At its most recent General Meeting, the Haida Gwaii Teachers’ Association (HGTA) passed a motion affirming its support for the Palestinian-led, internationally recognized Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The motion reflects a long-standing tradition within the labour movement and public education of supporting non-violent, human-rights-based efforts to address systemic injustice, racism, and violations of international law.
The motion commits the HGTA to three actions: publicly acknowledging its support for BDS through its official communication channels; encouraging schools to engage in professional learning about the complex history of Israel and Palestine; and establishing a committee to develop a spending policy that aligns HGTA funds with ethical and human-rights-based principles informed by the BDS movement. Any proposed spending policy will be brought back to the membership for approval at a future General Meeting.
Educators across Haida Gwaii regularly teach students about human rights, peace-building, and global citizenship. By supporting a non-violent call for accountability and justice, HGTA is aligning its union practice with the values that educators promote in their classrooms and communities. The Association recognizes that members may hold a range of perspectives on this issue, and it remains committed to respectful dialogue, democratic decision-making, and opposing all forms of racism, including antisemitism and Islamophobia.
HGTA’s action places it within a broader international movement of teachers’ unions, labour organizations, and civil society groups that use ethical purchasing, investment, and advocacy as tools to support human rights and peaceful solutions to conflict.