AJC Voices Support for Anti-Discrimination Law In Face of Court Challenge

American Jewish Committee (AJC) has filed a "friend of the court" brief in support of California's recently passed Assembly Bill (AB) 715, which protects students from discrimination in K-12 public schools.

AJC's brief details the history of pervasive antisemitism in California's public schools and strongly defends AB 715, which the California legislature passed unanimously to remedy the appalling conditions it found.

"AB 715 is necessary to address the well-documented and widespread antisemitic discrimination in our schools," said Seth Brysk, AJC Northern California Regional Director.

Coupled with SB 48, AB 715 was signed into law in October by Gov. Gavin Newsom to prevent discrimination in the classroom. These laws, once enacted, will establish a new Office of Civil Rights, which will include an antisemitism prevention coordinator as well as coordinators for other forms of bias. It is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1.

Several groups have sued to block the law, saying it violates the First Amendment and infringes on academic freedom. AJC's brief argues California is free to set classroom standards expected of all public school teachers and that AB 715 only prohibits biased, non-factual teaching and instruction that promotes discrimination.

"When public school teachers teach, they speak on behalf of their schools rather than themselves," said Gayle Horwitz, AJC Director of Education Policy. "The state can regulate that speech, and California's legislature did so unanimously here to ensure instruction is accurate and nondiscriminatory."

A hearing on a preliminary injunction is scheduled for Dec. 17 in U.S. District Court in San Jose.

AJC thanks Fredrick Levin, a partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, and his colleagues for preparing the brief.

AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York, 25 regional offices across the United States, 15 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC's mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. For more, please visit www.ajc.org .

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