AB 715 Myths and Facts
Setting the Record Straight on AB 715
Overview
AB 715 strengthens protections against antisemitism and all forms of discrimination in K-12 education by setting clear classroom standards, increasing accountability for local educational agencies, establishing trainings, and creating a state-level Antisemitism Coordinator. Together, these measures will help ensure that our schools are safe and affirming learning environments for Jewish students – and all students – without infringing on First Amendment rights.
The bill was developed in consultation with experts, educators, and Jewish professionals, and has earned broad support from over 60 diverse Jewish organizations – the largest Jewish coalition ever to support a California bill.
Despite this broad support, some opponents have mobilized to defeat the bill. In doing so, they have circulated a series of myths and misconceptions – either out of misinformation or a refusal to take the needs of Jewish students seriously. Below, we set the record straight.
MYTH 1:
AB 715 defines antisemitism using the IHRA definition
FACT:
AB 715 does not define antisemitism and does not adopt the IHRA definition. A recent New York Times opinion piece incorrectly claimed otherwise, and based its argument on this false premise.
The bill is intentionally crafted to avoid sweeping declarations about what constitutes antisemitism, recognizing the diversity of opinion within the Jewish community. Instead, it focuses on preventing antisemitic learning environments – classroom content or conduct that spreads harmful stereotypes about Jews or normalizes discrimination.
Educators should be held to a higher standard than simply avoiding outright bigotry. Schools must foster diverse viewpoints and critical thought. AB 715 establishes guidelines to ensure students engage with issues around Jews and Israel in a thoughtful and nuanced way.
This includes clear-cut examples of antisemitism, such as:
• Promoting myths of Jewish control
• Denying or minimizing the Holocaust
• Generalizing about Jews as a people
The bill also addresses how the Israeli–Palestinian conflict is taught. When Israel is uniquely demonized without nuance or multiple perspectives – especially when there is no other positive representation of Jewish people – students may internalize that bias and direct hostility toward their Jewish peers. This conflation has fueled recent antisemitic violence in places like Washington, D.C., Boulder, and Harrisburg – and is increasingly showing up in schools, where Jewish students are bullied while administrators often look away. That risk is even greater when such messages come from teachers, authority figures and role models shaping impressionable minds.
Importantly, the bill explicitly protects political speech critical of Israel. Its goal is not to silence debate, but to ensure students aren’t left in classrooms where the only message they hear is that Israel – and by extension, Jews – are the root of the world’s problems.
MYTH 2:
AB 715 restricts classroom discussion
FACT:
AB 715 does not prevent teachers from discussing controversial topics. Educators remain free to explore complexity and debate – as long as instruction is factually accurate, distinguishes between fact and opinion, and avoids promoting hateful or discriminatory content.
Far from silencing discussion, the bill sets basic standards for education and instruction related to marginalized groups, just as we do in other contexts involving race, gender, or ethnicity. The goal is to ensure that all students, including Jewish students, can engage in difficult conversations without being subjected to bias or bigotry.
Many educators report feeling unsure about how to address antisemitism, particularly when it intersects with discussions about Israel or global events. AB 715 removes this ambiguity by defining boundaries and providing guidance. These guardrails are designed to support educators and give them confidence as they navigate complex, nuanced issues in K-12 classrooms.
MYTH 3:
AB 715 elevates antisemitism above other forms of discrimination
FACT:
Jewish students, like other vulnerable groups, are entitled to protections that recognize and respond to the distinct forms of bias and hate they face. AB 715 does not elevate antisemitism above other forms of discrimination; rather, it ensures a precise response to a specific and well-documented need.
For years, we have worked to combat antisemitism as part of broad anti-hate coalitions. But too often, anti-discrimination efforts and trainings left antisemitism out entirely. As hate incidents targeting Jews skyrocketed – catapulting our community to the second most targeted group in California – it became clear that Jewish students needed dedicated support for the first time.
This approach is standard practice in California. The Legislature has passed numerous bills responding to the unique experiences of specific communities – addressing racism, sexism, xenophobia, anti-Asian hate, LGBTQ+ discrimination, and more. Jewish students deserve the same care and consideration.
The California Teachers Association (CTA) itself encouraged us to move in this direction earlier this year – recommending that the bill focus on antisemitism in the broader school environment rather than solely in ethnic studies. We made that shift in good faith, only to see CTA now oppose the bill and move the goalposts yet again. In its opposition letter, CTA writes: “Focusing on antisemitism alone might be seen as prioritizing one form of discrimination over others.” But CTA has repeatedly supported bills focused on specific forms of discrimination – as it should. In 2019, for example, CTA backed AB 493 (Gloria), which mandated teacher training to support LGBTQ+ students. That support was important then. AB 715 is just as important now.
Read our full response to CTA’s opposition here.
MYTH 4:
AB 715 weaponizes the Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP)
FACT:
AB 715 does not change the UCP – a process that allows students, parents, and community members to file complaints about discrimination in schools. Earlier drafts of the bill included UCP updates, but those provisions were removed at CTA’s request.
We initially explored UCP updates because Jewish students and families have long struggled to get complaints about antisemitism taken seriously. But after listening to feedback, we removed those provisions to first assess the impact of recent UCP changes.
Despite knowing this, CTA repeated the outdated claim in its opposition letter – misrepresenting the bill to invent an argument where none exists.
MYTH 5:
Legislation isn’t necessary to address antisemitism – stick to education
FACT:
Training and restorative practices are valuable tools – and AB 715 explicitly includes them. For years, Jewish organizations supported anti-hate efforts that promoted trainings and restorative practices. But antisemitism was often left out or treated as an afterthought. Meanwhile, antisemitic incidents in schools have skyrocketed, leaving Jewish students increasingly vulnerable. AB 715 ensures that education on antisemitism occurs.
But training alone is not enough. Without enforceable standards, it risks becoming a box-checking exercise rather than a meaningful driver of culture change. When it comes to combating racism, sexism, or other forms of discrimination, we don’t rely on education alone. We reinforce it with clear laws and enforcement – combining prevention with accountability. The same standard must apply to antisemitism. Legal and policy structures are what move systems from intention to impact, and Jewish students deserve the same structural protections as every other group facing hate.
MYTH 6:
AB 715 infringes on First Amendment rights
FACT:
AB 715 fully respects the First Amendment while ensuring safe learning environments. All students – including Jewish students – have a right to a school environment that does not denigrate them for their religion or ethnicity, and schools have a legal obligation to provide that protection.
Teachers, like other employees, retain their First Amendment rights in the public sphere. But in school they must follow guidelines to protect students’ constitutional rights. AB 715 simply sets the same kind of standards already applied when teaching about race, gender, or ethnicity: instruction must be factually accurate and may not promote hateful or discriminatory content.
Educators remain free to explore complexity and debate in the classroom – as long as they do so in ways that respect students’ rights and uphold state anti-discrimination laws.
MYTH 7:
AB 715 is a Project Esther Bill
FACT:
This is a baseless smear meant to discredit the bill without having to make an actual argument against the content of the bill. Calling it a “Project Esther bill” is as unfounded as labeling it “racist” – another false critique opponents have tried. These accusations couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, this bill is coauthored by Democratic lawmakers and supported by a coalition of more than 60 Jewish organizations spanning the political spectrum. The Jewish community is as politically diverse as our country, yet the fight against antisemitism has united organizations in an unprecedented coalition. Framing this as a Project Esther plan is not only false, it uses antisemitic tropes we are working to eliminate from the classroom.
The Bottom Line
AB 715 is about fairness, safety, and equal access to education. California already sets clear standards to combat racism, sexism, xenophobia, anti-Asian hate, and LGBTQ+ discrimination in schools – and Jewish students deserve the same protections.
This bill ensures that antisemitism is addressed with the seriousness it warrants: through training, guidance for educators, and enforceable standards that turn intention into impact.
Opponents may repeat myths and misrepresentations, but the facts are clear: AB 715 strengthens education, upholds free speech, and protects all students – ensuring California schools remain safe and inclusive learning environments for everyone.