a setting where” Hebrew and Jewish students were accused of being complicit” in Israel’s actions.
An investigation into an Oakland, California English professor’s do just concluded he created a “divisive” and “unwelcoming” setting for Israeli students.
According to The Jewish News of Northern California, the independent investigation revealed that Arvind Reddy of Montera Middle School had “posted racist components” in and around his class during the prior academic year.
The advertisements ( pictured )— which Reddy “refused to acquire down” — read “END GENOCIDE NOW”,” From the valley to the sea, Palestine may become free”, and Nelson Mandela’s offer” Our liberty is incomplete without the flexibility of the Palestinians”.
Another banner showed” La Pietà di Michelangelo” a artwork depicting Christ dying in Mary’s shoulders which Reddy surrounded with “photos of Arab subjects”.
A local pastor said the artwork “references Catholics blaming Jews for Jesus ‘ death”, a city student report, The Bay Area Telegraph, noted.
Marleen Sacks, an attorney from Oakland, filed a complaint as the starting point for the inspection. OUSD Ombudsman Gabriel Valenzuela, a spokesperson for Reddy’s banners, said his posters “focused on the incidents of Palestinians and called for the free Palestine and did not provide any info from either Israel or its followers.”
In this way, they” created an environment where Jewish and Jewish students were labeled as being culpable of the injury Reddy had caused to Israel,” Valenzuela continued. According to the complainters ‘ varying ages, religious backgrounds, and political affiliations, the posters were deemed to be anti-Semitic and divisive.
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In a speech, Reddy claimed the banners” took a strong stance against Israel’s activities related to what they described as the’ genocide’ of Arab individuals”.
From the , Mercury News story:
Reddy was unwilling to collaborate with the district and the school to” come up with solutions that would make Reddy comfortable and soothe the campus environment,” according to Valenzuela.
In a statement, Sacks said “it was obvious the teacher’s actions were inappropriate and discriminatory”.
Sacks also criticized the school district for failing to finish the investigation sooner.
” It should not have taken over a year to make these findings”, Sacks said. ” Dozens of Jewish families have already fled the district because of ongoing anti-Semitism and anti-Israel indoctrination. The district is not doing anything about it, but offensive posters and flags are still displayed in classrooms, hallways, and administrative offices.
Valenzuela confirmed Reddy “is no longer employed as a teacher” in the district.
The teacher unions in Oakland and San Francisco, according to the Jewish News report, had condemned Israel early in its conflict with Hamas in statements that were never made of its initial attack, which resulted in the death of over 1,200 Israelis.
Members of the Oakland Education Association also created an “Educational Resources on Palestine” teaching guide, and some held an “unsanctioned” Israel-critical “teach-in” in December of 2023, the “main focus” of which was watching a livestream where individuals “describ]ed ] their activism against Israel and advocacy for Palestinians”.
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IMAGE:  , The Bay Area Telegraph
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