Brooklyn Teacher Under Investigation for Praising Hamas Leader

A public school teacher in Brooklyn, New York, is under investigation after allegedly praising Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a private chat group. The 48-year-old teacher reportedly wrote "Long live Yahya Sinwar" in a November 2024 Signal group composed of activists who oppose Israel. The allegations are part of a legal document filed in connection with a dispute at the Park Slope Food Coop, a food cooperative. The lawsuit describes the teacher as a leader of a campaign to boycott Israeli products at the co-op. The legal document also states that the teacher wrote that "they don't have the votes to block the campaign," referring to Jewish and pro-Israel members of the co-op. This incident came to light as part of a lawsuit filed by Jewish members after the co-op's management voted to ban the sale of Israeli products, following a years-long struggle. An examination of the teacher's social media accounts revealed past anti-Israel content, including an image of Israel being ground up, a picture of a Star of David covering the Statue of Liberty, and a comparison between Warsaw in 1944 and Palestine in 2024. The New York City Department of Education confirmed that the claims have been forwarded for review. A spokesperson stated, "Antisemitism and support for terrorist organizations are unacceptable in any way in our education system," adding that the claim was reported and sent for investigation according to chancellor's regulations.