Scottish teachers reject pro-Israel pressure, continue teaching about Gaza genocide

The group said it rejects what it described as attempts to intimidate teachers and restrict their academic freedom.

Its position came after the pro-Israel organization submitted a 50-page legal dossier to the Scottish government, local authorities and several education bodies, accusing the group of introducing what it called “politically biased” content into schools and using educational materials it described as “anti-Israel.”

In response, the group issued an open letter calling on teachers and academics to stand in solidarity with it. It said the accusations were based on a distortion of its positions and a misrepresentation of the nature of the educational materials it provides, which it said are aimed at promoting the values of peace, justice and human rights.

The case drew media attention in Britain after The Times published two reports based on the organization’s claims. One report addressed allegations of attempts to influence students in schools, while the other focused on the group’s co-founder, Sarah Al-Owaisi, criticizing her participation in the opening of the Scottish Parliament at the invitation of a Green Party lawmaker.

The report described the invitation as a sign of the group’s growing presence in educational and political circles.

In an official statement, the group rejected all accusations, stressing that its work does not violate the principle of professional neutrality. Rather, it said, it is based on fact- and evidence-based education.

The group said integrity in presenting information differs from a form of neutrality that places verified facts on the same level as unsupported claims.

It noted that over the past year it had organized training sessions for teachers on the concept of neutrality in education and its relationship to teachers’ responsibility to promote social justice. It said these discussions fall within professional development programs for education workers.

The group added that teaching historical events such as the genocides in Rwanda and Srebrenica relies on historical evidence and does not require giving the perpetrators’ narratives the same credibility. It said the same approach should apply when teaching about the war on Gaza.

Teachers for Peace cited the findings of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which announced in September 2025 that there were reasonable grounds to believe Israel had committed acts amounting to genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The group said teachers have the right to rely on the findings of credible international institutions, while making clear that some governments still object to those assessments and that related international legal proceedings remain ongoing.