Hayward teacher on leave amid antisemitism allegations

SAN JOSE — A Hayward high school teacher accused of spreading antisemitic conspiracies and making the Heil Hitler salute during classes has been placed on administrative leave this week after students complained to the district about the lessons late last year.

Though students alerted both school and district staff about English teacher Henry Bens’ curriculum in December, the teacher continued to instruct his 10th graders until this week, according to teachers and students at Mt. Eden High School. The school is now on break, but according to the Hayward Unified School District, Bens will not be returning to the classroom on Monday.

“He told us: You’re willfully blind,” said one of his students, 16-year-old Myldret Vazquez. “He said he was going to help us uncover the other side of the story.”

Bens taught Elie Weisel’s Holocaust memoir, “Night,” alongside photocopies of “The Hidden Tyranny,” an antisemitic text by Holocaust-denier Benjamin Freedman. According to Vazquez, Bens told students to alternate reading portions of the material out loud, and guided them to highlight specific sections.

At first, Vazquez was confused: She was being told that a secret organization of Jewish people was controlling the mass media, blackmailing American presidents and instigating war. Vazquez left class determined not to read on — but, worried that there would be a test on the topic, she finished the assignment when she got home.

“I continued to read through it, and I began to understand it a little bit more,” Vazquez said. “And then I was like, is that possible?”

Ultimately, Vazquez decided it was not. She let Carmelita — her dachshund puppy — rip up her copy of Freedman’s text. But

Ruchita Verma, a senior at Mt. Eden who tutors 10th graders at the school, said she’s heard multiple stories of students believing Bens’ instruction.

“Students were saying, ‘Well you know, the Holocaust wasn’t even real,’” said Verma, referring to a story she’d been told by another classmate. “(They said) ‘What (Bens) is telling us is what we should all look into.’”

Bens could not be reached for immediate comment, but the school district is now conducting an investigation into the incidents. Though the school is currently on break, Lauren McDermott, who leads communications for the Hayward Unified School District, said she did not know if or when Bens will return to Mt. Eden.

“We take these allegations very seriously, and the teacher alleged to have made such statements and used inappropriate materials is currently on a leave of absence,” said the district.

WASHINGTON — Donations from corporate and trade association PACs declined in the 2022 cycle by 10% to Republicans who voted against certifying the 2020 election for President Joe Biden, according to an analysis of campaign reports by Accountable.us.

The nonpartisan group, which seeks to curb corporate influence in politics, looked at the political action committees of Fortune 500 companies and more than 700 trade associations and found the 10% dip between the 2020 and 2022 cycles to the election objectors who ran in both elections. Accountable.us shared its findings first with CQ Roll Call.

The Jan. 6, 2021, votes against certifying electors from Arizona and Pennsylvania followed an attack on the Capitol by rioters trying to keep then-President Donald Trump in office despite his loss in both the popular and the electoral vote.

After the attack, many business and industry PACs announced they would pause donations to lawmakers who voted against upholding the election, and some paused all donations.