California families should feel safer thanks to law against anti-Semitism in schools California families should feel safer thanks to law against anti-Semitism in schools

By David Bocarsley and Miller Saltzman, especially for CalMatters

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Re: “Defense of Jewish students or chilling speech? In California, the “hardest” fight against anti-Semitism“

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

For years, Jewish students in California have been sharing painful stories: insults shouted in the corridors, swastikas painted on desks, lessons that distort Jewish history. These are not isolated incidents. Anti-Semitic incidents in California schools have grown 623% over the past decadeaccording to the ADL.

AB 715 creates the first statewide National Anti-Semitism Prevention Coordinator, a position dedicated to helping schools respond to incidents, train educators, track data and recommend future reforms. It also requires rapid 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. members of the assembly Rick Chavez Zbur and Dawn Addis works closely with the Jewish, Black, Latino and AAPI caucuses – supported by the largest coalition of Jewish organizations ever assembled for Capitol Hill legislation. After three different bills, countless amendments and feedback from education leaders, civil rights advocates and lawmakers of all backgrounds, the north star for this two-year effort was protecting students.

The tenacity of this coalition was tested at every turn. After all, the largest teachers union in the state opposed bill to “prioritise one form of discrimination over others”, but education union leaders refused to answer basic questions about whether anti-Semitism was a problem in schools.

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

Now comes the next phase: making sure this law delivers on its promise. Training should be substantial, not superficial. Reporting should be transparent. The responsibility must be real. Our community will be there every step of the way.

This article was originally published on CalMatters and is republished under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives license.