Since long before “Israel’s” October 2023 escalation of the genocide against Palestinians, the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) has both systemically erased and marginalized Palestinian narratives. This suppression comes from the top, most recently with NYCPS Chancellor David Banks’ Zionist internal communications and decision-making. Since October, Banks has taken every opportunity to reaffirm his commitment to continue his anti-intellectual conflation of Zionism and Judaism. He held press conferences and expressed support for unharmed and unvictimized Zionist students and staff who breached contracts and engaged in disruptive political actions on and off school grounds. He met and collaborated with Zionist organizations to perpetuate foreign state propaganda in curricula. He allowed Zionist hate groups to target NYCPS community members and schools with violent death threats and doxing. At the May 8th, 2024 congressional hearing assessing the response to antisemitism of three United States school districts, Banks condemned Palestinian calls for self-determination as “disgusting” and “antisemitic.” Banks’ asymmetrical response to allegations of antisemitism and to that of other forms of bigotry is tantamount to viewpoint discrimination and institutional bias. ….more