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Leader of largest education union says calling on schools to adopt IHRA definition the ‘wrong approach’
NEU leader Daniel Kebede reacts to Sir David Bell's report into antisemitism which recommends schools adopt the IHRA definition
The left-wing leader of the largest education union has sparked a row after claiming calling on schools to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism is the “wrong approach”.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said the recommendation, made in Sir David Bell’s report into antisemitism in schools in England, “risks deepening the problem rather than tackling it”.
After Sir David’s report was unveiled, and the government accepted its 27 recommendations, it seemed inevitable that hard-left activists would raise concerns about the IHRA definition.
Kebede said: “Recommending the IHRA definition risks tightening the chilling grip already stifling classroom discussion of the Gaza genocide.
“Schools need practical support to confront antisemitism, not a contested framework that risks shutting down legitimate discussion.
“The very real risk is that children who cannot critically explore issues through classroom discussion will instead seek their answers in online and unsafe groups.”
Kebede added: “It is the wrong approach.”
The Bell review also noted that education unions should have robust policies and processes to tackle antisemitism and ensure members are sufficiently trained in understanding, recognising and
responding to antisemitism.
Any incidents of alleged antisemitism by trade union officials, representatives or members must be consistently addressed in line with
union policies to tackle racism or prejudice.
Tory shadow education secretary Laura Trott also raised the fact that an NEU office had led the protests against a school visit by Jewish Labour MP Damian Egan, which was postponed due to a protest
The school initially delayed the September visit due to planned pro-Palestine protests and safeguarding concerns.
The NEU has sponsored more Palestine marches than any other union, with teachers often having their own bloc.
Kebede was previously forced to apologise after calling on crowds to “globalise the intifada” in 2021.
Many Jewish members have left the union in protest at his leadership, and the Board of Deputies publicly stated that the union has become a hostile space for Jewish educators.
Staff at the Jewish Free School (JFS) in Kingsbury once collectively resigned from the NEU in protest of the leadership’s stance and attendance at controversial rallies.
In response to the mounting pressure and accusations of “institutional antisemitism,” General Secretary Daniel Kebede commissioned an independent inquiry led by Karon Monaghan KC to investigate whether the union has created a hostile environment for its Jewish members.
In response to the Bell report, the NEU acknowledged that recent years have been “particularly difficult and frightening for Jewish teachers” and asserted a zero-tolerance policy toward antisemitism.
The IHRA definition was at the centre of clashes between communal leaders and the Labour leadership under Jeremy Corbyn.
It was adopted by many institutions in response to rising Israel-related examples of Jew-hatred.
But some left and right-wingers, civil liberties groups and academics have raised concerns that some Israel-related examples can be misused to conflate legitimate political speech or criticism of Israeli government policies with antisemitism, potentially chilling free expression.
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