PRESS RELEASE—Los Angeles, CA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 17, 2024

ICAN to Broadcast Exclusive Leaked Footage of UTLA Leaders Conspiring to Push Palestine Agenda in LAUSD Classrooms

The Israeli-American Civic Action Network (ICAN) has obtained leaked footage revealing a shocking discussion among United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) leaders and Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) teachers during a panel session titled “The Question of Palestine in UTLA.” The panel was part of UTLA’s Leadership Conference, held August 1st-3rd, 2024, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles.

The footage features several educators, including UTLA Board Member and Santee Education Complex teacher David Feldman, Ron Gochez of Maya Angelou Community High School, Guadalupe Carasco Cardona at the Roybal Learning Center, and Will Shattuc at John Adams Middle School. These teachers were caught openly discussing how to bring the “struggle for Palestine” into LAUSD classrooms and admitted to taking minor-aged students to political protests, a clear violation of the California education code.

This footage, which lasts over an hour, raises significant concerns about UTLA leaders conspiring to violate state law and using classrooms to push their extreme political and ideological viewpoints upon LAUSD students. The educators involved are prominent members of UTLA, and their unchecked actions suggest a troubling pattern of political exploitation within the LAUSD public school system.

ICAN has posted a 1-minute preview of this footage, with the full broadcast of the one-hour-long session going live tomorrow at 6:00 PM Pacific, exclusively on X.

Live Broadcast Details:
Date: Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM Pacific Time
Where: Exclusively on X at @ICANAction 

“What we are witnessing in this leaked footage is UTLA’s version of Wannsee—a deliberate and coordinated effort to bring a deeply divisive and dangerous political agenda into our classrooms, using students as pawns.” said Dillon Hosier, CEO of ICAN. “Just as the Wannsee Conference marked the formalization of the Nazi’s horrific plan, this session reveals an organized attempt by UTLA to indoctrinate young minds against Israel and the Jewish people in clear violation of California laws.”

Following the release of the full leaked footage, ICAN plans to call on the LAUSD leadership to take direct action to protect students from politically predatory behavior. ICAN is also demanding a change in leadership within UTLA to prevent further violations of state law and ensure that LAUSD classrooms remain politically neutral spaces.

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is the second-largest public school district in the United States, serving over 565,000 students across more than 1,000 schools. LAUSD covers a vast geographic area, including the city of Los Angeles and 31 surrounding municipalities. Established in 1853, the district has grown to accommodate one of the most diverse student populations in the country, with a significant proportion of students from Latino, African American, and Asian backgrounds. Recent studies indicate that 18% of students at LAUSD schools are Jewish.

LAUSD operates under a seven-member elected Board of Education, with its Superintendent, Alberto Carvalho, serving as the top executive. Over the years, the district has faced challenges related to budget constraints, teacher strikes, overcrowding, and disparities in education access, particularly for low-income and minority students, including Jewish students.

United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) is the labor union representing over 35,000 public school educators within the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). It was founded in 1970 following the merger of the Los Angeles Teachers Alliance and the Classroom Teachers Association of Los Angeles.

UTLA has faced controversy over its antisemitic stances and positions on Israel, particularly regarding proposed resolutions in support of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and keeping Hamas in power. Since October 7th, controversy around UTLA has only intensified as parents and community leaders accused the union of fostering a divisive and hostile environment for Jewish educators, students, and families. The newly leaked footage appears to confirm those concerns.

The Israeli-American Civic Action Network (ICAN) is the only organization that brings together Israeli and American activists to create change for a better America, a more secure Israel, and a stronger U.S.-Israel alliance. ICAN works with community leaders, elected officials, and grassroots organizations to strengthen the bond between the United States and Israel at all levels of government through civic education, advocacy, and public engagement. It also promotes policies that support the Israeli-American community and foster mutual understanding. With a focus on policy leadership and strategic engagement, ICAN is committed to empowering Israeli-American activists and pro-Israel Americans to take an active role in shaping public policy.

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Contact Information:

Israeli-American Civic Action Network
Email: [email protected]

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