Judging by recent headlines in The Los Angeles Times, you might believe that thousands of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) teachers had gathered to diligently learn about, discuss, and hold a massive referendum on the union’s foreign policy stance — but you’d be wrong.

Far from being the will of UTLA’s entire membership, the anti-Israel motion that was passed has been orchestrated in secret by the union’s tiny, six-member “Human Rights Committee.” The union’s House of Representatives held its vote on the motion on the last day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot — a move that prevented observant Jewish members from attending. The motion supports a US arms embargo against Israel.

With no one present to object, their motion passed by an 80-40 vote with fewer than 200 people present. Given the Los Angeles Times’ publisher’s recent claim that the paper could not endorse Kamala Harris for president due to her positions on Israel, no one should be surprised that their headline on this story was as wrong as it was.

The recent vote is part of a larger pattern of antisemitic, exclusionary behavior throughout UTLA, which has marginalized Jewish voices. And now it’s bleeding over into schools and classrooms.

Union Overreach into K-12 Classrooms

UTLA’s anti-Israel stance goes beyond policy discussions. In fact, the activities the stance motivates brazenly violate ethical and legal boundaries, breaking Federal, state, and local laws with tacit leadership approval.

Many stunning examples of these violations took place at the UTLA leadership conference last August, which was held at a luxury hotel.

There, the union allowed non-members from anti-Israel organizations to co-sponsor their own sub-trainings in how to teach Israel hate. One elementary teacher encouraged teachers to discuss Israel’s “evils” with kindergartners, while another teacher — from the now-banned “Liberated Ethnic Studies Consortium” — presented her anti-Israel curriculum as if it were mainstream.

The sessions encouraged political activism in the classroom, including “Keffiyeh Thursdays” and decorating hallways with anti-Israel materials. Even more disturbingly, one LAUSD high school teacher outlined how he manipulates students into attending anti-Israel protests and arranges transportation for them in the cars of other un-vetted adults, a tactic he uses to evade professional liability.

LAUSD received 27,000 emails complaining about the illegal conduct; each Biard member received about 3,000, but the teacher in question is still teaching at an LA high school.

These actions violate Federal, state, and local safety and education laws against politicking in public schools, but neither UTLA nor the Los Angeles Unified School District seem the least bit bothered about it.

Neglecting Core Educational Priorities

While union leadership fixates on its anti-Israel activism, critical issues go unaddressed.

Enrollment in LAUSD has dropped from more than 746,000 in 2003 to 450,000 in 2024. Reading and math scores are in free-fall. Career satisfaction among teachers has plummeted, which has made hiring difficult.

UTLA could be helping to address these critical problems by advocating for better pay, improved school safety, reduced class sizes, or other meaningful educational reforms. But instead, they remain focused on anti-Israel activism.

Half the proposed motions at last month’s meeting focused on Israel.

So, what can teachers and families do to address this toxic union culture that contaminates school life?

More and more UTLA members are discovering that the 2018 Janus Supreme Court decision gives them an out. This ruling affirms that public sector employees have the right to opt out of union membership, and a growing number of Jewish and non-Jewish members have already left UTLA. The union has retaliated by complicating the process of canceling memberships and by blackballing Jewish educators who share this information.

UTLA, like other teacher unions, ignores parent voices because as 503(c)6 nonprofits, their members are their only constituencies. Jewish parents of Los Angeles emailed the UTLA House of Representatives on two separate occasions, asking for compassion towards Jewish and Israeli-immigrant families, and both times were met with hostility. It is up to the union’s members to generate changes.

Ultimately, members have two options for structural reform of UTLA.

One approach would be for UTLA to follow the Teachers Association of Long Beach in adopting a bylaw that it is “not within the scope or purview” of the association to engage in foreign policy. This would allow UTLA to refocus on its core mission of supporting teachers while stopping the exodus of Jewish teachers.

The other approach would be to get reform-minded teachers to run for leadership. Electing reform-minded leaders is the only way to ensure long-term change. A leadership slate could create a union that advocates for fair pay, better resources, and a safer learning environment.

Los Angeles teachers face a pivotal moment. UTLA must abandon its divisive, anti-Israel politics and focus on the real needs of its educator-members and our students. By holding UTLA accountable, enforcing existing laws, and electing better leaders, LAUSD teachers can play a vital role in ending hatred and restoring focus on quality education. If UTLA refuses to change course, teachers should feel empowered to leave a union that no longer serves their values.

Amy Leserman is a veteran English and Social Studies teacher, vice president of the NEA Jewish Affairs Caucus, founder of her district’s Educators Caucus for Israel (JewTLA), and education policy director for JewishLAUSD.

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