Teachers group calls on CalSTRS to ‘divest from genocide’ in Gaza
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CALIFORNIA SCHOOL TEACHERS CALL FOR CALSTRS DIVESTMENT
Teachers from across the state rallied outside the CalSTRS Headquarters in West Sacramento Wednesday morning to demand that the public educator pension fund divest from corporations that they say are enabling tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza.
The rally was organized by a group called CalSTRS Divest, which identifies itself as “a grassroots, educator-led campaign in California.”
“As educators, we are committed to ensuring that our actions and investments reflect our values,” the group states on its website. “We urgently demand that CalSTRS divest from companies that support the Israeli military and contribute to the ongoing occupation and human rights violations in Palestine.”
The group specifically cited CalSTRS investing in such corporations as Palantir Technologies, Elbit Systems, Caterpillar, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Maersk as contributing to the death of more than 50,000 Palestinian people. As of April 20, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza estimated that 51,305 people, including 17,400 children, had been killed in the conflict, which started after the Hamas-led attack on Israel in Oct. 2023 that killed almost 1,200 Israelis. Other outlets have estimated the death toll in Gaza to be more than 60,000.
“Over $1.1 billion in assets are identified as specifically tied to Israel’s illegal siege and occupation of Palestinian land,” CalSTRS Divest said in a statement Wednesday.
CalSTRS is the second-largest pension fund in the country, and currently holds about $349.5 billion in assets.
Teachers rallied outside pension headquarters before delivering public comments during a board and investment committee meeting Wednesday morning.
One Bay Area teacher, who identified herself only by her first name, Christina, said she was the only Palestinian teacher in her 800-person union.
“I am grateful to have retirement funds, so thank you for that,” she told the 12-person Teachers’ Retirement Board, wearing a keffiyeh and holding a small sign that read, “CalSTRS Divest from Genocide.”
“But I am distraught that my contributions go to companies enabling the Gaza genocide (and) the illegal occupation of the West Bank ... as a Palestinian-American, I hate that my taxes and my pension funds both sustain the companies that build the bombs that have killed over 60,000 civilians, likely much more than that, destroyed every single school, and every single university, in Gaza, and killed 18,0000 Palestinian children.”
Sara Smith-Silverman, an American River College history professor, and member of Jewish Voice for Peace Sacramento, also vocalized support for divesting from the companies.
“As a Jew, I believe that every life is an entire world, and we have a duty to protect every single human life,” Smith-Silverman told the board. “When I look at my child, I think about Palestinian children who don’t know if they will survive the night, or know where their next meal is coming from. And as a teacher, I grieve for Gaza’s destroyed universities and students who had the same dreams as my students: to learn and build a better life.”
After the rally, Christina told The Bee that she was grateful for the board’s engagement and the “quite warm and friendly” reception at the meeting.
“Our goal was not to be disruptive in any way; we don’t feel we are adversaries with the board,” Christina said. “They are the stewards of our pensions ... it’s more like we’re seeking partnership with them.”
HOW CALIFORNIA VOTERS SEE TRUMP ON THE ISSUES...
Via David Lightman
Most California voters see President Donald Trump’s administration policies on several fronts — education, environment, business and more — as hurting the state, according to a new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll.
“The results suggest that a majority of California’s voters fear that the state will bear the financial and social brunt of Trump’s policy decisions,” said G. Cristina Mora, Institute of Governmental Studies co-director.
State voters, she said, “fear the effects on everything from the state’s regional economies to its K-12 schooling.”
Big majorities also suggested they “want the state to continue to support some of its most vulnerable communities, especially undocumented children, as they make policy decisions in this new era.”
The poll, conducted April 21 to 28, found that about two-thirds of the 6,201 registered voters surveyed thought Trump’s proposed tariffs will “negatively affect California business and agriculture.”
Fifty-six percent were concerned about the policies’ impact on Medicaid, called Medi-Cal in California. The Republican-led House is considering big cuts to the program, which helps lower-income and disabled people with medical costs. Fifteen million Californians rely on the program.
Other findings:
- 55% said Trump policies would hurt California’s bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- 55% said the administration’s policies would “negatively impact” the state’s undocumented immigrants.
- 54% were concerned about the impact on the state’s public schools.
- 53% were concerned about the impact on the state’s public higher education system.
In the 2024 election, Kamala Harris received about 58.5% of the vote in California to about 38.3% for Trump.
...AND HOW THEY SEE NEWSOM
Via Lia Russell
A majority of California voters said Gov. Gavin Newsom is doing more to boost his presidential aspirations than to lead the state, according to the same UC Berkeley IGS poll.
Some 54% said Newsom is focused on “doing things that might benefit him as a possible candidate for president,” while 26% said they believed he was focused on “governing the state and helping to solve its problems,” a more than 2:1 ratio.
The poll also found that voters continued to be split, mostly along party lines, on the governor’s performance. An equal number (46%) approved and disapproved of him, which widened when it came to how Democrats (70% approve) and Republicans (86% disapprove) viewed him.
Despite remaining tight-lipped on the topic, Newsom is widely believed to be considering a run for higher office in 2028 after he leaves the governor’s mansion in 2026. He has most recently made headlines for starting a controversial podcast and giving interviews to national outlets about how the Democratic Party needs to rehabilitate its “toxic brand” after its bruising loss in the 2024 election.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I firmly believe that we are on the edge of fascism … They’re coming after free speech, the press, coming after education institutions. Those who don’t agree with them will face persecution.”
-- Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire speaking at the UC Student and Policy Center as part of its California Leader Speaker Series
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This story was originally published May 8, 2025 at 4:55 AM.