NEU member Peter Bloch, a conference veteran, said such activity was “getting worse and they want to bring it into schools. I don’t know where this will end. Political issues are meant to be presented with a balanced view when discussed in schools but they certainly won’t be with these people. A lot of them were at conference wearing Palestinian scarves. It feels like the union is becoming more militant.”
Advocacy group UK Lawyers for Israel said: “Jewish teachers and parents have approached us with concerns about their children or students being subjected to this anti-Israel propaganda… While we fully support the right of individuals to hold personal political views, it is inappropriate for a professional body representing educators to encourage their members to engage in political activism in schools.”
An NEU spokesperson said: “The NEU condemns antisemitism and has a proud history of combating all forms of racism. As a union of 500,000 members and not politically affiliated to any party, our members will hold many different political and personal opinions as is to be expected in a democracy. Taking part in activities or political meetings in their own time and between themselves is well within their rights.
“That said, teachers have a legal obligation to remain politically impartial in the classroom. This applies when speaking to students both formally and informally.
“The situation in Gaza is complex and has generated deep concerns. This includes a significant number of members of the Board of Deputies of British Jews who recently wrote an open letter critical of Israeli government policy on the conflict.
“The NEU deplores, and has condemned without equivocation, the actions of Hamas on October 7. The NEU joins many in the international community who are wanting to see a just and lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians, consistent with international and human rights law.
“Schools and colleges often have to deal with the issues that arise in the outside world and that can have an impact on students. Existing NEU materials on Israel and Palestine offer guidance on how to support teachers in dealing with discussions in school and include issues such as rising antisemitism and Islamophobia. They do not breach any rulings on impartiality.
“The WhatsApp group referred to is not an official NEU group.
“The union has a zero-tolerance policy on racism and where a complaint is made about a member’s alleged behaviour, will always investigate in accordance with our complaints procedures.”
Abassi, Abeyesinghe, Kenny and Iqbal were contacted for comment.
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