Comments on: A little sunshine at the Mass. Commission on Combating Antisemitism

By: Ted Folkman

Ted Folkman — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:04:01 +0000

Another update: the MTA hasn't actually removed most of the offensive content. Quelle surprise.

By: Ted Folkman

Ted Folkman — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:03:03 +0000

Update: the MTA has announced that it will “remove any materials that do not further the cause of promoting understanding.” That is a start. The MTA’s statement takes the opportunity to attack the Commission and, of course, its ritual condemnation of antisemitism is necessarily accompanied by a condemnation of “Islamophobia and all other forms of hatred and discrimination,” because for some it is impossible to acknowledge the harms of antisemitism without All Lives Mattering the Jews. But let it pass—this is some rare good news.

By: Ted Folkman

Ted Folkman — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 02:13:17 +0000

In reply to MelK. You make a good point: why would anyone think that it’s appropriate to try to teach details of a complex geopolitical issue to elementary school students?

By: MelK

MelK — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 01:23:43 +0000

The only way to win is not to play.

It is clear that the MTA president was not prepared to discuss the nuances of the situation. Nor yet, apparently to provide teaching materials that discussed any of those nuances. I’m uncertain, though, if the commission was prepared to understand those nuances either, but we cannot know now.

Would the children being taught with some unit on the Middle East be able to understand those nuances, if they were fairly presented? Unlikely. I can see discussing the issues in dedicated college courses, but in grade school? You have to be kidding me.