California Democrats’ anti-democratic remedy for antisemitism in schools | Opinion
California Democrats are on a path to wrongly muzzling teachers who bring to life the moral and historical lessons stemming from the Middle East — specifically, the centuries-old conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, which divides Americans as well.
Two Democrats — West Hollywood Asm. Rick Chavez Zbur and San Luis Obispo Asm. Dawn Addis — are pushing an earnest yet misguided attempt to combat antisemitism in our schools. They have co-authored Assembly Bill 715, which easily cleared its first hurdle last spring, attracting no opposition from Democrats and Republicans in the lower house.
Advocates on all sides agree on the challenge: How to prevent discomfort or bullying of Jewish students in the public schools. The problem is how some important details of AB 715 conflict with the bill’s intended purpose.
Rekindled anti-Jewish sentiment in the U.S. stems from growing criticism of militant Israeli leaders, as they sustain a blistering attack on Gaza, killing nearly 62,000 Palestinians in the past two years, precipitated by the prior Hamas terrorist attack that killed more than 1,200 Israelis. It’s an eye for an eye on a heart-wrenching scale.
But state Democrats now wield a sledgehammer to pound an elusive nail — a slippery and nuanced problem.
The bill vaguely prohibits teachers from creating an “antisemitic learning environment” in classrooms, an attempt to protect Jewish students from bias and intimidation. According to the bill, teaching materials must “use accurate, balanced and objective language and content, do not distinguish between opinion and fact or do not respect the historical, cultural or religious significance of Israel to the Jewish people.” The bill’s very own language fails the balance test: It is so vague to be vulnerable to extremists challenging perfectly acceptable attempts at teaching this complex subject.
Of course, local educators must ensure basic safety for all students. Existing law, just as the bill says, already protects all students from discrimination stemming from inflammatory educational materials. Yet, AB 715 wildly overreaches, prohibiting teachers from “advocating for or against a position” (say, the ethics of blocking food aid to Gaza, which has caused widespread starvation and suffering).
The bill’s lengthy definition of an “antisemitic learning environment” takes a page out of President Donald Trump’s own playbook. Trump’s $220 million settlement with Columbia University requires conformity to a specific definition of antisemitism — resulting in one professor to cancel his courses, unable to teach Middle Eastern history in a balanced fashion without violating the settlement.
The bill establishes an “Office of the Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator” under the administration of the State Board of Education. What is the logic or purpose of this one genre of discrimination having its own new state bureaucracy?
AB 715 is now in the Senate, where opposition is surfacing. The California Teachers Association has voiced concern, and pro-democracy Jewish leaders also oppose the bill.
Newsom may maneuver to sink the bill even before it reaches his desk, dodging a sticky political predicament. The governor eagerly seeks national visibility as an equal protector of democratic respect and civic engagement of all social groups. The exclusive and vague protections in AB 715 are what make this legislation so volatile.
The best option is to set aside AB 715. Advocates can return next year with ideas for better preparing teachers: how to improve classroom learning on these sensitive issues, and how local educators can recognize and avoid antisemitism. For example, the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism provides clearer guidance on which criticisms of Israel are antisemitic and which are not.
Democrats must hold fast to democratic respect for all peoples, along with frank and informed debate over divisive issues. Otherwise, California’s pluralist ideals for a fair and open society will fall victim to disrespect and repressive tactics.
David Stern and Bruce Fuller, emeritus professors at UC Berkeley, study education policy. Stern is active in his synagogue’s campaigns for social justice, and Fuller is a wayward Presbyterian.
This story was originally published August 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "California Democrats’ anti-democratic remedy for antisemitism in schools | Opinion."