Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging California Antisemitism Law

U.S. District Judge Noël Wise dismissed with prejudice a lawsuit challenging California's Assembly Bill 715, a law designed to combat antisemitic discrimination, harassment, and bullying in K-12 schools. The ruling, issued Tuesday, rejects claims that the law is unconstitutionally vague or violates the First Amendment. The lawsuit was filed in November by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee on behalf of parents, students, and teachers, including Los Angeles Educators for Justice in Palestine.

AB 715, which took effect in January, establishes an antisemitism prevention coordinator within the state's Office of Civil Rights and mandates that teachers provide factually accurate instruction while prohibiting personal opinion or advocacy in the classroom. Judge Wise ruled that teachers do not have First Amendment rights while teaching and that the plaintiffs failed to prove the law chilled protected speech. The court also rejected arguments that the law violated the Equal Protection Clause, noting that a companion bill, SB 48, creates similar coordinators to address other forms of race and religion-based discrimination.

The Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco praised the dismissal as a legitimate approach to protecting students. Conversely, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee is reviewing its options, asserting that the law has already forced educators to alter their teaching and avoid discussions about Palestine out of fear of investigation.