The teach-in "From Philly To Palestine" is scheduled for Jan. 19, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and is being promoted by Philadelphia Educators For Palestine and the Students For Justice In Palestine Coalition. Organizers say the program is open to students of all ages and will address topics including weapons manufacturers, tax claims related to occupation, and student experiences of racism and Islamophobia in schools. Critics, including the North American Values Institute, have objected to the event's framing and to social media posts by local SJP that referenced Oct. 7 using charged language. Organizers and the school district were contacted for comment.
Philly Teachers Organize 'From Philly To Palestine' Teach-In On MLK Day; Critics Say It Misuses King's Legacy
Teach-in for 'Philly to Palestine' set for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Philadelphia teachers and local activist groups are organizing a teach-in titled "From Philly To Palestine: How Our Struggles Intertwine" on Jan. 19, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, when the Philadelphia School District will be closed for the federal holiday.
A young girl draws a watermelon during a "Global Palestine Kite Day" rally to show their solidarity with Palestinians in Philadelphia on May 25, 2025.
Event Details
Organizers say the program is open to school students of all ages and is being promoted by Philadelphia Educators For Palestine (PEFP) together with the Students For Justice In Palestine (SJP) Coalition, according to the North American Values Institute (NAVI). A separate, similar event in New York organized by NYC Educators For Palestine was reported to have reached full capacity for participants aged 6–18.
Anti-Israel demonstrators march through the city center during a protest against the recent Israeli strike on Lebanon and continued offensives in Gaza, Aug. 3, 2024, in Philadelphia, Pa.
Controversy And Criticism
NAVI highlighted public statements from PEFP in which the group reportedly declared that it believes "all resistance is righteous." NAVI also cited posts by the Philadelphia SJP Coalition after the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel that referred to the day as when "the Palestinian resistance in Gaza broke out of their open-air prison" and used the terms "Al-Aqsa Flood" and "Gaza Ghetto Uprising," drawing an explicit historical comparison to the World War II-era Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. NAVI characterized those posts as controversial.
Children can be seen sitting in their school classroom and raising their hands to answer a question.
"Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy was about moral clarity, nonviolence, and the hard work of bringing people together across difference. Twisting his name to justify a simplistic, false, and inflammatory narrative that pits communities against one another is not just intellectually dishonest — it is profoundly disrespectful," Steve Rosenberg, Philadelphia director for NAVI, told Fox News Digital.
Agenda And Outreach
Promotional materials shared by Racial Justice Philly advertise the teach-in as "all ages welcome" and mention a free lunch. An earlier flyer targeted middle school, high school and college-aged students, suggesting the advertised age range has since broadened.
According to event flyers, proposed topics include the role of weapons manufacturers in Philadelphia, claims that tax dollars contribute to occupation and affect state funding for public schools, and students' experiences with racism and Islamophobia in Philadelphia schools. Organizers say the event aims to connect local and global struggles and encourage discussion among students.
Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to the Philadelphia School District, the Philly SJP Alliance, Racial Justice Philly and the Asian Arts Initiative for comment. Organizers and district officials had not provided additional public statements at the time of reporting.
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