He racked up big endorsements for the LA school board. Then his antisemitic social media posts surfaced
An LAUSD school bus. Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
By Louis Keene February 20, 2024
A candidate for the Los Angeles school board has apologized after his antisemitic social media activity came to light this week.
In the past several years, Kahllid Al-Alim liked several antisemitic posts on X and Instagram, including posts referring to Jews as “the synagogue of Satan” and as “converts” — a canard espoused by some Hebrew Israelite communities who believe African Americans are the real Jews — and a few defending Kyrie Irving and Kanye West during their well-documented recent antisemitism controversies.
In one post, Al-Alim wrote that a book that claims Jews control the Black economy, published by the Nation of Islam — the movement spearheaded by Louis Farrakhan, who has frequently come under fire for antisemitism — should be “mandatory teaching in community schools.”
Al-Alim, a janitorial worker and community organizer, is running to represent a board district that includes several Jewish neighborhoods, as well as majority-Latino South Los Angeles. He received endorsements from United Teachers Los Angeles — which represents more than 30,000 LAUSD teachers — and the Democratic Socialists of America.
Al-Alim deactivated his personal account after the posts came to light.
“I want to apologize for my posts about the Farrakhan book,” Al-Alim, who is 56, wrote on his campaign website. “I was wrong. I have connected with educators and community members and have since learned about the issues. I fully rescind that post. It has no place in our schools.”
He added: “I have spent my life fighting against antisemitism, anti-Arab hate, Islamophobia, and all forms of oppression. I have spent my life fighting for the equality of all people. There is a very long history of Jewish and Black people backing each other and working in solidarity for justice. I want to continue that important work.”
Al-Alim, who is one of seven candidates for the open board seat, did not elaborate on his work fighting antisemitism. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
The revelation of Al-Alim’s posts comes as both the Democratic Socialists of America and United Teachers Los Angeles face accusations of antisemitism within their ranks.
DSA’s posts following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks were disavowed by some of its most prominent members, who criticized them for being insensitive to the loss of innocent Israeli lives. Earlier this month, DSA’s Los Angeles chapter voted to censure an affiliated LA City Council member who received a pro-Israel endorsement. Meanwhile, UTLA has faced controversy after voting to table a resolution to endorse the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement in 2021.
UTLA did not respond to a request for comment.
Critics in the Jewish community shared images of Al-Alim’s social media activity over the weekend.
“Do not let bigots take charge of our children’s education and safety,” Sam Yebri, an attorney and Jewish community activist, wrote Monday on Instagram.
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