On Wednesday, the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) passed a resolution in which it expressed regret for an Oct. 25 resolution that was characterized as antisemitic by some, including the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota & the Dakotas.
On Oct. 25, MFT passed what it called an “Israel-Palestine Resolution.” This resolution condemned the government of the United States for “supporting the system of Israeli occupation and apartheid, which lies at the root of the Palestinian and Israeli conflict.”
In addition to calling for a ceasefire, the statement also demanded that the Minnesota Legislature repeal anti-BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) legislation. MFT claimed that such legislation “stifles free speech and discriminates against Palestinian refugees, their families, and their supporters.”
The Oct. 25 resolution received considerable backlash.
The Jewish Community Relations Council released a letter signed by 783 “parents, students, staff, alumni, and taxpayers” of Minneapolis Public Schools. In their letter, they condemned MFT’s “Israel-Palestine Resolution” as “antisemitic and hostile to our children, MPS staff, and puts our larger community at further risk because of their Jewish identity.”
Additionally, former majority leader of the Minnesota House of Representatives, Ryan Winkler, condemned the statement. Winkler, a Democrat, said “antisemitism has no place in our schools.”
In its new resolution issued Wednesday, the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers said that the Oct. 25 statement “harmed many Jewish members, students, and families while causing unnecessary division within our union. We regret this.”
While expressing regret for the Oct. 25 statement, Wednesday’s resolution stopped short of issuing an apology. Instead, the MFT used its new resolution to reaffirm “the purpose of this union: the welfare of all members and students.”
Furthermore, the MFT, which is a local affiliate of Education Minnesota (the state’s teachers union), said that, “We never want to cause harm to anyone, and we must stay united as we move forward.”
However, some members of MFT stood by the original Oct. 25 resolution. Kaytie Kamphoff, a teacher at Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis, tweeted, “i stand with our original resolution.” In addition, Kamphoff said she and many others voted against MFT’s new resolution. According to the Jewish Community Relations Council, 69 MFT members voted against the new resolution.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
