California families should feel safer thanks to law confronting antisemitism in schools

Re: “Protecting Jewish students or chilling speech? Inside California’s ‘hardest’ fight over antisemitism”

When Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 715 into law on the solemn second anniversary of the deadliest attack against Jews since the Holocaust, California declared that every child deserves to feel safe in our schools.

For years, Jewish students in California have shared painful stories: slurs shouted in hallways, swastikas drawn on desks, lessons that distort Jewish history. These aren’t isolated incidents. Antisemitic acts in California schools have surged 623% in the last decade, according to the ADL. 

AB 715 creates the nation’s first statewide antisemitism prevention coordinator, a position dedicated to helping schools respond to incidents, train educators, track data and recommend future reforms. It also requires swift responses when bias occurs and promotes inclusive learning environments so that all students can learn without fear. 

None of this should be controversial. The bill ultimately passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. 

This victory was years in the making. Assemblymembers Rick Chavez Zbur and Dawn Addis worked closely with the Jewish, Black , Latino and AAPI caucuses — backed by the largest coalition of Jewish organizations ever assembled for Capitol legislation. After three different bills, countless amendments and feedback from education leaders, civil-rights advocates and legislators of every background, the north star for this two-year effort was protecting students.

The tenacity of this coalition was tested at every turn. The state’s largest teachers’ union ultimately opposed the bill for “prioritizing one form of discrimination over others,” yet education union leaders refused to answer basic questions about whether antisemitism was a problem in schools.

Despite these challenges, California passed a law that affirms both academic freedom and equal protection, ensuring classroom discussion remains open while discrimination is not tolerated. It sends a statement to Jewish families that the state stands by them.

Now comes the next phase: ensuring this law fulfills its promise. Training must be substantive, not perfunctory. Reporting must be transparent. Accountability must be real. Our community will be there every step of the way.