Governor Gavin Newsom signed an anti-discrimination bill into law last Monday on the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack against Israel, saying that it will combat antisemitism and other forms of bias within K-12 schools. <\/p>\n
AB 715<\/a>, which passed the assembly with a 68-0 vote, grants local boards of education new authority to determine whether books or teachings promote bias or discrimination and decide appropriate actions upon their findings. It also allows members of the public to file complaints with school districts over potential violations of the new law.<\/p>\n The law is the first of its kind and will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026. It marks the creation of the Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator and a new Office of Civil Rights. These will serve as state-level offices and positions that will address and track discrimination and bias in K-12 schools.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a historic first in the nation effort, that centers on the well-being of children across our state, many of whom bravely shared horrific stories about their experiences in our schools,\u201d said Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-San Luis Obispo) in a press release from the office of Governor Newsom<\/a>. \u201cIn protecting Jewish students, we take a step forward in protecting all students from hate and discrimination.\u201d<\/p>\n Annenberg Media reached out to Assemblymember Addis\u2019 office for comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publication. <\/p>\n Assembly Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Los Angeles), who co-wrote the bill with Addis, emphasized urgency for addressing bias and harassment of Jewish students in schools.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just saw horrific amounts of bias and ostracism, and bullying of Jewish students in schools across the state,\u201d said Zbur. \u201cIt\u2019s our responsibility to make sure that our schools are safe, supportive and affirming for every student.\u201d<\/p>\n According to a report by the Anti-Defamation League<\/a>, antisemitism incidents at K-12 schools have increased nationally by 434% since 2020. In California<\/a>, the ADL reports that there has been a 623% increase in antisemitism incidents in the last decade in K-12 schools. ADL\u2019s definition of antisemitism has expanded since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack to include \u201canti-Zionist chants and slogans,\u201d according to Forward<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cThe bill relies on the existing tools that are already part of the ed-code,\u201d Zbur said. \u201cBut there are additional things in the bill that basically require that the school take steps to assure to respond to bias and discrimination when they occur.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere will be a spotlight on cases when schools are not responding to complaints that are being filed. One of the things that\u2019s in the bill requires that if there\u2019s antisemitic materials that are being used, that the school district has to remove them by the end of the school year,\u201d Zbur said. \u201cThere are provisions in the bill that allow for enforcement actions to be brought against school districts that don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the law<\/a>, the state\u2019s Department of Education will be authorized to require local educational agencies to take specified corrective actions. Schools may be asked to seek assistance from the Office of Civil Rights, report regularly to the office, and use alternate instructional materials.<\/p>\n If any discrimination involves antisemitism, schools would have to develop improvement plans in partnership with the state\u2019s Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator, a role that was introduced as part of the AB 715 bill. <\/p>\n Supporters of AB 715 claim that the measure will help protect students from harmful or discriminatory content. But opponents say that its broad language could have the opposite effect, allowing political or ideological groups to challenge lessons surrounding race, religion, or current events.<\/p>\n The law includes a section outlining expectations for teachers, stating that \u201cteacher instruction shall be factually accurate and align with the adopted curriculum and standards\u201d of their district. School boards will also have the right to discipline teachers as they see fit. <\/p>\n The Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) and California County Superintendents wrote a letter of opposition<\/a> to Sasha Renee P\u00e8rez (D-Pasadena), who serves as the Chair of the Senate Education Committee<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we support the bill\u2019s underlying goals, we have significant concerns with the proposed approach, particularly its emphasis on compliance and penalties, the elevation of one form of hate above others, and the risk of intended consequences in classrooms and school communities,\u201d said the letter<\/a>. \u201cWe believe that the most effective way to combat antisemitism is through education, not regulation.\u201d<\/p>\n The California Teacher Association (CTA) has also raised concerns about the bill\u2019s implementation and potential censoring of controversial topics within the classroom. This comes as California has already implemented various anti-discrimination policies in education that include race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and disability.<\/p>\n On the CTA\u2019s official website<\/a>, where the union weighs in on various bills, the association has publicly opposed the legislation.<\/p>\n