Who Is Rita Lahoud? The Brooklyn Teacher Who Replaced Israel with Palestine on the Map

Rita Lahoud, a teacher at PS 261 in Brooklyn, New York, has sparked controversy and outrage for displaying a map of the Middle East that erases Israel and labels it as Palestine. The map, which is part of an Arab Culture Arts program funded by the Qatar Foundation, has been denounced as an act of “Jewish erasure” and a violation of core journalistic principles.

Rita Lahoud’s Background and Teaching

Rita Lahoud, the teacher at the center of this controversy, is a Palestinian-American who moved to the Middle East at age 7, living in Palestine and Saudi Arabia. She teaches about Arab art and culture in Arabic at PS 261, a public elementary school in Brooklyn, where she has worked since 2019.

According to the Qatar Foundation International (QFI) blog, Lahoud has a passion for teaching students about Arab culture and exposing them to the diversity and richness of the Arab world. She also aims to foster cross-cultural understanding and appreciation among her students.

QFI is the American wing of the Qatar Foundation, a nonprofit owned by the ruling family of the wealthy Arab state, which harbors leaders of the terrorist group Hamas. QFI funds the Arab Culture Arts program at PS 261, which provides lessons and materials for students in pre-K and elementary grades.

The Map That Sparked Controversy

The map that has caused outrage among many parents, educators, and Jewish groups is a colorful poster that shows all the countries of northern Africa and the Middle East, with photos of landmarks in each nation. The map is labeled as the “Arab World” and was manufactured by Arab education company Ruman.

Outrageous! PS261, a school in Brooklyn NY, erases Israel from a map of the Middle East and replaces it with “Palestine”.

Teacher Rita Lahoud gives PreK to 5th grade students lessons in the Arab Culture Arts program, funded by Qatar Foundation International.

NYC students… pic.twitter.com/86Teo1aWjR

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) January 11, 2024

However, the map omits Israel, which has been a state since 1948, and instead labels the space between Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt as Palestine, despite the fact that there is no internationally recognized Palestinian state. The map also ignores the fact that about 20% of Israelis speak Arabic as their native language.

The map is posted in Rita Lahoud’s classroom, where she gives students lessons in the Arab Culture Arts program. QFI shared a photo of the map in a since-deleted post on X, writing: “We love seeing #Arabic classroom decorations!”

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The reaction and criticism

The map has been met with strong criticism and condemnation from various sources, who have accused Rita and QFI of promoting a biased and inaccurate view of the Middle East and engaging in “Jewish erasure” and antisemitism.

Tova Plaut, a New York City public school instructional coordinator for preschool through fifth grade, told the Free Press that the map is “troubling” and “misinformation” that embeds implicit bias into children.

“It’s not just that we’re experiencing Jewish hate in NYC public schools, we’re actually experiencing Jewish erasure,” Plaut said. “And here is proof of that.”

Plaut, who is also the founder of the New York City Public Schools Alliance, a group of educators and parents fighting antisemitism and other forms of hate in city schools, said that the map creates a false belief that the land belongs to the Arab world and not to anyone else.

“When you embed something when children are young, it becomes a belief. And belief is much harder to change than knowledge,” she said.

Plaut also pointed out that the map is especially insensitive and offensive in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which launched hundreds of rockets at Israeli civilians, killing 13 people and injuring hundreds more.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a Jewish civil rights organization, also condemned the map and called for its removal from the classroom.

“This map is not only inaccurate, but it is also deeply offensive and harmful to Jewish students and staff, as well as the broader Jewish community,” said Scott Richman, the ADL’s New York/New Jersey regional director, in a statement.

Richman added that the map “undermines the legitimacy of Israel’s existence” and “denies the historical and religious connection of the Jewish people to the land of Israel”.

He also urged the Department of Education (DOE) to investigate how the map ended up in the classroom and to ensure that the curriculum is aligned with the New York State Learning Standards, which include teaching about the history and geography of the Middle East.

The response and explanation

The DOE spokesperson, Danielle Filson, told the Free Press that the map is “a map of countries that speak Arabic” and that it is not meant to be a political statement.

She also said that the DOE is “committed to fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment in every school” and that it has “zero tolerance for antisemitism or any form of hate or bias”.

She added that the DOE provides “ongoing anti-bias and culturally responsive training for staff and students” and that it works closely with community partners to address any issues that arise.

However, Filson did not explain why the map excludes Israel, which has a significant Arabic-speaking population, or why it labels the territory as Palestine, which is not a recognized state.

She also did not comment on the role of QFI in funding and providing the map and the Arab Culture Arts program, or whether the DOE has any oversight or approval of the materials and curriculum used by QFI.

Rita Lahoud, the teacher, did not respond to requests for comment from the Free Press or the New York Post. QFI also did not reply to inquiries from the media outlets.

The principal of PS 261, Zipporiah Mills, referred the Free Press to the DOE and did not offer any further comment.

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The implications and recommendations

The controversy over the map at PS 261 raises several questions and concerns about the quality and accuracy of the information and education that students receive in public schools, especially on sensitive and complex topics such as the Middle East conflict.

It also highlights the need for more transparency and accountability from the DOE and its partners, such as QFI, to ensure that the materials and curriculum they use are in line with the standards and values of the public education system and the diverse communities they serve.

Moreover, it underscores the importance of fostering a culture of respect and dialogue among students, teachers, parents, and administrators, and of addressing any issues of hate or bias that may arise in a timely and effective manner.

To achieve these goals, some possible recommendations are:

• Review and revise the map and the Arab Culture Arts program to reflect the reality and diversity of the Middle East, including the existence and legitimacy of Israel and the rights and aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians.
• Provide more training and guidance for teachers and staff on how to teach about the Middle East conflict in a balanced and nuanced way, and how to handle any questions or controversies that may arise from students or parents.
• Increase the communication and collaboration between the DOE and its partners, such as QFI, and ensure that they have a clear and consistent understanding of the expectations and standards for the materials and curriculum they use and provide.
• Engage with the Jewish community and other stakeholders to address their concerns and grievances, and to seek their input and feedback on how to improve the education and environment in the public schools.
• Promote a culture of tolerance and empathy among students, teachers, parents, and administrators, and encourage them to learn from each other and to respect each other’s perspectives and experiences.