LA school board candidate faces calls to drop out after he endorsed antisemitic Louis Farrakhan book, liked porn online
A leading Los Angeles school board candidate, running for a district overseeing half a million students, is under fire for endorsing a book which promotes antisemitic views, according to reports.
Kahllid Al-Alim, 56, claimed the book “The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews: How Jews Gained Control of the Black American Economy” by longstanding bigot Louis Farrakhan should be mandatory reading in Los Angeles schools in a public October 2022 post on X.
Despite taking that view and liking pornographic posts online, according to the Los Angeles Times, Al-Alim’s candidacy was promoted by American Federation of Teachers boss Randi Weingarten and supported by the Democratic Socialists of America and the United Teachers of Los Angeles.
Critics have quickly pounced on the longtime activist’s online conduct and demanded he withdraw from the crowded field of seven candidates.
Sam Yebri, an Iranian Jew running for City Council, ripped Al-Alim as an antisemite unfit for public office.
“An unrepentant bigot who traffics in antisemitic conspiracy theories has no business in public office, let alone being in charge of the education and safety of over 500,000 LAUSD students,” Yebri told the Westside Current.
“The fact that UTLA has endorsed, stood by, and spent over $700,000 to elect this hate-filled anti-Semite speaks volumes about that organization.”
Farrakhan’s book accuses Jews of funding the Ku Klux Klan and appropriating economic opportunities intended for the benefit of black people.
In a 2021 post , Al-Alim accused some Israel backers of labeling all those who critique the Jewish state as antisemites — and said they were “sociopaths.”
The ongoing firestorm compelled Al-Alim to turn his X account private and issue an apology this week.
“I have spent my life fighting against antisemitism, anti-Arab hate, Islamophobia, and all forms of oppression,” he said. “I have spent my life fighting for the equality of all people. There is a very long history of Jewish and Black people backing each other and working in solidarity for justice. I want to continue that important work.”
But the damage from this week’s revelations may prove irreparable.
The LA teachers union blasted his online activity after it was publicized — and indicated it could yank its endorsement.
“The union has condemned Kahllid Al-Alim’s social media behavior as offensive and not in line with his longstanding reputation as an advocate for educational justice,” the organization said. “Such actions by elected officials fail to meet the standards of professionalism and positive representation expected of them.”
The group said it was considering “next steps.”
Other Jewish and pro-Israel groups joined the chorus of condemnation, asserting that Al-Alim was promulgating harmful conspiracy theories and stereotypes.
The LA teachers union has already sunk more than $650,000 into Al-Alim’s campaign.
AFT President Randi Weingarten posted a picture of Al-Alim and other candidates earlier this week before the posts came to light.
“While in Los Angeles this weekend, I joined @UTLAnow who are doing an amazing job making sure folks know about the election on March 5 and talking to voters about their endorsed candidates for School Board 2024: Kahllid Al-Alim, Scott Schmerelson, and Karla Griego,” she wrote.
