Jewish Teachers Challenge Forced Union Representation and Antisemitic Actions from UTLA

Los Angeles, CA—yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ruled against the lawsuit filed by seven Jewish teachers against United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA). The case, initially filed by the Freedom Foundation on October 7, 2024, alleged a history of antisemitic actions by the union and unconstitutional forced association. In response to the ruling, the Freedom Foundation announced plans to appeal the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

“This ruling is a disappointment, but it is far from the end of the road,” said Aaron Withe, CEO of the Freedom Foundation. “We believe the court’s decision overlooks the clear First Amendment violation that forces Jewish teachers to associate with an organization that has shown hostility towards them. We will continue our fight for the rights of these teachers, and we remain hopeful that the Ninth Circuit will agree that this case deserves further scrutiny.”

Barry Blisten, one of the plaintiffs in the case, added, “This ruling continues to set a dangerous precedent for Jewish teachers across the country. I just want to teach without being forced to be represented by a group that has made it clear they hate me and my Jewish colleagues.”       

Shella Alcabes, litigation counsel for the Freedom Foundation, added, “While the district court’s decision is a setback, it does not change the fact that these teachers’ First Amendment rights are being violated. Being forced into association with a union that publicly supports antisemitic and anti-Zionist views is a direct infringement on their constitutional rights. We will now take our fight to the Ninth Circuit.”

The ruling comes one week after the NEA Jewish Affairs Caucus sent a letter to Becky Pringle detailing the harassment Jewish teachers experienced at the most recent NEA conference in Portland.

Background:

The lawsuit, amended on November 25, 2024, to include three additional plaintiffs, challenges the forced union representation imposed on teachers who have explicitly opted out of union membership or declined to join UTLA. None of the seven plaintiffs are current members of UTLA, yet California law mandates that the union be recognized as the exclusive representative for all employees within the bargaining unit, whether they are union members or not.

All seven complainants, who are Jewish, argue that their First Amendment rights are being violated by being forced to associate with a union they have rejected. The lawsuit underscores that the plaintiffs have exercised their rights under the 2018 Janus v. AFSCME ruling, which affirmed the constitutional right of public employees to refuse union membership.

The complaint also emphasizes that UTLA has publicly expressed anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist views, engaged in political advocacy against Israel, and discriminated against Jewish teachers for supporting the Jewish state. These actions, according to the plaintiffs, demonstrate the harmful consequences of being forced to remain under UTLA’s representation.

Recent examples of UTLA’s religious discrimination against Jewish teachers:

• UTLA has consistently supported, and many of its members concurrently belong to, Union del Barrio, which has frequently called for the destruction of the state of Israel.
• UTLA spent $700,000 supporting a candidate for school board that publicly pushed conspiracy theories against Jews, including the notorious blood libel.
• UTLA has excluded Jewish and Zionist members from its private Facebook group.
• Local UTLA Houses of Representatives passed a motion expressing support for the “international campaign for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against apartheid in Israel.”
• UTLA has endorsed an anti-Jewish curriculum, including courses like “Teach Palestine,” which deliberately misrepresents Jewish history.
• The UTLA Human Rights Committee has provided funding to enable members to attend anti-Jewish rallies.