New York School District Criticized for Review Sheet Defining Zionism as ‘Extreme Nationalism’

A controversial study guide distributed to 10th graders in the Half Hollow Hills Central School District in New York described Zionism as "extreme nationalism" and inaccurately claimed that every conflict involving Israel ended with the country gaining land, sparking widespread condemnation from lawmakers and community members. The guide also portrayed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict simplistically and included language deemed factually incorrect and offensive, prompting the district’s interim superintendent to acknowledge the material was neither created nor approved by the school board or Social Studies Department. Lawmakers such as Reps. Elise Stefanik and Ritchie Torres criticized the guide as a form of indoctrination and anti-Israel propaganda, highlighting broader concerns about antisemitism in educational curricula nationwide. The district has pledged to overhaul its curriculum, ensuring future materials are accurate and vetted by external experts, with standardized content to be implemented by September. The controversy reflects ongoing national debates about how Zionism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are taught in schools, amid heightened sensitivities following recent violent attacks targeting Jewish communities and Israel. This incident underscores the challenges schools face in balancing educational standards with complex geopolitical topics.