I was the only Jewish appointee to resign from the Biden administration over the U.S. government’s continued support for Israel’s war in Gaza. I did it because I believe dissent is a democratic duty, not a liability. But in my home state of California, Democratic leaders are pushing a bill that would make dissent harder, riskier and in some cases punishable.
Assembly Bill 715 is framed as a measure to combat an “antisemitic learning environment.” In reality, it imports one of the most troubling censorship tactics from the Trump era into a deep-blue state. Democrats are the ones leading the charge.
What constitutes antisemitism? A.B. 715 would require California’s K-12 public schools to adopt a definition that largely falls in line with the one developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. On its face, this might seem like a common sense measure to fight prejudice. But the alliance’s definition goes far beyond identifying antisemitic tropes or hate crimes. It includes political speech critical of Israel — such as calling it an apartheid state or advocating Palestinian rights — as potential examples of antisemitism, too.
By writing a version of that definition into law, California would blur the line between hate speech and political speech, empowering institutions to investigate, punish or even ban expression that is supposed to be constitutionally protected. That could silence not only the many who oppose Israel’s government policies but also people like me — in particular Jewish people like me — who see criticism of state power as a moral obligation.
California’s public schools are home to a new generation of engaged, informed young people. In the past year, high school students across the state have organized walkouts, teach-ins and vigils to call for a cease-fire and an end to U.S. support for the assault on Gaza. They are participating in a long tradition of student-led movements for justice, from the fight against apartheid in South Africa to protests for immigrant rights.
A.B. 715 endangers those students’ rights, along with those of their schools’ teachers, administrators and staff. Under its provisions, a history teacher who touches on Palestinian perspectives could be accused of promoting antisemitism. A student who calls Israel an apartheid state — a position shared by many mainstream human rights groups including Amnesty International — could be reported for discriminatory behavior. Even Jewish students who speak out against the war could be targeted by people eager to call any criticism of Israel an act of hate.
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The post California Democrats Are Fighting Trump’s Battle for Him appeared first on New York Times.
