Lessons encourage students to ‘honor’ Hamas and characterize US, Israel as terrorist nations.
By Shula Rosen
A House investigation has raised concerns over antisemitism and anti-Israel instruction in US public education, citing materials found in Philadelphia and Berkeley schools and examining the role of the National Education Association, according to a majority staff report released Wednesday.
The House Education and Workforce Committee began investigating the NEA and several school districts after the Anti-Defamation League recorded a 135% increase in K-12 antisemitic incidents in 2023 following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks against Israel. Its Fairfax County Public Schools investigation remains open.
Philadelphia students encountered assignments that the committee said promoted anti-Israel narratives.
One asked them to “honor” a resistance movement, with the Hamas-endorsed Great March of Return among the choices.
Another invited students to characterize Israel and the United States as terrorists.
In September 2026, the School District of Philadelphia said it would shift responsibility for writing social studies curricula away from teachers and administrators and establish a standardized program with “national experts.”
Its social studies curriculum director faces termination proceedings, and complaints of antisemitism dating to July 2024 are under review.
Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington said the curriculum “does not indoctrinate students.”
Berkeley materials included a Middle East map marking Israel as “Palestine” and honored journalist Helen Thomas, who resigned after telling Jews to “get the hell out of Palestine” and “go home” to Poland and Germany.
The report also criticized favorable treatment of activist professor Edward Said and activist Lara Kiswani.
Teachers discussing an “Israel/Palestine” unit said they were “not at liberty to share the curriculum directly with families.” Investigators said the lessons did not identify Hamas as a terrorist organization and suggested “from the river to the sea” could mean “a call for freedom and peace.”
The Committee also examined the NEA, which represents more than three million educators and administrators.
Internal records showed it had already avoided working with the ADL before delegates voted in 2025 to sever ties.
Since October 7, 2023, the NEA has pledged thousands of dollars to Rethinking Schools and the Zinn Education Project, organizations the Committee linked to antisemitic educational content.
Chairman Walberg said Jewish students deserved safe classrooms and parents deserved transparency about instruction.
The Committee said its findings could inform further legislation targeting antisemitism in K-12 education.
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