Italy’s Interior Ministry has demanded a report into the treatment of Jewish educators who cancelled a professional development trip to Reggio Emilia after being asked to distance themselves from Israeli government policies. The intervention comes as the city’s mayor, Marco Massari, acknowledged that seeking a political declaration from the visiting educators was a mistake and issued an apology.
The controversy involves Reggio Children, an internationally recognized early childhood education organization that promotes the Reggio Emilia teaching method. The organization, which is 51 percent owned by the municipality of Reggio Emilia, had been preparing to host 68 Jewish educators from American schools and a separate delegation of 22 Israeli educators. The American group cancelled its trip after political pressure from local activists and concerns about the safety of participants whose schools and personal social media accounts had come under scrutiny.
According to Italy’s public broadcaster RAI, the Interior Ministry has requested a detailed report from Reggio Emilia prefect Salvatore Angieri concerning the circumstances surrounding the cancellation. Members of the Brothers of Italy party have also announced plans to pursue the matter through parliamentary questioning, demanding explanations and accountability from those involved.
The controversy began when local pro-Palestinian activists objected to Jewish educators participating in the program, citing their schools’ connections to Israel. Activists examined the social media accounts of participating schools, publicizing examples of support for Israel and Israeli soldiers, including charitable activities and drawings sent by children. They argued that educators affiliated with those institutions should be required to formally distance themselves from Israeli policies before participating in the training.
Reggio Children subsequently introduced a charter calling on visiting educators to oppose war, discrimination and genocide. However, a separate declaration was also discussed that specifically addressed Israeli actions in Gaza and the occupied territories. In an October 7 statement, the organization acknowledged that Jewish educators had been asked to explicitly distance themselves from the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government following objections raised in the city.
A recording from an October 6 meeting of the city’s early childhood education council, subsequently broadcast by Italian television, further complicated the organization’s explanation. In the recording, Reggio Children president Maddalena Tedeschi discussed requesting individual declarations from visiting educators distancing themselves from Israeli occupation and genocide. She indicated that participants who refused to sign would not be permitted to attend.
Reggio Children later maintained that the additional declaration had never become an official condition of participation. A spokesperson told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the language had been discussed informally and was not included in the final charter. However, the American organizers, the Paradigm Project, had already decided to cancel, citing political pressure and safety concerns.
On October 12, Mayor Massari defended the city’s handling of the controversy, rejecting allegations of antisemitism and insisting that visiting educators were not subjected to political or religious examinations. Two days later, following continued criticism and the release of the recording, the mayor acknowledged that the attempt to negotiate a declaration concerning Gaza had been inappropriate.
In a statement published Wednesday evening, Massari admitted that seeking agreement from the delegations through a declaration concerning Gaza and the occupied territories had been a mistake. He maintained that the proposal was eventually abandoned and apologized on behalf of the educational institutions involved, particularly to those who felt unwelcome in Reggio Emilia.
The mayor continued to reject accusations of antisemitism, defending the city’s educational history and promising to review procedures within its international education network.
The apology followed criticism from Italian Jewish community leaders, including Walker Meghnagi, president of Milan’s Jewish community, who condemned the treatment of the visiting educators. The Jewish Community of Modena and Reggio Emilia also criticized efforts to exclude Jewish participation in educational and cultural activities because of perceived connections to Israeli government policy.
The Israeli delegation proceeded with its visit despite the controversy, while the American educators remained absent. Some American Jewish schools have also reconsidered future participation, including Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County, New Jersey, which withdrew an educator from a separate trip scheduled for November.
The involvement of Italy’s Interior Ministry has now brought the affair beyond the educational organization and municipal government. According to official municipal ownership records, Reggio Children is majority owned by the city, raising questions about the role of municipal officials in developing and approving the political declaration. Italian media have also reported that the document was circulated among officials associated with the municipality and the Reggio Children educational network.
The controversy also has a potential Canadian connection. The Ontario Reggio Association is currently advertising a professional development program at Reggio Children for May 24 to 28, 2027. Canadian educators are being invited to attend training, presentations and classroom visits at the same institution involved in the dispute. The association’s published registration material does not indicate that participants will be required to sign a declaration concerning Israel or Gaza.
The issue of Jewish schools being scrutinized over their connections to Israel has also surfaced in Canada. Earlier this year, Montreal Jewish News reported on a controversy involving La Presse and its coverage of Israeli speakers at Montreal Jewish schools, including individuals who had previously served in the Israeli military.
The Italian Interior Ministry’s request for a report marks the first direct intervention by the national government into the Reggio Emilia dispute. No findings have yet been announced, and it remains unclear whether the ministry’s review will lead to further administrative action or changes in the rules governing foreign educators visiting the publicly controlled institution.
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