Updated Nov. 13
The Santa Clara Unified School District board sided with concerned Jewish parents last week in determining that a teacher failed to “exercise good judgment” when showing students an inflammatory anti-Israel video produced by Turkish state-run media.
Kauser Adenwala, a teacher in SCUSD, had appealed the initial finding of misconduct by the school district. Her appeal resulted in two lengthy and heated special meetings of the school board, in which dozens of community members addressed the trustees in public comments, most in support of Adenwala.
Adenwala had the strong backing of anti-Zionist groups, including local chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and Jewish Voice for Peace, which wrote a letter to the school district on her behalf. A local chapter of the NAACP also backed her, as did her union.
The school district determined that Adenwala violated the district’s professional standards when she presented the video in question to students at Wilcox High School. The unanimous vote Thursday by the board upheld the district’s finding over intense opposition from allies of the teacher.
In March 2024, Adenwala, who is Muslim, presented a 2-minute YouTube video produced by TRT World, an English-language broadcaster controlled by the Turkish government, during a lesson about the Holocaust. The video shows activist Marione Ingram, who identifies herself as a Holocaust survivor, protesting outside the White House gates holding a sign with the words, “Stop the Genocide in Gaza.”
The video, titled “Holocaust survivor says Israel is committing a Holocaust in Gaza,” cycles between images of children in Gaza and images of victims of the Holocaust. “I’m actually ashamed sometimes to acknowledge that I belong to the tribe that is killing innocent people,” Ingram says in the video.
Parents of Jewish students within the district raised concerns about the lesson, and in July 2025, more than a year later, SCUSD leaders released the findings of an internal investigation recommending “corrective actions” be taken.
Adenwala, with the support of her teachers union, appealed.
Board member Jodi Muirhead, in a phone call with J. Tuesday, clarified that the controversial YouTube video on its own was not the problem. It was how it was used — in a lesson about the Holocaust.
She said in October she received a letter from local leaders of the California Teachers Association, the union representing Adenwala, asking Muirhead to recuse herself from voting on the appeal.
“That request to recuse, that was personal. That was because I am Jewish and because I have friends who are Jewish and Israeli,” Muirhead said. With the support of the district’s legal team, she did not recuse herself and voted on Nov 6.
She noted that after having a positive relationship with the teachers union over her 11 years serving as a district trustee, she was “surprised” they’d taken this tack.
“It’s been tough as a Jewish elected official. Most of the time, nobody cares. My board knows I’m Jewish. I don’t publicize it. But it’s come out through this,” Muirhead said. “I’ve never wanted it to be an issue.”
Allies of Adenwala quickly condemned the board’s decision. CAIR-SFBA wrote in a press release that the organization and its allies believe the ruling “is grounded in flawed legal reasoning,” inappropriately defines antisemitism, and “will chill classroom discussion of Palestine, genocide, and human rights.”
The district will be working to develop and implement new trainings for teachers and administrators that ensure controversial issues are taught free of discrimination and bias, board president Bonnie Lieberman said when delivering the board’s decision Thursday.
“The purpose of this action is to ensure both teachers and site administrators are aware of the district’s policies and have resources to contact should they have questions about potentially discriminatory curriculum content,” Lieberman said.
The Bay Area Jewish Coalition, a grassroots volunteer group that supported Jewish parents in bringing their concerns about Adenwala to district leaders, wrote in an email to J. that BAJC members appreciated the board’s decision.
“At a time when antisemitism is surging statewide and in our community, responsible Holocaust education and teacher training thereof is vital to countering hate and ensuring a safe, non-discriminatory environment for all students,” a BAJC spokesperson wrote.
Ivy Chesser, a Jewish parent from a neighboring school district, spoke publicly at the Nov. 6 meeting as an advocate for Jewish families within SCUSD.
Chesser told J. Tuesday that the union’s support for Adenwala was worrisome.
“When teachers fight to protect propaganda and marginalize minorities, I’m scared for the future,” Chesser said.
Adenwala no longer teaches at Wilcox High School, but is still a teacher within the district. She currently teaches civic and economics to students who are dually enrolled in high school and community college, according to a new lawsuit against the State of California opposing AB 715, a law designed to combat antisemitism. Adenwala is one of four public school teachers suing to block the new law, arguing that the measure targets legitimate criticism of Israel.
Correction on Nov. 13: A previous version of this article stated that Adenwala still teaches at Wilcox High School. She no longer does but still teaches within SCUSD.