A prime deputy to American Federation of Academics President Randi Weingarten has been accused of “fostering a tradition of anti-semitism that alienates Jewish members” by a key Republican senator.
Sen. Invoice Cassidy (R-La.), the pinnacle of the Senate Well being, Training, Labor and Pensions Committee, famous in a Thursday letter to Weingarten obtained by The Publish that AFT vp Todd Wolfson hosted a “Scholasticide in Palestine” webinar in March that characterised anti-Israel protests on faculty campuses — which have included harassment and intimidation of Jewish college students and college — as “antigenocide speech.”
Leaders of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Tutorial Engagement Community (AEN), Hillel and different Jewish teams slammed the digital seminar for selling “a one-sided and inflammatory narrative” on Israeli-Palestinian points — and refusing to even point out Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terror assault.
“Within the six months since he obtained this warning from [the ADL], Dr. Wolfson has not solely failed to deal with these considerations however has exacerbated them,” Cassidy advised Weingarten.
Wolfson — an affiliate professor of journalism and media research at Rutgers College who’s at present on depart — oversaw the seminar in his capability as president of the American Affiliation of College Professors (AAUP), a place he holds concurrent along with his AFT publish.
He has additionally accused the Trump administration of partaking in “weaponization of anti-semitism” towards US universities, known as for an American arms embargo towards Israel and decried Vice President JD Vance as a “fascist.”
“Advocating a political place because the president of a tutorial affiliation stifles the voices of members who might imagine otherwise,” Cassidy chided Weingarten.
“It’s clear that Jewish members are usually not being defended. Jewish college members deserve to hold out their work free from discrimination,” the Louisiana Republican wrote. “As an affiliation with a nationwide presence, it’s regarding that AFT has not solely failed to assist clear up this downside however has made it worse by permitting Dr. Wolfson to proceed to serve in a management function.”
In September, an ADL/AEN survey discovered “73.2% of the surveyed college reported observing anti-Jewish actions or statements from college, directors, or employees on campuses, and 44% have been conscious of an organized College for Justice in Palestine (FJP) chapter on their campus.”
“The overwhelming majority of respondents who have been conscious of an FJP chapter on their campus reported that the chapter engaged in anti-Israel programming (77.2%), organized anti-Israel protests and demonstrations (79.4%), and endorsed anti-Israel divestment campaigns (84.8%),” a 23-page joint report by each organizations famous.
Cassidy demanded Weingarten reply by Nov. 6 with particulars about how AFT is defending Jewish members from antisemitiscm.
The senator additionally requested for readability on AFT’s partnership with AAUP and demanded a public condemnation of Wolfson’s remarks about Vance and weaponized antisemitism.
Reps for AFT didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
