Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Public commenters split at Massachusetts hearing over defining antisemitism; debate centers on MTA materials, K‑12 curriculum and campus speech
Summary
Public commenters at a Massachusetts commission hearing were sharply divided over definitions of antisemitism and the Massachusetts Teachers Association’s materials, with some urging adoption of a standard definition and others warning against equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism.
A long public‑comment session at the Massachusetts Special Commission on Antisemitism turned into a broad debate over how to define antisemitism, the content of Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) professional‑development materials and whether definitions should be applied in K‑12 and higher‑education settings.
What happened: Commissioners set aside an extended portion of the hearing for public comment; more than 250 people signed up and the panel accommodated roughly 65 speakers. Testimony reflected a sharp divide.
Some witnesses urged the commission to adopt a recognized working definition as a tool for educators and institutions. “Schools should adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism,” said Gabby Shiller, New England high‑school regional manager for StandWithUs, arguing that a shared definition would help teachers identify historical and contemporary antisemitism.
Other commenters — including teachers, students and civil‑liberties…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
