California governor signs bill combating antisemitism in schools

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan’s eyes welled with tears as the clock ticked toward midnight on Sept. 13.

On the final night of this year’s session last month, Bauer-Kahan recounted an anecdote about how her daughter’s teacher advised her to avoid the bathroom on a certain day, as someone had drawn swastikas in it.

It’s why the Orinda Democrat pushed for passage of Assembly Bill 715 — legislation targeting discrimination in schools.

And on Tuesday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the legislation after the bill overwhelmingly passed its last vote early Sept. 13.

Assemblymember Dawn Addis, a Morro Bay Democrat and bill co-author, praised the bill’s passage in a statement.

“When we hear what these kids and families have faced, it becomes impossible not to act," Addis said. “California has always set the standard for inclusive education and this legislation reinforces our commitment. In protecting Jewish students, we take a step forward in protecting all students from hate and discrimination.”

The bill creates an Office of Civil Rights under the Government Operations Agency and makes a new position: antisemitism prevention coordinator. It also requires local educational agencies to investigate and take steps if they know or should have known that instructional materials were used to violate antidiscrimination laws.

The state Department of Education can require schools to take corrective measures.

Additionally, the law also requires student instruction and instructional materials be factually accurate.

The bill had strong pushback from groups like the California Teachers Association and California Faculty Association, who fear it could prevent free speech in schools.

“AB 715 will have a chilling impact on classroom teachers who are already facing lawsuits, censorship, and threats to their ability to facilitate critical discussions on important and timely current events,” said Theresa Montaño, tri-chair of the faculty association’s Teacher Education Caucus and a professor of Chicano/a Studies at CSU Northridge, in a statement to Courthouse News.

She added, “Teacher discourse on Palestine or the genocide in Gaza will be policed, misrepresented, and reported to the antisemitism prevention coordinator. Today, it’s Palestine, but tomorrow it could be your ‘rainbow flag,’ your ‘Black Lives Matter poster,’ or your ‘ICE out of LA’ T-shirt.”

As Assembly members considered the bill last month, several did point out the potential negative side effects, though the bill passed with no opposition, with nine Assembly members abstaining.

Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, a Torrance Democrat, said in September that California should create classrooms that are safe environments to discuss controversial topics. He feared the law would chill those conversations and instead discourage open inquiry and critical thought.

Muratsuchi said threats of complaints and investigations will fall in the bill’s wake, leading teachers to avoid certain topics and undermine learning. He urged his colleagues to push the bill to next year, giving time for lawmakers to work on it.

“I think there is a consensus that we need to fix the bill,” he added.

Assemblymember Alex Lee, a San Jose Democrat, also expressed concern over the bill. He questioned how schoolchildren could talk about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, accusations of Israeli genocide against Palestinians and claims that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal.

Lee said the state should ensure these adult-level conversations can happen in schools.

However, the late-night debate last month overall drew support from both sides of the political aisle.

Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, a West Hollywood Democrat and one of the bill’s authors, said someone had spraypainted the Nazi symbol on the grounds of a Manhattan Beach school. Hundreds of miles away, a Hayward teacher had taught that Jews control the world through Satanic powers, he said.

“All of this was done under the guise of academic freedom,” Zbur said.

Assemblymember Matt Haney, a San Francisco Democrat, said then that antisemitism always spreads into other forms of hate. He called the legislation imperfect, but said it would provide a framework.

Haney added that it shouldn’t be used to stop any questions about Israel or shut down conversations about Palestine or Zionism.

Assemblymember James Gallagher, a Yuba City Republican and minority leader emeritus, said the issue wasn’t hard, as discriminatory instructional materials shouldn’t be in schools.

“And that is a real issue,” he added, saying the law would require materials to be factually accurate.