The influential Los Angeles Teachers Union rejects school board candidate Kafried Al-Alim amid growing criticism of his social media posts and likes that express anti-Semitism, glorify guns, and praise pornographic images. They have suspended campaigning on his behalf, officials announced early Friday.

United Teachers Los Angeles took action after an emergency leadership meeting Thursday night. The suspension is a blow to Al Alim's campaign for a seat on the District 1 School Board, which represents much of South Los Angeles and Southwest Los Angeles. Teachers' unions have poured more than $650,000 into the independence movement supporting Al Alim and organizing frontline workers. instead of him.

“Upon becoming aware of offensive and anti-Semitic content on Mr. Khalid Al Alim’s social media pages, UTLA has convened an emergency meeting of its board of directors,” the union statement said. The directors “resolved to immediately cease all election activity in Board District 1.”

The post about It was Mr. Al Alim's praise for the publication. In an October 2022 post, Al Alim said the book should be required reading in Los Angeles schools. “We will not burn or ban the future! We are not playing,” he tweeted.

In a statement Tuesday, Al Alim, 56, acknowledged all or most of the social media posts and likes and expressed regret.

“I have spent my life fighting anti-Semitism, anti-Arab hatred, Islamophobia and all forms of oppression,” Al-Alim said. “I have spent my life fighting for equality for all people.” He also appeared to acknowledge the porn and gun-related “likes” and said, “I've spent my life fighting for equality for all people.” I also apologize for liking the content. It was inappropriate. I will never do that again. ”

Al Alim emerged with the support of UTLA after a months-long process. He was already well known to many union leaders as a tireless education and community activist who could be trusted to stand by the union on policy issues such as opposition to charter school expansion.

Like other District 1 candidates, he specifically championed black students. Unlike some, he supports the union's call to abolish school police. Al Alim was a founding member. LA takes back our schools, A coalition of parents, students, educators, labor and community organizations working closely with UTLA.

UTLA leaders did not rescind this approval. They concluded that union rules require a formal, multi-step process that would be expedited but would take several days to gear up for the March 5 primary.

On Tuesday, the union will convene its 100-member expanded advocacy team in person. The next day, a community meeting is held throughout the vast school. On Thursday, the union's Educators Political Action Council, which focuses specifically on politics, will meet.

Next Monday, March 4, the 50-member board will meet via Zoom from 5 to 6 p.m., after which the House meeting will also be held via Zoom.

Revocation of recognition would require a vote by the House of Representatives, a quorum of 250 of the unions with the power to revoke recognition.

Weeks of union-funded campaigning and postal voting have already begun, but Al Alim could still advance to a run-off. His own campaign raised him $24,302 as of the last reporting period.

Another likely candidate, based on total campaign spending, would be educator Didi Watts, but a significant portion of her career has involved charter schools, so unions may It seems unlikely that they will support it.

Before Mr. Al Alim's troubles, the race was a classic one between a candidate supported by teachers' unions and a candidate supported by allies of charter schools, which are also private but public schools. It looked like an expensive showdown.

But some of the seven candidates could fly the teachers union flag or make a strong showing on their own if they can get their message across.

The teachers union's support is not enough to push other candidates to a top-two runoff in November.

The next largest independent funding effort was $280,515 on Watts' behalf from a Sacramento-based political action committee called Kids First. Contributors to this campaign are protected from immediate disclosure because they did not directly contribute to the campaign on behalf of Watts.

The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor also supports Al-Alim. The group had not responded late Thursday whether it would withdraw its support for him.