Overview

• Teachers in Oakland, California, have been presenting students with pro-Palestinian lessons as part of an unauthorized 'teach-in', despite opposition from the school district and concerns raised by Jewish groups and parents.
• The Oakland Education Association, the local teachers' union, has not reviewed the materials, which label Israel an 'apartheid state' and discuss 'the historic and unfolding oppression and genocide of Palestinians.'
• The curriculum includes a variety of materials, from coloring books to videos, and covers all grade levels. It also introduces the argument that Palestinian refugees have a right to return to the land that makes up the Jewish state.
• Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell has opposed the teach-in, citing a school board policy requiring that 'all sides of a controversial issue are impartially presented.' It remains unclear whether teachers who participate will face disciplinary action.
• Despite the controversy, some teachers and parents see the teach-in as a necessary corrective to mainstream education materials that they believe take a pro-Israel view.