“For almost two years, the MTA has been fueling such hatred of Israel and Jews that some Jewish educators have left the union, and others are considering leaving,” said ZOA National President Morton Klein.

(August 26, 2025 / San Diego Jewish World) The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has filed a 26-page complaint with Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell alleging that the 117,000-member Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) has created and fostered a hostile and discriminatory environment toward Jewish members in violation of their civil rights.

The filing, supported by Jewish educators in the union – who have themselves made many unsuccessful efforts to address these problems – urges the Attorney General to immediately investigate the antisemitic and anti-Israel conduct the union has been engaging in since the Hamas attack on Israel nearly two years ago, and to bring a civil action against the MTA to enforce and restore Jewish members’ civil rights.

“Since the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, the MTA has strayed from its mission by engaging in and fueling antisemitism,” said ZOA National President Morton A. Klein. “Instead of dedicating itself to improving educators’ workplace conditions and quality of life, the union has been so fixated on attacking Israel and denying the Jewish people’s connection to their ancestral homeland that many of its Jewish dues-paying members feel unwelcome and even unsafe in the union.  For almost two years, the MTA has been fueling such hatred of Israel and Jews that some Jewish educators have left the union, and others are considering leaving.”

“The ZOA’s complaint gives the Attorney General more than enough evidence to finally put a stop to the bigotry and discrimination promoted by the MTA which many Jewish educators have courageously been battling on their own,” said ZOA Center for Law and Justice Director Susan B. Tuchman.

“We are counting on the Attorney General to exercise her authority and seek an end to the MTA’s hostility and discrimination, which has inspired intimidation and outright fear in some Jewish members,” said ZOA Center for Law and Justice Director Susan B. Tuchman.

“The MTA is obligated to represent all its members fairly, including those who are Jewish and support Israel. We are counting on the Attorney General to exercise her authority and seek an end to the MTA’s hostility and discrimination, which has inspired intimidation and outright fear in some Jewish members. Jewish educators are entitled to fair, safe and equal treatment in the union that claims to represent them.”

Backed by Jewish union members, the ZOA’s complaint documents the MTA’s hateful and discriminatory conduct, including:

– Passing multiple resolutions that demonize Israel with falsehoods, while failing to condemn or even acknowledge Hamas’ terror attack, its victims, or the hostages still held by Hamas nearly two years later.

–Sponsoring speakers and programs that question Jewish ties to Israel and misrepresent and vilify Zionism, including speakers who express support for extremist antisemitic organizations.

–Furnishing curriculum resources for teachers to use in their classrooms that contain antisemitic imagery and messaging, including images of the Star of David made out of folded dollar bills – implying that Jews use money to buy influence; and a workbook that inaccurately and hatefully described Zionists as “bullies” who “stole [land] by force and hurt many people.”

–Discriminating against observant Jewish members by holding important union meetings on the Jewish Sabbath and major Jewish holidays and failing to reasonably accommodate Jewish members’ religious observance, thus effectively excluding observant Jews from key deliberations and votes and undermining their ability to participate equally in union affairs.

–Tolerating and sometimes participating in the intimidation of Jewish educators, while failing to denounce antisemitism or acknowledge Jew-hatred within its ranks.

The ZOA’s filing also urges the Attorney General to seek specific corrective measures to address the MTA’s threatening, intimidating and discriminatory environment and protect the civil rights of its Jewish members.  The call for an investigation and legal action comes amid a nationwide rise in antisemitism after the October 7 Hamas massacre, which has led to a surge in incidents of harassment, intimidation and exclusion of Jewish students and staff.

This article was originally published in San Diego Jewish World and can be viewed here.