Teachers Under Fire: The Impact of Online Activism on Careers

In August 2024, Susan Lewis, a music teacher from Oregon, lost her job at Valley Catholic School. The reason? Her social media posts about the situation in Gaza. Lewis was one of many targeted by StopAntisemitism, a group that claims to have helped get over 400 people fired for their views on Israel and Palestine. StopAntisemitism, founded in 2018, targets individuals who criticize Israel or support Palestinian rights. They share screenshots of these people's social media posts and encourage their followers to contact the targets' employers. In Lewis's case, they shared her posts and listed the school's email address, leading to a flood of messages demanding her firing. Lewis is now suing StopAntisemitism for defamation. She argues that the group's actions invaded her privacy and interfered with her contract. However, legal experts say her case faces long odds due to First Amendment protections.The group has targeted other high-profile figures, including actor Cynthia Nixon and children's educator Rachel Accurso. Accurso, known as Ms. Rachel, has faced increased online harassment after StopAntisemitism named her a finalist for "Antisemite of the Year. " StopAntisemitism is funded by the Milstein Family Foundation, which also supports other pro-Israel groups. The foundation's president, Adam Milstein, has been tied to other blacklist groups like Canary Mission. While StopAntisemitism claims its actions are protected free speech, critics argue that the group's tactics chill free speech by threatening people's livelihoods. As more people become aware of these tactics, the hope is that their effectiveness will decrease.