Video: The word “Palestine” is effectively being banned from schools in California

Running time: 3 minutes

California Assembly Bill 715 (AB 715), signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 7, 2025, is designed to combat antisemitism and other forms of discrimination in K–12 public schools. Effective January 1, 2026, the law purportedly strengthens protections for students of all faiths and backgrounds by enhancing state oversight and local school accountability.

 Controversy and Legal Challenges:

The bill faced significant opposition from civil rights groups, including the ACLU, and teachers’ unions who argue it could chill free speech and lead to “classroom censorship.” Critics express concern that the law’s reliance on the Biden Administration’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism might conflate criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism. A federal lawsuit was filed to block the law, but a judge allowed it to proceed, noting that authors committed to proposing “cleanup language” in 2026 to address potential unintended consequences. 

ACLU California Action opposes California AB 715 because it threatens to censor classroom discussions, chill free speech, and undermine academic freedom in public schools by creating overly broad, vague definitions of antisemitism. The bill, which went into effect January 1, 2026, is seen as weaponizing discrimination complaints to penalize educators and students for discussions concerning Palestine and Israel.

Key reasons for the ACLU’s opposition include:

• Classroom Censorship: The bill risks punishing teachers for honest, critical conversations about history, human rights, and current events.
• Vague Definitions: AB 715 is seen to rely on a working definition of antisemitism which critics say conflates legitimate political criticism of Israel with antisemitism.
• Free Speech Violations: It disproportionately impacts pro-Palestinian advocacy and restricts speech, which the American Civil Liberties Union considers a violation of the First Amendment.
• Misuse of Procedures: By expanding the Uniform Complaint Procedure (UCP), it allows for the harassment of educators through unwarranted complaints.

The ACLU contends that the bill’s approach will not effectively address safety but will instead result in harmful consequences for inclusive education.

Copyright 2026, compilation by Michael Simms, editor of Vox Populi