Dear Ms.Rachel,

Dear Rachel,

We write to you not as critics, but as fellow educators who share your deep commitment to children, learning, and empathy. Your passion for early childhood development and your impact on millions of young minds is undeniable. That is exactly why we feel called to reach out with sincere concern and an open heart.

Recently, you’ve used your platform to highlight the suffering of children in Gaza. Like you, we care deeply about protecting innocent lives. However, we are concerned that some of the content and organizations you’ve amplified may not be as straightforward or humanitarian as they appear, and may inadvertently be causing more harm to the very children we all want to protect.

For example, images circulated of malnourished children, including young Osama al-Raqab, who suffers from a genetic illness, have been used to claim mass starvation in Gaza. Israeli officials coordinated his transfer to Italy for treatment. Stories like his are tragic, but they are more complex than they’ve been portrayed. In fact, several images being shared to support the starvation narrative involve children with cystic fibrosis or other chronic conditions, not those suffering due to lack of aid.

Moreover, we urge caution with organizations that partner closely with the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. While intentions may be good, these groups are often exploited by those who use children and images of suffering as tools for political propaganda while misusing or diverting humanitarian aid.

Rachel, your voice is powerful, and your heart is clearly in the right place. But we believe you are being misled by narratives that do not tell the full story. We do not believe you support terror, but we are concerned that your platform, perhaps unknowingly, is helping amplify those who do.

We ask you, with sincerity and respect:

• Please reevaluate your ties to organizations with links to terrorist groups.
• Consider issuing a heartfelt clarification and apology to the Jewish families who have felt unseen in your messaging.
• Most importantly, commit to learning more about the lived realities on both sides. We’d welcome the opportunity to help you do that.

Please join us for an educational and eye-opening visit to Israel.

With our itinerary you will visit places where you can hear from both Israeli and Palestinian voices. There is so much more than what social media shows. We believe that once you see the complexity for yourself, your compassion will only grow deeper and your advocacy will become even more meaningful.

You will have an opportunity to speak with mothers who are Jewish, Muslim, Bedouin, Druze, and Christian. You will visit hospitals and see Palestinian doctors treating Israeli patients, and Israeli doctors treating Palestinian patients. You can witness the proximity of the peace-loving Israeli border towns to the Gaza Strip, see the humanitarian aid being distributed, and receive an on-the-ground briefing.

We don’t want to cancel you. We want to invite you—to step into greater clarity with the same heart and kindness that brought you to this work in the first place. Because when educators stand for truth, children everywhere benefit.

We also want to emphasize a deeper principle that transcends politics: children’s education must remain sacred. Educators, especially those with influence, must be extraordinarily cautious when engaging with matters of war and conflict. Throughout history, education has been weaponized to indoctrinate the next generation. Children’s programming and early education are particularly vulnerable, which is why authoritarian movements often target teachers and media aimed at young minds.

As educators ourselves, we urge you to reflect on this. Our responsibility is to create safe, neutral, and nurturing spaces for all children, regardless of background or belief. When educators adopt political positions, especially in times of war, we risk betraying that responsibility and inadvertently becoming vessels for propaganda or ideology. Our role is to model empathy, not division.

We hope you will accept our invitation.

Educators United for Truth and Compassion