A recent hearing of the Massachusetts Special Legislative Committee on Combatting Antisemitism has ignited controversy over the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) and its role in distributing educational materials that lawmakers say promote antisemitic narratives. The hearing, held last week, examined several teaching resources, including a children’s workbook and posters about the Israel-Hamas conflict. Critics argue these materials are one-sided, inflammatory, and inappropriate for use in educational settings.
At the center of the debate is a poster distributed by the MTA that reads: “What was taken by force can only be returned by force.” The phrase, widely associated with militant rhetoric, raised concerns among legislators about its implications in an educational context. Another item under scrutiny is Handala’s Return, a children’s workbook produced by The Palestinian Feminist Collective, which describes Zionists as “a group of bullies” who stole Palestinian land by force and harmed people.
MTA President Max Page defended the distribution of these materials, stating that they were provided as resources for teachers to explore different perspectives and were not intended to be used directly in classrooms.
“These are resources provided to our members to think about and learn about as educators and as citizens,” Page said during the hearing. “That does not mean one agrees with each one.” He also emphasized that the materials are not part of the state curriculum.
Despite Page’s defense, lawmakers on the committee voiced strong objections to the materials, arguing that they promote a biased and harmful perspective.
“I’m deeply concerned that many of the materials, if not the vast majority, had only one point of view,” said committee member Ruthanne Fuller. “They were not well-rounded, and you did not point teachers to those other diverse points of view.”
Jody Kipnis, another committee member, warned that distributing such materials could shape students’ perceptions in a way that excludes factual, evidence-based discussion. “The personal opinions of any teacher should be left out of the classroom,” she said. “Students should be presented with facts and evidence.”
In response to the hearing, the Israeli-American Civic Action Network launched a petition calling on state legislators to take action against the MTA. The petition demands that Massachusetts lawmakers halt collaboration with the teachers’ union on legislative matters until the MTA takes steps to eliminate antisemitic content from its educational resources.
“Despite these revelations, MTA President Max Page has refused to acknowledge the harm caused or take corrective action,” the petition states. “We are calling on the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, the Joint Committee on Education, and all Massachusetts state legislators to publicly commit to ensuring that Massachusetts schools remain neutral, inclusive, and free from antisemitism.”
The controversy has sparked a broader conversation about academic freedom, the role of educators in shaping classroom discussions, and the responsibility of institutions to ensure balanced and inclusive educational materials. While Page insists that the MTA is committed to thoughtful and professional discussions, lawmakers and community advocates are calling for greater oversight to prevent politically charged or antisemitic content from influencing students.
As Massachusetts legislators weigh their next steps, the debate highlights the challenges of maintaining academic integrity while addressing concerns about bias and discrimination in the classroom.