NYC public schools widely slammed for sending Stop Gaza Genocide Toolkit in newsletter: Abhorrent and shameful

The head of New York City public schools was forced to apologize for linking a “Stop Gaza Genocide Toolkit” in a newsletter this month — sparking outrage in the Jewish community.The Office of Student Pathways Newsletter, which is blasted out monthly to select teachers and parents across the nation’s largest public school system, included a bullet point titled “Guidelines for teaching about genocide” — which linked to a Google doc titled “STOP GAZA GENOCIDE TOOLKIT.”The 17-page document contains radicalized messaging that encourages readers to “Stop arming Israel and free Palestine!”The ‘toolkit’ breaks down how to mobilize pro-Palestine campaigns on social media, how to boycott and encourage divestment from pro-Israel organizations and encourages readers to print out Palestine yard signs — among other calls to action.Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos admitted to what she called a “troubling oversight” in a statement on Thursday night that condemned the toolkit as hateful and antisemitic.“This language is hurtful to many in our Jewish community, and we deeply apologize,” Aviles-Ramos said in the statement posted to social media.“Once leadership became aware of this link, we immediately ordered its removal and have already begun conducting a thorough investigation as to how this was added to @NYCschools communication,” the chancellor said.A version of the “toolkit” appears to have also been linked to in the October-November 2024 newsletter.The document, which has since been updated, called on readers to participate in “rage week” and “resist genocide” by mobilizing on the Sat.

Oct.5 “day of action” ahead of the anniversary of Hamas’ Oct.

7, 2023, terror attack on Israel.Some parents and teachers said it was a sign of deep-rooted antisemitism at the city Department of Education.“It’s the systemic rot,” said Karen Feldman, an educator of over 26 years who resigned in November following what she ca...