At a school in east London, the usual lunchtime routine suddenly took a shocking turn.
Students and teachers didn’t reach for their lunchboxes—many pulled out Palestinian flags and draped themselves in keffiyehs.
A Jewish teacher described the scene as “like a zombie movie,” recalling how the children, led by staff, rushed out of the school to attend a rally at the town hall.
This was just weeks after the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and marked one of the first of many “days of solidarity” organized by Britain’s largest teaching union, the National Education Union (NEU).
Union-Led Demonstrations Sweep Schools
The NEU, with around half a million members, has long focused on Palestine, but in 2023 its activism reached a fever pitch.
Students were reportedly chanting slogans such as “From The River To The Sea” and calling to “globalise the intifada” while teachers cheered them on.
Across the country, similar scenes unfolded: educators led students to protests, some shouting that “Israel is a terror state.”
Controversial Events Continue
The union’s activism hasn’t slowed. Just last week, the NEU’s London HQ hosted the “Sumud Festival For Palestine,” featuring political and cultural discussions.
But controversy flared in September when the union was implicated in canceling a planned visit by Labour Jewish MP Damien Egan to Bristol Brunel Academy.
Teachers, collaborating with pro-Palestine activists, successfully blocked the MP from speaking about democracy in his constituency, celebrating the cancellation as a “win for safeguarding, solidarity, and the power of the NEU trade union staff group.”
Questions About Radicalization in Classrooms
The incident has sparked a debate about whether teachers are bringing political biases into schools.
NEU members have long expressed intense support for Palestine, hosting events with speakers like Palestinian envoy Husam Zomlot and placing their symbol alongside extremist groups at marches.
Former NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede was filmed calling to “globalise the intifada,” a chant considered incitement against Jews.
Critics say these influences have filtered into classroom teaching.
Impact on Students
Jewish children in particular have been affected.
Some report teachers rewriting history, presenting figures like David as Palestinian rather than Jewish, while others are exposed to one-sided lessons portraying Israel negatively.
Parents have reached out to UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) to intervene when they felt the teaching was biased or frightening for their children.
Non-Jewish students have also been exposed to skewed presentations, creating tense classroom dynamics.
Allegations of Bullying and Hostility
Jewish teachers themselves report bullying from colleagues and students.
One supply teacher described children drawing swastikas near his desk or marking holes on maps of Israel.
Retired Scottish teacher Andy Porter argues that union-affiliated organizations, including the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), are either intentionally or ignorantly anti-Semitic.
Though the EIS denies these claims, critics insist the issue is widespread.
Calls for Government Action
Advocates like Alex Hearn, director of Labour Against Antisemitism, warn that the situation must be urgently addressed.
They argue that the NEU and its members need to follow the law and stop promoting biased, hateful narratives in schools.
For parents, students, and educators alike, the challenge is balancing free political expression with safeguarding against indoctrination and anti-Semitism.
A Nation’s Schools at a Crossroads
From rallies at town halls to cancelled MP visits and classroom lessons, the NEU’s activities highlight a deeper tension in Britain’s education system.
The question remains whether the government will intervene to ensure schools remain safe, inclusive spaces where children learn without fear or bias, and where teachers’ personal political views do not overshadow education itself.
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