Joint Statement Related to AB 2918: Bill Addressing Antisemitism in K-12 Schools Paused for Enhanced Policy Development

For immediate release:

Thursday, August 15, 2024

AB 2918, a bill aimed at improving equity in K-12 curriculum, is being held to allow additional time for authentic engagement and open discussion leading to policy that is inclusive of all students.

SACRAMENTO, CA - Democratic Caucus Chair Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) and Assistant Majority Leader for Policy and Research Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) have decided to hold a bill to combat bias in K-12 schools to allow for more time to engage in meaningful discussions with a broad array of groups, leading to better policy that will benefit and include all California students. The bill's authors have both expressed the importance of, and their deep commitment to, ethnic studies as part of a robust curriculum in California schools. They believe students must see themselves accurately reflected in curriculum, and working on this issue will help ensure that happens for all students.

The bill's authors and the Legislative Jewish Caucus worked with the bill's sponsors, Superintendent Tony Thurmond and Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC), to respond to incidents where antisemitic and anti-Israel content appeared in ethnic studies courses and teacher training. This material runs contrary to the state-approved Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum and the guardrails in the landmark legislation, AB 101 (Medina, 2021), and California values of inclusivity.

The authors and sponsors decided to hold the bill this year to allow more time to work with education leaders and communities and to build a more collaborative approach to legislation in 2025 that responds to the needs of California's diverse families.

Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur's Statement

"It's important that we get this right the first time. This is a complicated issue that requires time and honest conversations, and we owe that to our educators, administrators, parents, and most importantly, our students. Our schools' curriculum must reflect our diversity, fostering understanding, respect, and appreciation of experiences that enrich our society. But we must ensure that our classrooms are safe and supportive for all students, including Jewish students who are experiencing hostile climates and antisemitic content in some schools. I'm committed to working with diversity caucus leaders, education union partners, and stakeholders over the break and introducing an impactful bill next year that addresses the needs of all of our communities and preserves the important goals of ethnic studies."

Assemblywoman Dawn Addis' Statement

"It is absolutely critical that students see themselves and their stories represented in their classrooms. Ethnic studies curriculum plays an essential role in honoring the diversity and complex history of California. We must teach California's diverse students in ways that uplift and bring them together - and ensure antisemitism and other bias has no place. I look forward to much-needed conversation and partnership with Assemblymember Zbur, my colleagues in the Jewish Caucus, educators, families and community leaders as we continue to strive for inclusivity, mutual respect and fairness in K-12 education."

JPAC Executive Director David Bocarsly's Statement

"We're grateful to Assemblymembers Zbur and Addis, the Jewish Caucus, and Superintendent Thurmond for championing this effort and ensuring it is done right. The Jewish community has long supported ethnic studies, but we need to ensure it doesn't include content that harms Jewish students. This bill sparked some important initial conversations and conditioned the environment for good policy in the future. We look forward to continuing this collaboration with our partners in other vulnerable communities and coming back next year with a widely-supported bill to ensure robust and unbiased ethnic studies is taught in our classrooms."

Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur serves as the Democratic Caucus Chair for the California State Assembly and represents the 51st Assembly District, which includes Universal City, Hollywood, Hancock Park, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and other portions of Los Angeles.

Dawn Addis was elected to the California State Assembly in 2022 to represent the coastal 30th Assembly District, which includes San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties.

CONTACT: Vienna Montague, (916) 319-2051, [email protected]