OEA/CTA Urges CALSTRS and Public Funds to Divest From Human Rights Violations, Military Occupation, and Apartheid [Adopted]

Original online here.

OEA/CTA URGES CALSTRS AND PUBLIC FUNDS TO DIVEST FROM HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, MILITARY OCCUPATION, AND APARTHEID

Resolution to be voted on at the October 23rd. 2024 OEA Executive Board meeting. If passed, this resolution will be submitted by the Oakland Education Association to CTA and voted on at the next State Council meeting. 

1. WHEREAS, CTA’s Mission states that, “The California Teachers Association exists to protect and promote the well-being of its members; to improve the conditions of teaching and learning; to advance the cause of free, universal, and quality public education for all students; to ensure that the human dignity and civil rights of all children, youth and adults are protected; and to secure a more just, equitable, and democratic society.”; and the 10th article says, ​​’CTA works to promote human and civil rights.’ 

2. WHEREAS, since October 2023, none of the children of Gaza have been able to attend school to attain a formal education due to the systematic destruction of the education system in Gaza (known as scholasticide), in which approximately 90% of schools in Gaza and all of Gaza’s universities have been have been destroyed (in whole or in part) due to the ongoing Israeli military bombardment; and 

3. WHEREAS, the past twelve months have been the most dangerous and deadliest year on record for children in Gaza and the West Bank, with thousands of children having been killed, shot, amputated, orphaned, injured or imprisoned by the Israeli military, and thousands more are still missing; and 

4. WHEREAS, The United Nations has found that Israel is committing war crimes; the International Court of Justice has ruled that what is happening in Gaza is a “plausible genocide”, a U.S. federal court found that Israel’s assault on Gaza is a plausible cause of genocide; and on July 19, 2024, the International Court of Justice found Israel responsible for apartheid; and 

5. WHEREAS, seven major U.S. labor unions, including the National Education Association (NEA), CTA’s parent union, have called on the Biden administration to halt all military aid to Israel in support of an arms embargo; and 

6. WHEREAS, the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions has called on unions to support divestment – cities, companies, churches, universities, unions, and organizations across the country are heeding the calls to divest from Israeli apartheid, military occupation, and human rights violations; and 

7. WHEREAS, CalSTRS has a history of divesting from tobacco, Iran, firearms, private prisons, and thermal coal.

8. WHEREAS, other local unions that OEA works closely with such as, SEIU Local 1021, AFSCME Local 2019, SEIU Committee of Interns and Residents, UAW Local 2320, and UAW Local 4123 have all signed on to ask Alameda county to divest their public funds from weapons investments

9. WHEREAS, the California Federation of Teachers passed a resolution to abide by an Ethical Investment Policy Statement and urges CALSTRS to divest from human rights violations, military occupation and apartheid at the State Council on October 5th 

10. WHEREAS, CalSTRS currently owns billions of dollars in shares and bonds in companies contributing to the military occupation and genocide of Palestine and human rights violations around the world. Some examples are:

• Boeing’s products have enabled deaths and devastation in communities around the globe, including Palestine. Boeing made the most guided bombs and munitions delivered to Israel of any U.S. company from 2021-2023. CalSTRS owns $198,608,000 worth of shares in this company as of June 2023.

• General Dynamics Corporation has been accused of assisting in the militarization of the US-Mexico Border and providing unlawful surveillance of immigrant communities. General Dynamics Corporation makes the metal bodies for the MK-80 bomb series, one of the primary aerial munitions used to bomb Gaza. CalSTRS owns $84,751,000 worth of shares in this company as of June 2023.

• Caterpillar Inc. stands accused of providing the giant bulldozers that have been and continue to be responsible for the illegal home demolitions of thousands of Palestinians and the infamous murder of American activist Rachel Corrie. CalSTRS owns $213,827,000 worth of shares in this company as of June 2023.

• Palantir Technologies Inc. stands accused of enabling wholesale violations of human rights of asylum seekers and migrants by providing technology used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that ultimately led to the detention and separation of migrant children. CalSTRS owns $44,875,000 worth of shares in this company as of June 2023.

• Valero Energy is known for poisoning communities, endangering the climate and providing jet fuel for warplanes. CalSTRS owns over $95,000,000 worth of shares in this company as of June 2023.

• Elbit Systems is the largest Israeli weapons company and a major research and development partner to the Israeli Ministry of Defense. CalSTRS owns approximately $7,275,000 worth of shares in this company as of June 2023.

• Zim Shipping is Israel’s largest shipping company, and has been blockaded and protested due to its commitment to transporting cargo to Israel during its bombardment of Gaza, including weapons that are used to kill and oppress Palestinians. CalSTRS owns approximately $1,317,000 worth of shares in this company as of June 2023.

• Maersk has transported over $300 million of weapons components for the top five weapons manufacturers for assembly in the United States, which is the world’s largest supplier of military weapons. CalSTRS owns approximately $22,316,000 worth of shares in this company as of June 2023.
  

11. WHEREAS, Israel’s credit rating has been downgraded by both Moody’s and S&P Global Ratings in recent months due to the ongoing war and geopolitical risks, Boeing’s is at risk of being downgraded, weapons manufacturers are likely to suffer in the coming decades due to the instability of the climate crisis, and these investments are high-risk and unstable

*************************************

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED….

1. OEA executive board calls on the CTA board to push CALSTRS to immediately adopt and immediately begin an Ethical Investment Policy Statement that guides CalSTRS to divest from assets and companies that consistently and directly profit from, enable or facilitate human rights violations, violations of international law, prolonged military occupations, apartheid, or genocide, including weapons manufacturers and companies that build technology such as artificial intelligence and surveillance technology for military use, and including companies that profit from Israeli violations of international law and human rights
2. OEA executive board calls on the CTA board to push CALSTRS to issue an annual public report describing its progress towards achieving the goals of this resolution; and 

3. OEA will sign onto this letter urging Alameda County and municipalities, such as Oakland City Council, to divest public funds from arms manufacturers and military industry.