The Louis D. Brandeis Center and StandWithUS organizations have filed a lawsuit against the state of California, the California State Board of Education, the State Department of Education, and Superintendent Tony Thurmond on behalf of Jewish parents across the state whose children have experienced pervasive antisemitism in the public school system, the New York Post reported.
The lawsuit, which was filed yesterday (Thursday) states that California has tolerated “pervasive harassment of Jewish and Israeli students in its public education system," and that Jewish children in California public schools have been subjected to “cruel, persistent, and pervasive antisemitism."
It further states that “plaintiffs urgently need this Court’s intervention because Defendants have failed to ensure that the treatment of Jewish students in California’s public schools conforms to the laws of California, rather than the standards of the European Middle Ages or the Soviet Union."
The Louis D. Brandeis Center and StandWithUS highlighted specific antisemitic incidents in California schools. "In the Los Angeles Unified School District, at Kester Elementary School, a third-grade Jewish student was called 'a racist' by her teacher and barred from performing in the talent show unless she agreed not to use her poster which included a picture of the Israeli flag. At Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, a Jewish honors student was forced to sit through his teacher’s antisemitic celebration of the October 7, 2023 massacre of Israelis. At Louis Armstrong Middle School, a teacher repeatedly meted out unfounded discipline to a seventh-grade Jewish student who wore a Star of David necklace and Israel-related shirts to school. Other students have called their Jewish peers antisemitic names and even assaulted them. In each case, school administrators failed to take meaningful action to address the antisemitism."
"Across Northern California school districts, Jewish students and parents have faced a similar surge of anti-Semitic harassment. In Santa Clara, a Jewish girl’s classmates threatened to 'jump' her and referred to her only as 'Jew.' A Berkeley Unified ninth grader saw his art teacher display antisemitic artwork, including a Star of David with a fist punching through it. The same teacher promoted a walkout filled with chants that included, 'F-k the Jews.' When the student’s mother reported the teacher’s conduct, the school’s solution was to segregate the Jewish student in the library and health center. Students at Berkeley Unified chanted “kill the Jews," and asked Jewish students what “their number is" (a reference to the Nazi practice of tattooing numbers on the arms of concentration camp prisoners). At Etiwanda Unified, in San Bernardino County, a middle schooler choked a Jewish student while shouting, 'Shut your stupid Jew ass up.' Staff blamed the victimized student."
Incidents in which Jewish parents were subjected to antisemitic hate were also highlighted. "A Pajaro Valley school board member publicly ranted against the Jewish community. At a Berkeley Unified school board meeting, a mother reporting slurs like 'kikes' and 'dirty Jews' was mocked (“Zionist Nazi bitch!") and subsequently had her job information posted online."
“The California education system is teaching the state’s children that Jewish Americans and Israelis are racists, white supremacists, oppressors, and baby-killers who should be shunned. The result is not surprising: Jewish children and children perceived as Jewish are bullied and excluded by their peers and harassed by their teachers, who silence, mock, and even segregate them if they speak out," said Hon. Kenneth L. Marcus, chairman of the Brandeis Center and the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education during two administrations. “School officials have done little or nothing at all to help these children. It is the state’s legal responsibility to defend and protect innocent children from discrimination and bigotry, not foster hate as California has been doing."
“Jews consistently are being targeted with hostility because of who they are, including in California and particularly in K-12 public schools. This lawsuit seeks to remedy that," said Roz Rothstein, CEO and co-founder of StandWithUs. “It is imperative that California K-12 schools not be co-opted by those seeking to indoctrinate students into anti-Semitic hate. However, Jewish students and parents indicate that this is precisely what is happening in California. Shockingly, those tasked with enforcing non-discrimination laws in our schools have failed to intervene effectively to put a stop to this growing problem. This lawsuit was necessitated by that systemic failure and seeks to ensure, going forward, that California’s Jewish students are protected and have access to an education free from discrimination."
Ivy Chesser, a Campbell High School parent who is participating in the lawsuit, stated: "I chose to be a part of this lawsuit because I am afraid for the future my children will face after generations are allowed to be indoctrinated with antisemitism and anti-Americanism in our classrooms. I chose to fight for Jewish Civil Rights for the many people, in the past and in the future, who are not able to."
Los Angeles parent Mike Rosenthal also stated: “We are joining this suit because our child felt unsafe expressing their Jewish identity in the public school after an adult teacher was permitted to display anti‑Jewish, anti‑Israel, and anti‑American materials in the classroom. When the teacher set that tone, it signaled to students that hostility toward Jewish identity was acceptable-and that is exactly what happened as other students joined in. No child should ever be put in a position where they feel they must hide who they are in order to feel safe."
Other Jewish organizations have expressed their support for the lawsuit.
“More than half a million students attend L.A. public schools, including 50,000 Jewish children. Rising anti-Semitism in our classrooms is leaving some students unsafe and unprotected. California already has strong laws to prevent hate and discrimination-now they must be enforced consistently so every child can learn in safety with dignity. When any child experiences hate unchecked, it threatens the safety and moral integrity of our entire public education system," said Rabbi Noah Farkas, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation.
“California has some of the strongest laws and policies aimed at protecting Jewish residents from anti-Semitism, yet enforcement remains sparse, inconsistent and lacks accountability. Jewish students are increasingly targeted because of their identity and exposed to lesson plans containing anti-Semitism and anti-Israel narratives. It is time for California officials to deliver on their promise of schools and classrooms that are free of hate. Our children cannot afford to wait any longer, "said Robert Trestan, Vice President of Anti-Defamation League West.