A group of British Columbia teachers has launched a human rights complaint against their union, accusing the BC Teachers害羞草研究所� Federation of having 害羞草研究所渆ngaged in and enabled antisemitism.害羞草研究所�

Vancouver labour lawyer Paul Pulver, who represents BC Teachers Against Antisemitism, filed the complaint with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal over what he called the 害羞草研究所渆rasure of Jewish and Zionist voices and opinions害羞草研究所� within the union and members害羞草研究所� workplaces.

Pulver said in an interview Tuesday that he didn害羞草研究所檛 want to share the complaint materials publicly to not run afoul of the tribunal害羞草研究所檚 process. He said the complainants 害羞草研究所渨ant to stay in the background.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e concerned about people retaliating against them. They害羞草研究所檙e concerned about what they害羞草研究所檝e experienced already and the potential for that to get ratcheted up,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚n the circumstances, these teachers are extremely upset. They害羞草研究所檙e fearful.害羞草研究所�

In a written statement Tuesday, the BC Teachers Federation said it 害羞草研究所渧alues the critical role of the Human Rights Tribunal in upholding the BC Human Rights Code and in respect for this process, as well as any members that may be involved, will not comment before the tribunal has reviewed the matter.害羞草研究所�

In a statement announcing the complaint, BC Teachers Against Antisemitism claims the union害羞草研究所檚 leadership caused 害羞草研究所渢rauma and fear害羞草研究所� among members who have been 害羞草研究所渋ntimidated and shamed害羞草研究所� by colleagues.

The statement said the union has 害羞草研究所渙stracized害羞草研究所� the teachers because they害羞草研究所檙e Jewish or because they hold 害羞草研究所渃urrently unpopular views害羞草研究所� about Jews, Israel and Hamas害羞草研究所� Oct. 7 attacks.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think there are any teachers within this group who would have difficulty with legitimate criticism of Israel in respect of its political or military decisions,害羞草研究所� Pulver said.

害羞草研究所淲here the difficulty lies 害羞草研究所� is when it goes beyond that and into antisemitic conduct, which unfortunately is what these teachers feel they害羞草研究所檙e witnessing now.害羞草研究所�

The statement said the complaint details more than two dozen examples of antisemitism either caused or enabled by the teachers害羞草研究所� union.

Pulver said the issue came to a head at the federation害羞草研究所檚 March annual general meeting.

The statement said that before the meeting, the union害羞草研究所檚 president sent members anti-racism training materials that didn害羞草研究所檛 mention antisemitism but provided a link to material including a poster that said 害羞草研究所淶ionists F*ck Off.害羞草研究所�

The group claims the meeting focused on 害羞草研究所渁nti-Jewish and anti-Israel害羞草研究所� voices and 害羞草研究所渆xcluded, bullied, silenced, and prevented害羞草研究所� Jewish teachers from speaking out against 害羞草研究所渁ntisemitic motions害羞草研究所� proposed at the meeting.

Pulver said the complainants want the tribunal proceedings to force the union to 害羞草研究所渁pologize for the systemic discrimination to date,害羞草研究所� and for it to cease.

He said they害羞草研究所檙e also hoping for the teachers害羞草研究所� federation to create policies to combat antisemitism, and 害羞草研究所渁ddress any harms that have been suffered by way of damages if necessary.害羞草研究所�

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