A San Diego special education teacher, Nasreen Atassi, has been fired after making a shocking and antisemitic video statement in which she claimed that Israelis "steal livers, kidneys and eyeballs." The video, which surfaced on social media, showed Atassi ranting and accusing Israel of stealing from people, including its citizens' organs.
The San Diego Unified School District confirmed to the California Post that Atassi is no longer employed by them, citing pressure from local Jewish community members. StopAntisemitism, a US-based watchdog group, shared the video online and called for her removal, stating that she was unfit to enter classrooms.
Atassi's comments echoed long-standing antisemitic tropes used to demonize Jews. The post quickly gained traction, prompting complaints to school district officials after it was reposted on X by StopAntisemitism. The account wrote: "Imagine this monster near a special needs Jewish child?" A screenshot of Atassi in an Instagram video also surfaced.
A local Israeli community member told N12 that the community had documented antisemitic incidents and forwarded them to relevant authorities, including the district's decision to terminate Atassi's teaching position. Feldman said the community's coordinated response played a significant role in the district's actions, adding that "additional steps were taken behind the scenes."
The incident has highlighted heightened scrutiny of antisemitic incidents in California schools, particularly following the October Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. Jewish advocacy groups have reported a surge in antisemitic rhetoric, vandalism, and harassment on school campuses statewide.
Feldman emphasized that silence was not an option for the community, stating: "We're no longer shocked when we see things like this... We absolutely do not intend to give up or remain silent — and certainly not to allow such a person to be part of San Diego's education system."
The San Diego Unified School District confirmed to the California Post that Atassi is no longer employed by them, citing pressure from local Jewish community members. StopAntisemitism, a US-based watchdog group, shared the video online and called for her removal, stating that she was unfit to enter classrooms.
Atassi's comments echoed long-standing antisemitic tropes used to demonize Jews. The post quickly gained traction, prompting complaints to school district officials after it was reposted on X by StopAntisemitism. The account wrote: "Imagine this monster near a special needs Jewish child?" A screenshot of Atassi in an Instagram video also surfaced.
A local Israeli community member told N12 that the community had documented antisemitic incidents and forwarded them to relevant authorities, including the district's decision to terminate Atassi's teaching position. Feldman said the community's coordinated response played a significant role in the district's actions, adding that "additional steps were taken behind the scenes."
The incident has highlighted heightened scrutiny of antisemitic incidents in California schools, particularly following the October Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. Jewish advocacy groups have reported a surge in antisemitic rhetoric, vandalism, and harassment on school campuses statewide.
Feldman emphasized that silence was not an option for the community, stating: "We're no longer shocked when we see things like this... We absolutely do not intend to give up or remain silent — and certainly not to allow such a person to be part of San Diego's education system."