In a time of rising antisemitism, radicalization and violence targeting Jews across America, we would expect our public schools to serve as sanctuaries of neutrality, inclusivity and fact-based education. Sadly, it appears that is not the case today in Baltimore County, Md.
The Baltimore Zionist District recently sounded the alarm on a professional development workshop offered by Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) titled “Effective practices to support Arab and Muslim families.” The title may sound benign, even important, but the substance behind it is alarming.
The workshop is being led by Abeer Ramadan-Shinnawi, founder of Altair Education Consulting. Her training materials promote resources and classroom plans that depict Israel as a genocidal oppressor and Zionism as a form of terrorism. Materials promoted include reports from Visualizing Palestine, such as “Cruel Britannia,” which accuses the United Kingdom of aiding Israel’s alleged “genocide” in the Gaza Strip, and “Killing the Story,” which claims Israel systematically murders journalists, an outright lie.
Also promoted is a lesson plan for middle school and high school titled “Literature about Palestinians under occupation,” which frames the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the lens of Israeli brutality and of Palestinian victimhood. There is no mention of Palestinian terrorism or of documents such as the Hamas Charter, which calls for the deaths of Jews everywhere. Training built on lies and omissions that targets a minority is not educational. It is dangerous, politicized propaganda.
Even more troubling are the consultant’s affiliations. Events tied to her work have included speakers who praised Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader responsible for the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Trainers who praise a genocidal attack on innocent civilians should not be part of any BCPS program for anyone ever.
This is not education. This is radicalized antisemitic indoctrination under the banner of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Imagine a similar program taught by a trainer of the Ku Klux Klan, making false accusations that put the African-American community at risk. I would hope that it would immediately be shut down. And I ask for the same protection for our Jewish minority community.
Why should this matter to every parent in Baltimore County—Jewish, Christian or otherwise—and to people outside our county?
Because the real-world consequences of this ideology are now showing up not only in classrooms teaching propaganda instead of facts, but also in violent protests and crime scenes. A young couple was shot and killed last month outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., by a gunman shouting “Free, free Palestine.” There is a direct connection between demonizing Israelis and Jews, and extremist violence.
This is now undeniable. These hate-filled mantras and slogans that begin in school trainings and rallies are being echoed in acts of violence. They must stop. We must draw a line.
The BCPS is a public school system, not a political indoctrination camp. Public funds must never be used to normalize hatred or promote extremist narratives, especially in a kindergarten through 12th-grade setting.
We call on BCPS to:
- Terminate all relationships with Altair Education Consulting and Ramadan-Shinnawi.
- Audit all professional development sessions involving Middle East content.
- Ensure that no politically biased curriculum, content or resources introduced through professional development are applied or implemented in kindergarten-12th grade classrooms.
- Reaffirm the school system’s commitment to politically neutral, inclusive education for all students and staff.
- Respond publicly to the concerns raised by the Jewish community.
- Adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism to help identify speech.
We also call on the greater Baltimore community to act.
To our Christian allies: We need your voices now. Silence enables further normalization of hate.
To parents of all backgrounds: Ask your schools what kind of training your teachers are receiving.
To our elected officials: Your silence has been noted. We urge you to stand publicly against hate in our schools.
This began with a concerned BCPS teacher who approached our organization anonymously. But this is no longer just about one workshop. It’s about the future of our schools, our children and the democratic values we refuse to compromise.