FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec 12, 2023
Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected]
Teachers Against Genocide Coalition, CODEPINK, and Zinn Education Project Unite to Demand Ceasefire
“Parents should be picking up kids from school, not picking up their body parts out of rubble.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A coalition of educators, including members of Teachers Against Genocide, will assemble in the halls of Congress on Wednesday to advocate for an immediate ceasefire and an end to U.S. funding for Israel. In collaboration with CODEPINK and the Zinn Education Project, these dedicated educators aim to utilize their collective voice to address the ongoing crisis in the region.
The coalition's advocacy day starts at 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday at the Rayburn Building cafeteria (House side). Members of the media are invited to attend and engage with the educators, who are resolute in their mission to bring attention to the urgent need for a ceasefire and a reevaluation of U.S. funding policies in the region.
Teachers Against Genocide, a coalition committed to preventing, opposing, and eradicating genocide through education and action, will be supported by prominent organizations such as CODEPINK and the Zinn Education Project. Together, they seek to raise awareness and bring about change by handing out copies of a letter outlining their key demands.
The core demands of the coalition include an immediate ceasefire in Palestine, the termination of all U.S. funding to Israel for weapons and military operations, and the freedom to teach honestly about the history of Israel and Palestine.
Quoting from the letter, the coalition emphasizes, “We mourn the loss of Palestinian and Israeli lives and grieve for those who have lost loved ones due to the ongoing occupation and massive bombardment. As Howard Zinn said, ‘We need to decide that we will not go to war, whatever reason is conjured up by the politicians or the media, because war in our time is always indiscriminate, a war against innocents, a war against children.’”
The letter goes on to stress the importance of understanding the historical context of the tragedy, challenging the prevailing narrative that simplifies the crisis as a mere "conflict" rooted in antisemitism and Islamophobia. Instead, the educators advocate for a comprehensive exploration of the settler colonial history, land disputes, water access, conditions of apartheid, and geopolitical motivations of world powers that contribute to the current crisis.
The coalition asserts that the U.S. school curriculum has historically perpetuated a hierarchy of human worth, ultimately fueling dehumanization and violence. As educators, their commitment lies in helping students grasp and analyze this history while working towards the dignity of all peoples.
For more information, please contact: Atefeh Rokhvand with Teachers Against Genocide at [email protected], Deborah Menkart with the Zinn Education Project at [email protected] or Medea Benjamin with CODEPINK at [email protected].
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