Senate Standing Committee on Education

The Senate Education Committee will come to order in 30 seconds. Good evening. There is one bill on today's agenda, AB 715, authored by Assembly Members Zbur and Addis. This bill was recently amended quite significantly. This is the first time the contents of this bill will be heard.

I would like to apologize to the public for the last-minute nature of this hearing. This is not typically how we operate, but there was significant amendments and work that was being done on this bill. We have been working nonstop since early July to carefully work on the negotiations around the new contents of this bill and have reached out to many, many, many stakeholders across the education space as well as different diversity groups as well.

While I'm pleased we have reached a compromise on the language in the bill, I am very disappointed that we are up against the deadline to end this year's legislative session. It troubles me that the public was given very little notice about the new language in this bill and that this hearing would take place today.

The topics addressed in AB 715 are incredibly important and timely. Despite the last-minute nature of this hearing, it is critical we proceed this year to ensure protections for Jewish students are in place as soon as possible. This bill also starts to build out the Office of Civil Rights, which is also important.

All students deserve to be in a safe and respectful school environment at a minimum. I fully recognize the seriousness and emotional undercurrent of the discussion we are about to have. I will maintain decorum during the hearing as is customary, and any individuals who are disruptive may be removed from the hearing. This is our typical practice.

Witnesses are asked to limit their testimony to typically two minutes, but today I'm going to provide three because I recognize this is the first time we'll be having a hearing on this and there's certainly a lot to discuss, to ensure the committee is able to complete today's agenda in a timely fashion and return to the Senate Floor session. Seeing that we actually do have a quorum, I'll go ahead and have our secretary call the roll.

[Roll call].

A quorum has been established, so we will now begin our bill presentation. I believe we are going to have Mr. Assembly Member Zbur present his bill. Assembly Member Zbur, you may begin when you are ready, as well as Assembly Member Addis.

Thank you, Madam Chair and members. Thank you so much for being here tonight. I want to start out by thanking the chair and the Education Committee staff, the pro tem and his staff for the extensive engagement on this bill over the course of the last couple months.

I am proud today to present AB 715, together with my joint author, Assembly Member Dawn Addis, who's with us this morning. This bill is sponsored by the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California and is the only priority bill of the Jewish Caucus this year. Jewish students in California are facing hate at crisis proportions.

Jewish students across our state are being harassed, bullied, and intimidated simply because of who they are. Just as examples, in Manhattan Beach, a swastika and anti-semitic slurs were spray-painted on an elementary school playground. In San Francisco Unified School District, teachers were provided materials that justified Hamas's October 7th attack.

In Tarzana, swastikas were repeatedly painted on a banner outside of an elementary school, and when the parents of those kids actually covered up the swastikas, they were painted even larger and across the entire banner and they were left there until the public complained and local elected officials actually had to cajole the school district into removing the banner.

In Santa Ana Unified, a curriculum committee debated the so-called 'Jewish Question.' Committee members refused to acknowledge Hamas as a terrorist organization and the administration scheduled public meetings on Jewish holidays to discuss curriculum because they knew that they would be objectionable to the Jewish community. These are not isolated incidents.

They're becoming more frequent and widespread, and not a week goes by now where I don't hear about more incidents from my constituents. There has been a massive 893% increase in anti-semitic hate crimes in the United States over the past ten years, and California schools are not immune to this.

When vulnerable communities are facing discrimination and hate that requires targeted and specific solutions, our legislature has always acted quickly and decisively to protect these communities.

When I served as executive director of Equality California, we worked alongside educators, parents, my colleagues here today, to pass laws that protect LGBTQ plus students from bullying, harassment, discrimination, and to ensure that every child could learn in a safe and supportive environment.

During my first year in the legislature, I authored AB 5, which gave educators the tools they needed to help foster inclusive classroom environments and appropriately address the unique, the unique challenges that the LGBTQ plus community and all students face.

AB 715 builds on that kind of work by acknowledging that Jewish students are facing an acute problem while also fighting discrimination for all communities. It indicates that the Jewish community students require and deserve the specific responses that will address the hate that they're experiencing.

I'm proud to say that this landmark bill--very proud to say that this landmark bill does something that is really important for all communities. It creates an Office of Civil Rights, which will include multiple coordinators who will serve and benefit not only the Jewish community, but all communities that we must protect under our anti-discrimination laws.

These coordinators--one will be in--the anti-semitism coordinator will be created in this bill and the others will be created in another bill--these coordinators will focus on assessing discrimination that is occurring in our schools, providing recommendations to the legislature, the governor, and school districts on how to combat anti-semitism, and they provide our educators and administrators with the tools that they need to uplift all students.

This bill should not be controversial. This bill is about values that we all share: safety, dignity, and equality, and protecting all of our students. We have a responsibility to make sure that every child in California can attend a school that is safe, respectful, and affirming.

I'd like to thank the Legislative AAPI Caucus, Black Caucus, Latino Caucus, Native American, and LGBTQ Caucuses for their partnership in this effort, the teachers and education experts and education leaders for continuing to hear us and work with us, the Jewish community for their patience and steadfast support, and the Senate Pro Tem and Assembly Speaker for helping us finally address this issue after years of trying, and to the chair and the staff of this committee.

While this bill will not fix everything overnight or undo the harm that has already been done, it is the first step towards a better prevention and protection for the Jewish community and Jewish kids and other vulnerable communities as well. Now I'll turn over the mic to my joint author, Assembly Member Addis, to provide additional information on what this bill will do.

Thank you, Madam Chair and members, and I want to say a deep and heartfelt thank you to the staff who worked tirelessly on helping get us in front of your committee, as well as the advocates in the Jewish community and across the State of California who have deep interest in this bill and our witnesses that have traveled from pretty far away.

Each of them have driven at least three hours to get here this evening, and so you're going to hear their testimony, and as you do, I hope you'll be thinking of what it would be like if you were one of them or one of the people that they're talking to you about, but I come to this work as a former teacher.

I spent the first 21 years of my career in public education as both a teacher and a teacher leader, a CTA member, as well as a site and local executive board member for CTA, and during that time, I fought for teachers and we made huge, huge gains in working conditions as well as wages, but I also taught hundreds and hundreds of students. I taught students with special needs and neurotypical students. I taught students who were English, primary English speakers as well as students who are learning English as an additional language.

I taught students who came from poverty and very distressed backgrounds, but I also taught students from wealthy and just sort of typical economic backgrounds, and I taught students who were housed, I taught students who weren't housed, and I taught every single grade level from first through fifth when I worked with students with special needs across many subject areas, including math, English, history, social science, and science.

And when I was a special education teacher, I accompanied students when they went into the general education setting for the first time and learned to spread their wings and grow their skills academic, socially, and emotionally, and I tell you all of that because what I know to be true over the 21 years that I spent with children, K12, is that when I walked into a school campus or a school classroom, I was there for one thing and one thing only.

And that one thing was to ensure that students left their time with me having learned, and what we know that the data says about learning is that it only happens and it happens best when students have two things: they have a trusted adult in the classroom and they have a school environment that is safe, supportive, welcoming, and affirming, and that's what happens to make learning become unleashed.

That is what is needed for children to be allowed to become the best of who they are and to learn the vital knowledge, skills, and empathy for both the workforce and to participate in meaningful ways in our multicultural democracy.

Unfortunately, though, the picture that I have tried to paint for you and the experience in my background around what works has just not been the reality for Jewish students in the past few years. I would say Jewish students have always faced anti-semitism across the course of my career.

We've always found swastikas on desks or things in hallways. We've always had that happen, and many times when those things happened, we would be told, 'well, you know, students are just joking. It's not that big of a deal,' but these incidents have increased, particularly since October 7th, and students are now facing very dangerous anti-semitic rhetoric, tropes, discrimination, and even physical attacks in our very own California K12 schools.

So I want to make clear that the incidents you just heard from Assembly Member Zbur--he said it, but I will repeat it--they're not one-off incidents; they're really the reality of what Jewish students across California are facing, and you're going to hear from two witnesses who I'll introduce in just a moment.

And as I said at the top, when you hear firsthand what they have to say, I hope that each of us in this room, myself, all of you, those in the audience, will make a commitment to ourselves that together we will wipe out the hateful anti-semitic behavior that has risen in the places that we inhabit, and most importantly this evening, that has risen in our schools. And so, you know, how are we going to do that? How are we going to approach it?

It's with a common sense bill called AB 715, and I'm very honored to joint author this bill with my colleague, Assembly Member Zbur, because all of you know of his heart and his passion for equity and justice for California students. It just emanates so clearly, and it's what has made our partnership in fighting this fight work so well up to this point.

So AB 715 does a handful of things. Most importantly, it recognizes our need to address anti-semitism in schools, it also provides prevention via an anti-semitism coordinator under the Office of Civil Rights that this bill will create, and it offers pathways to respond when anti-semitism occurs.

It will also help everyone in the school community access resources about anti-semitism that will be posted on a website and has a handful of other pieces to ensure that classrooms are not subjecting students to unlawful discrimination, and it clarifies and talks about what corrective action might look like.

So AB 715 is about truly ensuring that every student, Jewish students and others, have the best learning environment that the Golden State has to offer. There is one clarification that I'd like to say about language in the bill.

It's a technical cleanup that wasn't able to happen before this hearing but that the California Department of Education has added language to allow CDE to notify an LEA in writing of the investigation report within 20 days. I think there was a typo, and so they've asked me to clarify that during my testimony today.

So in closing, before I turn it over to our witnesses, I just want to say I'm deeply grateful for the collaboration of this committee, for colleagues across the legislature who have spent the better part of two legislative years and umpteen hours to try to get a bill in front of this committee.

It's an important bill for not just the Jewish community but for every community across the state who has asked us to please create an Office of Civil Rights in California and to please place these coordinators that will be created with this bill and with a sister bill in that office, and so now I'd like to turn this over to our witnesses: Lev Miller Ruderman, a sophomore at San Lorenzo Valley High School in Santa Cruz, and then Rabbi Jacqueline Mates-Muchin, Senior Rabbi at Temple Isaiah in Oakland.

My name is Lev Miller Ruderman. Last school year, I was a freshman at San Lorenzo Valley High School. My three older siblings also endured anti-semitic incidents in my same school, but nothing prepared me for the horrible experience. Peers who I considered my friends betrayed my trust and sense of safety.

This was not a spur of the moment incident. A fellow freshman pinned his assault in advance. He used class time and school materials to cut, glue, and color a Nazi flag and a puppet of Adolf Hitler, complete with a glued-on mustache. Not a single student nor the teacher asked why he was crafting these offensive items, nor did anyone tell him it was inappropriate to make such hateful and violent symbols.

During the break, this student pretended to be friendly by patting me on my shoulder. Little did I know that he used that pat to tape the Nazi flag on my back without my knowing. At least one or more students were taking photos from behind. Others saw it and said nothing. I walked around the school and noticed people snickering, smiling, and laughing, but I didn't know why. No one told me what was taped to my back. By being bystanders, they were complicit in targeting me for being a Jew.

At last, a teacher asked me about the Nazi flag on my back. I felt sad, confused, and overwhelmed. I stayed home for the rest of my freshman year and took my final exams during summer break after school ended. The school did not seem to take what happened to me seriously.

There's no outreach to the community, school assembly, or even in-class conversation to call against hate, harassment, and targeting. The school had not even notified the superintendent or the school board. Not even one staff member or peer seemed to care. I wonder if they would have been different if I were from another ethnic or racial minority.

Knowing that someone purposely wanted to hurt me and invoke the Nazi plan of the Final Solution to annihilate the Jewish people scared me the most. Back at school, I keep looking behind my back and to the side. I worry for my safety and protecting my younger sister. The complicit nature of hate against Jews in our schools needs to change.

I'm Rabbi Jacqueline Mates-Muchin, Senior Rabbi of Temple Sinai in Oakland, a congregation of 850 households, translating to nearly 3,000 individuals. I'm a native of California and the parent of four children who are either graduates of or current students in the Oakland public school system.

Anti-semitism in Oakland schools is not new, but it has been emboldened in the last two years. Jewish students are experiencing intimidation and isolation, overt use of classic anti-semitic tropes, and gaslighting, sometimes from teachers and administrators themselves.

A high school student in my congregation was pulled aside by her teacher during class and asked what she thought of the war in Gaza. She was then told that Israel is committing genocide and that she had a responsibility to know what is happening. She was the only recognizably Jewish student in the class because she wears a Jewish Star and she was the only child to be pulled aside.

Another congregant, a teacher in the district, was told to use the back door to her office if she wanted to avoid engaging with a colleague under investigation for anti-semitic speech and was told that Jews just have to learn to sit in their discomfort. She has since resigned from the district.

I was told by a former school board member, one who pushed an early version of the ethnic studies curriculum, that they warned her that the Jews would be coming for her job, and recently, when describing what our students are facing, my concerns were dismissed by Oakland City leadership, being told that there are lots of groups that have trauma.

Yes, that is true, and hate against each of us manifests itself differently, so we need education and training to understand those differences in order to combat them effectively. Anti-semitism paints Jews as the villains of society. It claims we have evil and selfish intentions, that we control wealth and politics and media, and are thus ultimately responsible for all of the problems in the world, including the oppression of other minorities.

When this hateful ideology is internalized, consciously or not, children who are targeted, bullied, and intimidated are dismissed as whiny complainers if not blamed for their own victimization, leaving them unprotected by those entrusted to educate them and to keep them safe. My congregation is 150 years old.

The cornerstone of our sanctuary was laid the same year that the cornerstone was laid for Oakland City Hall. Jews have been and are an integral part of our cities and our state, yet the surge of anti-semitism in our public schools is making Jewish families flee our school districts.

How can Jews be a part of a system that neither protects us nor values our contributions? If we hope to maintain the diversity and strength that built and sustains California, we must do more to fight anti-semitism. Thank you.

Thank you for your presentation. We will now turn it over to hear from those that are in opposition. If two speakers would like to come forward and we will also give you each three minutes each.

And through the chair, I hear that the ACLU representative is also outside.

There--we only have two, we only have two speakers, so if--is it--if they want to respond to technical questions that come up, but--

My understanding is that was what they were providing--

Okay.

Do you know, do you have language for that technical question for ACLU?

I think they're in the #MeToo line, and as technical questions come up, I'll...yeah.

Okay, great. Either of you can begin when you're ready.

Excuse me. Good evening, Madam Chair. Seth Bramble, here for the California Teachers Association, respectfully in opposition of Assembly Bill 715. We certainly recognize the hard work that you and that your team put in trying to fix a bill that, while well-intentioned, falls short of addressing its stated intent.

CTA is deeply committed to schools free from racism, sexism, anti-semitism, and all forms of discrimination, and our track record is unmatched in fighting for equal access to education and defending the religious and gender rights of all students. Every day, hundreds of thousands of educators step into California classrooms with the purpose of fostering safe, inclusive, learning environments.

In the past several years, a profession that historically has been respected is too often vilified. Educators who buy school supplies and food for students who can't afford them serve as teachers, as counselors, as mandated reporters for students in crisis, are being accused of not supporting students. For an educator, there is no worse charge.

Why would we, why would CTA take the reputational risk of opposing Assembly Bill 715? Because this bill has unintended consequences. First off, the bill codifies into law subjective standards for instruction under the term 'factually accurate' that reinforce a vision of education which emphasizes rote learning of facts over critical thinking and creativity.

In many subjects, there is no agreed upon set of facts with which to align instruction. This factually accurate requirement would give advocates on multiple sides of controversial issues a new legal tool to disrupt instruction and to threaten educators.

Second, the bill creates an anti-semitism prevention coordinator under the Office of Civil Rights while contemplating an anti-religious hate coordinator to encompass all other religions. Persecution and demonization of any religion is wrong and deserves equal standing.

Singling out certain forms of discrimination while ignoring others like the students with special needs that Assembly Member Addis just referred to that she taught, is unfair and perpetuates inequality. This approach sends a message that some injustices matter more than others, which is unacceptable.

All of these coordinator positions are proposed to be appointed by the governor and require Senate confirmation, making them inherently political in nature. In policymaking, we often hear: 'don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.' In this instance, when fair and equal treatment of California students and teachers are at stake, that's an insufficient standard.

So I bring opposition today from the entire school community, from the teachers, from the California Federation of Teachers, from the California Teachers Association, from the administrators, ACSA, from the School Boards Association, CSBA, and from the county superintendents in the state. We're all asking for your no vote, and I thank you for your time.

Pardon me. I'm not used to jackets. I'm uncomfortable. Didn't want to interrupt your speech. Check. Good afternoon, chairs and members. My name is Gabriel Kahn. I'm a proud Jewish educator, CTA member in Oakland, California. Since I was eight years old, my parents have been residents and synagogue members in Senator Pérez's district until their home and temple burned down in Altadena earlier this year.

That's all to say I'm a proud product of California public schools and of the districts represented on education committees in both the Senate and the Assembly. First and foremost, I'm here because my Oakland students deserve a critical education that helps them contextualize their experience and examine the underlying forms of power that shape their world, and if I do my job right today by both my students and my Jewish community, you will see how this bill, as it is written, currently jeopardizes not only the study of Palestinian history and ethnic studies, but actually makes Jewish people in California less safe.

I'll keep my opening remarks to three points: number one, the procedural problems of AB 715, the dangers of how it defines anti-semitism, and finally, how an allegation of inappropriate conduct levied against me might get much scarier under this bill. Democratic participation, procedural problems--let's talk about that for a minute.

Assembly Bill 715 was not heard in time for normal Assembly Education Committee hearing, so they waived that deadline, held a special committee meeting in May, which I testified at, and at the time, the intent bill said little to nothing, but what it did say was very worrisome, and in response to those concerns, the authors promised a transparent dialogue about the language of the bill moving forward.

We reached out and they never responded. Here in the Senate, the bill continues to see last-minute rule waivers and gut and amends, not addressing any concerns that the opposition had had and that we had highlighted since the beginning of this process when it was introduced, but rather, find new ways to rewrite the same deeply concerning policies, which I'll get to in a moment.

Our classrooms and our students deserve more attentive and careful oversight, not last-minute rule waivers and loopholes that fundamentally change our Ed Code. So in process alone, every responsible member of the committee should reject or at least abstain on this 11th hour attempt to change our state's Education Code around discrimination.

During a very divisive Assembly committee meeting in May, my colleagues and I directly warned educators that our only logical reason, the only logical reason to pull Judaism out from within the class of religions protected against discrimination is to define anti-semitism as something different than religious or ethnic-based discrimination.

It's the first step in a familiar three-step process. Step one: name anti-semitism separate from religious discrimination, step two: define critiques of the State of Israel as anti-semitic, and step three: prosecute all critiques of the State of Israel. So to the fundamental question: what is this new statute defining as anti-semitism that's not already covered in existing law?

The most recent version of the bill subtly refers--defers this question of the definition of anti-semitism to a Biden Administration memo which prioritizes the IHRA, the IHRA definition of anti-semitism that has been repeatedly used to label critiques of Israel as anti-semitic in order to censor them.

The IHRA, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-semitism has no place in our schools and has been widely condemned as unconstitutional for stifling speech. Even Kenneth Stern, the person who wrote the definition, has said that it has been used as an attack on academic freedom and free speech and will not only harm pro-Palestinian advocates, but also Jewish students and faculty.

And it begs the question, if the initial author of this definition is warning us against its misuse in school settings, how can we, in good conscience as Californians, pass legislation which uplifts this definition in our schools? Under that definition--

You're both 20 seconds overtime, so if you could just wrap up in a little bit?

Thank you. I can get to my own personal experience with this bill during question and answers, but I will defer to my concluding statement. Thank you. California students deserve schools that are safe to learn, and that means we cannot censure or exclude Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students, which this bill has done, and we cannot have our teachers scared to create productive, critical learning environments where our students engage with difficult topics.

It is for the respect of the legislative process and for the good policy-making that on such consequential legislation like this that we strongly urge you not to pass this bill out of committee today. Thank you.

Thank you for your presentation. I will now turn it over to our committee members to see if we--oh, actually, apologies. We have people waiting. We will now do #MeToos, and I do want to highlight, typically, we separate #MeToos based off of with those that are in support or opposition, but because we have a number of people, we're going to actually take everybody at once.

I'll defer to the sergeants in terms of, like, how we'll organize this. I recognize there's some folks that are waiting outside and, you know, want to be mindful too, of people that might be standing, but, yeah.

When you approach the mic, know that you'll identify yourself first and last name, position on the bill, and organization that you're with. We will not be providing any time beyond that, just given the number of folks that we have participating today. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Dr. Theresa Montaño. I am a proud member of the California Faculty Association and the chair of the California State University's Council for Ethnic Studies, and I am strongly--we are strongly opposed to AB 715.

Good evening. Dr. Tricia Gallagher-Geursten, and we are opposed to 715. I represent the California Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education, which is the largest multicultural education association worldwide. Thank you.

Good evening, chair and members. My name is Conrad Crump. I'm with Disability Rights California. And while we're not formally opposed to this bill, we do have some major concerns and we've reached out to the author's office. I'm also voicing concerns on behalf of the East Bay Community Law center as well as they have concerns as well. Thank you.

Good evening, Madam Chair and members. My name is Usama Muqaddam. On behalf of the California chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, representing the over 1 million Muslims in California. In strong opposition to this bill. Thank you.

Bassem Al Kara, past President, Twin Rivers Unified School District, Care Action and the over 200 family members massacred in Gaza in strong opposition to this bill.

Dr. Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales, distinguished Professor of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State. And I am directly opposed to AB 715.

My name is Lily Greenberg Call. I'm a former appointee in the Biden Administration and I was the first and only Jewish appointee to publicly resign from the administration in protest of our President's and the administration's support for Israel's war crimes in Gaza.

I grew up in San Diego, attended Jewish day school, and I'm a proud Cal Berkeley alum. I'm here as an American Jew who has experienced antisemitism, believes in freedom of speech, democracy, and I strongly oppose this Trumpian authoritarianism, authoritarian censorship bill. Thank you.

My name is Debbie Berman. I'm a California credentialed teacher with 10 years of service in our public schools. As a career educator, I've heard far too many firsthand reports from public school parents and students who have experienced.

I'm sorry, it's name and position and organization only.

Debbie Berman, Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. Also a credentialed teacher in the State of California. I've heard so many first.

No, we didn't need to just state your position on the bill. If not, we'll have to move to the next person.

For AB 715.

Thank you.

Thank you.

My name is Francesca Mejia. I'm a master's and ethnic studies student at San Francisco State University. As a Jewish Chicana, I strongly oppose this bill.

Good evening, Senators. My name is Zev Hurwitz. I'm the parent of a Jewish student at a Los Angeles Unified School District campus and I am in strong support of AB 715.

Good evening. My name is Daryanna. I am a Jewish educator and I strongly say no to this bill.

Hello. My name is Shen Ramirez. I'm a second year graduate student at San Francisco State University, and I firmly oppose this bill.

Hello, my name is Lada Kiswani. I'm the Executive Director of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, Action Iraq Action. I am the daughter of Palestinian refugees who've lost four dozen families in the genocide in Gaza. I'm a mother of a child growing up in the public school system in California.

I am a member of the California Faculty Association and I strongly oppose this bill.

Good evening. My name is Farnaz Gulshani. I'm a former Superintendent, an educator, an Iranian, a Jew who has escaped religious persecution in my lifetime. And I firmly support this bill.

I'm Margaret Okuizumi. I'm a Japanese American watching the Trump Administration trying to erase the history of Japanese internment. I live in the Bay in Sunnyvale in the Bay Area. I strongly oppose this bill.

Hello, my name is Dina Omar. I am a faculty Member at UC Berkeley, a parent of a child in Berkeley public schools, and one of a concerned citizen of California and a Democrat. And I strongly. And a Palestinian, a daughter of Palestinian refugees. We too sing America. And I strongly oppose this bill.

Good evening. My name is Dr. Giselle Cunanan. I'm an assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies and Asian American Studies at Sacramento State, daughter of immigrant parents from the Philippines, daughter of a US Navy veteran, grew up in San Diego, member of the California California Faculty Association. And I strongly oppose this bill.

Good evening. My name is Erica Antonio. I'm a daughter of immigrants from the Philippines. I'm an ethnic studies educator representing Panay Pinoy Educational Partnerships, and I'm a graduate of Asian American Studies from both UC Davis and San Francisco State University. And I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Scott Steward. I'm from Davis, California. I'm a fourth generation Californian. My grandparents, my great grandparents started Temple Emmanuel in San Francisco. As a Jew, I strongly oppose this bill.

Good evening. My name is Cole Krawitz. I'm also known by Malka Simba Beniokov Shmuel Vieta. I'm a former lecturer of poetry at the June Jordan Poetry for the People center at UC Berkeley and at Holy Named University.

I'm an uncle to many kids in the California public education system and a proud anti Zionist Jewish song and ritual leader who is part of the JVP Havara Network and Gaza Freedom Flotilla and where we are supporting thousands of anti Jewish families who deeply believe that Jewish safety is through solidarity and are against the way this legislative body continues to try to weaponize Jewish pain and anti semitism through McCarthyite.

I'm sorry position on the--

We strongly oppose this bill.

Thank you.

Hello. Good evening. My name is Nadia Rahman. I am here on behalf of the Council of American Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area, and the Arab Resource Organizing Center Action. And I oppose this bill.

Good evening. My name is Mohammed Sheikh. I am the organizing Director of the Arab Resource and Organizer Center Action. As someone who has lost 50 member of my family in Gaza, as someone who has been called antisemitic simply for saying that Israel is committing a genocide and speaking out against it, I oppose this bill.

And I also want to register the opposition of Chinese for affirmative action. Thank you.

My name is Reem Aladra Shmaui, and I'm an attorney from Davis, California. UCD alum. I'm also a daughter of a Palestinian Nakba survivor. I don't think you'd learn about Nakba with this bill. Thank you very much. And I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Barry Preisler. I'm an Emeritus Professor of Political Science from the California State University system or over the last 50 years, and I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Haganous Preisler, and my family has experienced genocide and ethnic cleansing. As in California Armenian I strongly oppose this bill.

Ian Soroka, Jewish Californian from Crockett, California. I strongly oppose this. Thank you.

Eleanor Gottesman, a retired pediatrician and a Jewish American, and I strongly oppose this bill.

Richard Keller. I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Satish Chandra. I'm a parent of Santa Clara School District. I strongly support this bill. I'm not a Jew. Thank you.

My name is Li Bin. My two kids attend Santa Clara Unified School District. I'm not Jewish. I grew up in Malaysia. But watch in disbelief how Jewish students are harassed and bullied in our schools under the guise of free speech. Vote yes, please. Thank you.

My name is Aviv Russ. I'm from Los Angeles, the son of Jewish immigrants and a concerned father about antisemitism in our schools. I flew here today in support of AB 715, insisting that our public schools remain a place every child may be seen, safe and supported. I urge you to vote yes, please.

If we could try to close the door, I'd appreciate it. Just so we don't get the echo and the feedback, I think it would be helpful. And we can clearly hear the speaker. If you could please close the door. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Merit. I'm an American citizen and I'm here because I care about all my friends, kids who are suffering. I live in the Bay Area and please vote yes. Thank you.

Hello. My name is Anna Stepanenko. My daughters recently graduated from Fremont High School in Sunnyvale where antisemitism is on the rise. My family escaped from antisemitism in Soviet Union. And now our kids experience antisemitism in our beloved California in public schools. We need your help. Our children need your help. Please vote yes. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Ella Miller. As a seventh grader I endured extreme antisemitism that forced me to leave the public system. No child should have to suffer as I did. Please support this bill.

Thank you. That's name, organization and position on the bill, please. Thank you.

Yes. Mid Lyon Berkeley, California. First generation American child of refugees from the Holocaust. Mother of five went through the Berkeley Unified as I did and eight grandchildren. And I urge you to protect every child in school and vote for for this bill. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Lisa Lohurst. I am the daughter in law of two Holocaust survivors and a concerned mom from Danville. I came here today to ask for you to support AB 715. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Susan Cohen Grossman. I live in Benicia, California. I support the bill and I hope you will too. I'm a concerned Jewish person. I don't have kids. I'm an aunt. Thank you.

My name is Lawrence Grossman. I live in Benicia. I am Jewish and I'm particularly frightened by rampant antisemitism in our K12 schools. Unbiased teaching is not censorship. I strongly urge you to support this bill. Thank you.

I'm Dr. Barbara Nemko. I was the Napa County Superintendent of Schools for 28 years, an educator for 60 years. And the only censorship is in schools of anything that supports anything Israel does. I strongly support this bill. The antisemitism is rampant.

Hello. Yuval Berenstein, Associate Regional Director for the Anti Defamation League Central Pacific Region in San Francisco. I have been a victim of antisemitism in our public schools and I strongly support you supporting this bill.

Good evening, I'm Miller Saltzman with JPAC. I'm here representing the 70 organizations in support of this bill and the yes on AB 750 coalition. I'll read them fast, I promise.

[Miller reads off all organizations he represents]. Thank you.

Seth Morrison. Excuse me.

Representing a very beautifully diverse coalition of organizations opposing this bill. [He reads off all organizations he represents].

Good evening. My name is Shlomit Blum from San Jose. A community educator, teacher trainer, founder of Israeli American group fighting antisemitism with an emphasis on education from K to universities. Mother of children who went through every grade in California schools and universities. And if there is one thing that I have.

Can you please name organization and position on the Bill?

Yeah, definitely. Please vote yes. Do not let importing foreign hate.

That'll be it. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Igal Blum, a scientist working in the Bay Area for 41 years. Please vote yes on AB 715. Our children and grandchildren need your protection against unlawful discrimination while teachers...

Name and positions on the Bill, please, and organization. Thank you. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Inette. I'm a high tech entrepreneur, a concerned mom of three kids in the Union School District who now request me to refrain from speaking speaking Hebrew at the fear of being targeted. Please keep our kids safe and support the Bill. Thank you.

I'm Barb Windom. I'm mother of two. But I'm here representing over 15,000 California parents, students and teachers of alliance for constructive ethnic studies. ACES strives for unbiased education, inspiring mutual respect, countering racism and discrimination. We're deeply concerned about anti Semitism California's kids are experiencing in the classroom. We strongly support AB 715.

My name is Naomi Goldenthal. I am a high school senior at Los Gatos High School and the President of my school's Jewish Student Union. I have experienced anti Semitism multiple times at school.

Please just position on the Bill.

I urge you to pass AB 715.

Thank you.

Thank you. My name is Galit Lipsitz-Goldental. I am the parent of three children in the public school system in Santa Clara County. I'm a volunteer supporting our wonderful teachers there and young students. My children have been affected by Jewish hatred. I urge you to protect all of our children and support this Bill. Thank you.

Again. Name, organization and position on the Bill.

Thank you. Alan Hirsch, Member, Beth Hoveream in Davis. I'm the social justice chair. Speaking myself. I'm opposed to the Bill also. I'm representing the Sisterhood of Salam Shalom, a national group with my wife is one of the on the National Board and they're also opposed to the Bill. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Elisa Switzer. I am a Bay Area parent with three children who actually had to remove one of my children from public school due to anti-Semitism, violent antisemitism. I strongly support this Bill knowing firsthand our children...

That'll be it thank you.

I am Ofra Pleban, a legal aid attorney, a resident of Oakland Unified School District. Today the Congress acknowledged a severe antisemitic curriculum in California schools.

Out of our school. Pass AB 715. Thank you so much.

Please just position on the Bill.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Amy Sherman. I live in Los Gatos. I'm a parent of two children in Los Gatos public schools. I ask you to please vote yes in support of this Bill. Keep our children safe. Thank you.

Hello. My name is Nora Talaby. I'm a parent, an aunt, a Palestinian American. And I am asking you to oppose AB 715 as censorship does not change racism. But what does is AB 101 Ethnic Studies and understanding one another. Thank you.

Hello. Rachel Wallace from Jewish Federation Los Angeles. We are the leading organization supporting hundreds of thousands of Jewish community Members across LA and Southern California. We support this Bill and we urge your aye vote. Thank you. AB 715.

Good evening. I'm Ty Gregory, an LGBTQ and Jewish community leader. I serve as the CEO of JCRC, the Jewish Community Relations Council. We're a 75 Member organization.

I'm not going to read you the full list, but for the thousands of calls that we've fielded from parents and students around antisemitic incidents, we must see the passage of the Bill. We urge you to vote yes. Thank you.

Julia Mates, Director of Policy and Government affairs at JCRC of the Bay Area. Also a parent. I strongly urge you to please support this Bill. I support this Bill. Thank you.

Thank you Senate, Education Committee Members. My name is Deena Saba. I'm a Palestinian American, Orthodox Christian, daughter of a survivor of the 1948 Nakba, an immigrant born a stateless refugee. Founder of the Arab Film Festival. President of the Democrats for Palestinian Rights Bay Area Club, chartered under the Santa Clara County Democratic Party Board Member of the Arab American Cultural center of Silicon Valley and a graduate of the California public school system. I'm a Palestinian whose existence AB 715 discriminates against and seeks to erase. Strongly oppose this Bill.

Cindy Burke, Attorney. Mother. Grandmother. As a mother, my son experienced anti-Semitism in a California public high school. Member of Jewish Americans for Fairness in Education, a project of the Brandeis Center for Civil Rights Under Law. Member of Temple Isaiah of Lafayette. Member of Congregation Netivot Shalom of Berkeley. Member of Mothers Against College Antisemitism.

Member of the Jewish Network of the California UC Berkeley Alumni Association. And I strongly support the Bill. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Emma Ayanna Auer. I'm a Berkeley Public Schools teacher teaching social science and I strongly oppose this Bill. Thank you.

My name is Najma Bachelani and I am a mom and Member of Democrats for Palestinian Rights as well as JVP. And I urge you to protect all students equally and vote no on this Bill.

Good evening. My name is Orlie, a Jewish concerned parent from Campbell Union High School District that would like my kids feel included and safe at school. I definitely support this Bill. Thank you.

Hello. My name is Lisa Dicari. I'm a parent of a high schooler and an educator representing many teachers who wish they could be here but are busy teaching and wish to be supported and not censored. I'm also a representative of Hindus for Human Rights, and we all strongly, strongly oppose this Bill. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Rina Chimchi. I'm a mother of two from San Jose and a Member of Bay Area Jewish Coalition. I urge you all to support this Bill to protect Jewish students who are currently being harassed, vilified and ostracized in school. All children.

Please just position on the Bill.

Thank you. Please support it.

I'm Alina Kaplan with ACES Alliance for Constructive Ethnic Studies with 15,000 parents, teachers and community Members. And I'm an immigrant from the former Soviet Union who is horrified by the all too familiar anti-Semitism that we're seeing in classrooms together with the outrageous denials. I'm in strong support of AB 715.

Thank you. Again, name, organization, position on the Bill.

Hello. Hello. My name is Idol Joseph. I have two kids going to the... I'm from Sunnyville, California. I'm a parent of two kids going to public school in the same district where kids were physically assaulted solely for being Israeli. I ask for your help to protect all kids and I urge you to support this Bill. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Nora Russo. I am a proud daughter of two parents who survived the Holocaust in Greece. I am a product of public education from K through the University of California at Berkeley. My child attended California public schools. I am a lawyer who specializes in defending those whose civil rights have been trampled.

Any school that does not condemn the deliberate...

Position on the Bill? Please just state your position on the Bill. If... Please just state. Okay, go ahead. Please escort her out.

Hi, my name is Daniela Sloan. I'm a student in the Tamil Pius Union High School District where anti-Semitic incidents, discrimination and biased education happens far too often. I strongly support AB 715.

Hi. I'm a father of three kids in San Jose, they deserve to be protected. Please support this Bill. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Sam Kramer. I'm a Member of the Chabad Synagogue in Sunnyvale. My two grandkids attend school in that city. The harassment and marginalization, which strangely...

Please just state your position on the Bill. Thank you. We have many people to get through, and so I want to be respectful of everyone that's been waiting outside that I can't see right now. So that's the reason why we have the parameters around what you all say. So thank you.

Hello, my name is Maya Ronicki. I'm a parent of four children who are proud products of the public education system of Santa Clara County. Every day I have to deal with another anti-Semitic incident.

Please, just. Thank you.

Hello, I'm Alison Barnes, former public school classroom teacher, former CTA chapter President. Please support this Bill.

Hi, I'm Adriana Lombard, former public school teacher here in California. Please support this Bill.

Hi. Thank you for being here. My name is Ken. I'm from Contra Costa County. I'm a Jewish father of two. In the public schools, my daughter is feeling increasingly unsafe in the classroom because teaching Free Palestine.

Please... state your position on the Bill.

Because my daughter.

So please just state your position on the Bill. This is not time to...

Support the Bill because my daughter is being made to feel unsafe in the classroom, which we should not be tolerating.

Okay, thank you.

My name is Salita. I'm a mother of three from Palo Alto. I'm here on behalf of hundreds of Jewish students and families who are absolutely terrified. AB 715 is about keeping students.

Please just state your position on the Bill. I want to make this clear again. Name, organization, position on the Bill.

I'm Jason, father of my daughter at Fremont High School, who's experienced acute anti-Semitism. And I deeply need and support this Bill.

Hi, Madam Chair. Hi. Members, I'm former Assembly Member Mark Levine, currently with the Anti Defamation League, co founder of the Legislative Jewish Caucus and a past chair. I am very grateful for all of the hard work that you have done on this Bill. I support the Bill.

I was surprised when a teacher at my children's high school said that there were too many Jews.

Mark, you know the rules. Mark, you of all people know the rules. Thank you, Mark.

We were like somebody would know the rules.

Hi, my name is Yuval. I'm a witness of the failure of the school system to face to deal with antisemitism. I strongly support the Bill.

My name is Brett and I'm a parent of students in the Berkeley Unified School District where students, Jewish students, are teased about the Holocaust. I strongly urge you to pass this Bill.

I'm Doreen Castleman. I'm the President of the Jewish Democratic Coalition of the Bay Area. I'm the Vice President of the organization, the Council of Jewish Democrats in Northern California. We are chartered with the California Democrats, Jewish Democrats that are part of our state.

I'm a retired social worker that worked in the schools and I strongly Please ask you to support this Bill. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Dr. James Castleman. I'm a board Member of the Jewish Democratic Coalition of the Bay Area, a concerned parent and strongly support AB 17.

Good afternoon. Good evening. Michael Miller here is a private person and a parent who supports civil rights. Thank the authors for the courageous leadership and support this Bill. Thank you.

Eleanor Levine, proud Jewish grandmother and mother, Professor Emerita, Cal State East Bay, former Member of CFA, present Member of Code Pink, Jewish Voice for Peace. I strongly oppose this Bill. It's bad for us. Thank you.

Helen Finkelstein. I'm a retired faculty Member at San Francisco State University. I'm a Member of Jewish Voice for Peace. I strongly oppose this dangerous Bill.

Hi, my name is Liz Jackson. I represent a group called Jewish Parents for Collective Liberation in Berkeley. We represent a couple hundred families who understand that our kids may experience antisemitism and what is, what makes us safer is solidarity. We oppose the weaponization. We oppose this.

Please get to the... Thank you.

Christina Call parent of Berkeley public school students here as a Member of Berkeley Families for Collective Liberation. Oppose.

Hello, Sabrina Terre. I'm a proud product of the California public high school system and the public University system and a proud auntie and a sister to also people in my family who go to public schools.

And I also am coming from the Arab Resource and Organizing center in the Bay Area, representing 30 Arab youth all over from the Bay Area and the dozens of families that we serve in our youth program who have been censored. Thank you.

My name is Miriam Walden. I'm an 18 year teacher in the public schools and currently a student at Cal State East Bay. And I oppose this Bill.

Hi, my name is Yasar Daghbor and I'm the chair of Palestine American League. I'm a co founder of the Sacramento Regional Coalition for Palestinian Rights. I'm also the former chair of the Arab Emrah Caucus in the Democratic Party. I'm also former Executive board Member and our coalition consists of the following organization...

American Muslim for Palestine, Answer Sacramento, Code Pink, Crew Collective, Democratic Socialists of America, Friends of Sebille Sacramento Region, Grandmothers for Peace, Healthcare Workers for Palestine Sacramento, Jewish Voice for Peace Sacramento, Palestine Task Force of the California Nevada Conference of the United Methodist Church, Palestine American League, Palestine Israel Working Group of Nevada County, Sacramento Area Peace Action, Sacramento BDS for Human Rights, Sacramento Chapter National Lawyers Guild, Sacramento County Green Party, Sacramento County Peace and Freedom Party, Sacramento Democrats for Justice in Palestine, Students for Justice in Palestine, CSU Sacramento, the Talking Drums News, Unitarian Universalist for Justice in the Middle East Sacramento, United Nations Association Sacramento, UAW Local 2865 Student Workers Union Davis Chapter, Wellstone Progressive Democrats of Sacramento, Women's International League of Peace and Freedom.

I'm also the proud father of three Palestinian American children who are proud of their history and they should not...

Please state your position on the Bill. I'm fine with you stating organizations...

We strongly oppose this awful Bill.

Good evening. My name is Sofia Calderon. I'm a third year at San Jose State University. I represent today Students for Quality Education at San Jose State, California Faculty Association at San Jose State, and Movimiento Student Chicanx De Aztlan from San Jose State and I urge you to oppose AB 715. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Oliver Harder. I am an advocacy Director at TransTalk at San Jose State. I am an intern with Students for Quality Education at San Jose State under the California Faculty Association. And I'm a Member of Students Against Mass Incarceration and I urge you to vote no on AB 715. Thank you.

Hello, I'm Katherine Anderson, a master's student at CSU Chico, also with Students for Quality Education and the California Faculty Association and a California resident who knows anti Zionism is not anti Semitism. I strongly oppose this Bill.

Hello, my name is Sophia Gonzalez. I go to SAC State University and I'm with the SQE intern and I'm with the CFA and I strongly disagree and oppose this Bill. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Aishwarya Komu and I am a student at Sacramento State University and I'm a Member of Students for Quality of Education under the leadership of the California Faculty Association. And I strongly oppose AB 715.

Good evening all. I am Armaan Singh, a Sikh American student whose family has also experienced genocide. A student with CSU Sacramento and the Los Rios Community College District here with the California Faculty Association, Students for Quality Education Sacramento, Students for Justice in Palestine, Planned Parenthood Generation Action Committee, the Environmental Student Organization at SAC State and Metcha SAC State and I strongly oppose this Bill and hope we can all respect the democratic process. Thank you very much.

My name is Thad Gifford, I'm a student at Sacramento State University and I'm an intern with Students for Quality Education and I'm also with Students for Justice in Palestine as well as the California Faculty Association and Metcha and I strongly oppose this Bill.

My name is Brian Wing, I'm with the Students for Quality Education at Sacramento State University and the California Faculty Association and I strongly oppose this Bill.

My name is Luna Lund, I am with California Faculty Association and CFA and myself strongly oppose this Bill.

I'm Eun Hae Langes and my Korean name is Pak Eun Hae and I am an former LA Unified School teacher and I am the great a niece of Kim So Woor and I am also representing the Central Coast Coalition for Free Palestine, which includes the following 20 organizations: Arab Student Union, UCSC Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, DSA No Appetite for Apartheid, Indivisible Foreign Affairs, Focus Palestine, Jews Against White Supremacy, Jewish Voices for Peace, South Bay Palestine Justice Coalition, Palestine Solidarity Academy, Panetta Vigil for Human Rights, Resource Center for Non Violence, Salinas Palestine Solidarity, Santa Cruz Jews for a Free Palestine, Santa Cruz San Jose Friends Advocacy Team, Tsim Tsum Collective, Students for Justice in Palestine, UC People's Tribunal for Palestine, UCSC Center for Racial Justice, UCSC Faculty for Justice in Palestine, Green Party Santa Cruz, and I strongly oppose this Bill.

Good evening, my name is Christine Hong. I am an ethnic studies educator at UC Santa Cruz where I direct the Center for Racial Justice. I am also a sitting Member on the UC Ethnic Studies Council and I organize with Paro Valley for Ethnic Studies and justice in 90% Latinx Watsonville where we have struggled to get.

Okay, please, please. Yes. Position. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Nat. I'm speaking on behalf of Pajaro Valley for Ethnic Studies and Justice for the Asian American justice and Innovation Lab and for 18 million rising which organizers the Asian left. I'm also constituent of Don Addis in.

That'll. That'll be enough. State your position on the bill. I'm applaud by the way she's treated. Please state your position on the bill. If not, we'll be done. Thank you, thank you.

Actions.

Good evening, my name is Karen Perkins, I represent the Mount Diablo Peace and Justice Center. I'm a retired Canadian California teacher who's Jewish and I strongly oppose this bill.

Hello, I'm Jason Mansour, I'm a student at Sacramento State University with Students for justice in Palestine. As a first generation Indonesian American.

Please just state your position on the bill. If you have any other organizations to name, you can do that. But just state your position on the bill.

If not any U. S backed atrocity should be.

Please just state your position on the bill. Are you going to state your position on the bill?

It's a bill. Thank you very strongly.

My name is Arthur Slepien, I'm a resident of San Francisco, a proud gay Jew. I'm the President elect of the Bay Area Jewish Community Relations Council and I strongly urge you to support this bill. Thank you.

Good evening. Jonathan Mintzer, Senior Director of Government affairs for the Jewish Community Relations Council. Largest collective voice of Bay Area Jews representing 70 organizations and strong support. Thank you.

Cliff Berg for the Jewish Public Affairs Committee representing over 50 separate different organizations statewide and regional as well as the Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance in strong support of this bill.

Naomi Katz, I'm a 23 year veteran special education teacher at Oakland Unified and a CTA Member and I've witnessed many Jewish families leaving our public schools due to anti.

Please state your position on the bill.

Please vote yes on the bill. AB 715.

Hello. Karen Stiller, proud public school parent as well as senior Director of Jewish affairs for the Jewish Community Relations Council, Bay Area, representing over 70 Jewish organizations and synagogues in the Bay Area. Thank you and I support the bill.

Hello, my name is Harriet Gaddesman. I am Chairperson for the Countering Anti Semitism Committee for Congregation Bid, Havarim and Davis. I'm on the board of the Jewish Community Relations Commission for the Sacramento Federation. Thank you. Apologies. Sorry. I am also a 30 year veteran teacher and a Member of CTA.

I strongly support this bill and stop anti Semitism. Thank you so much.

Good evening. Jessica Blitzock, Director of Community Partnerships for Jewish Community Relations Council, Bay Area. And I support this bill.

Good evening. Nancy Bott, Member of Peninsula Temple Beth El in San Mateo. Please support this bill so my grandchildren and other school aged children can attend school without fear.

I'm David, an Oakland public school teacher and CTA Member asking for support and protection for our community here in support of AB 715.

Hi, my name is Rebecca. I work for JCRC Bay Area which represents over 70 Jewish organizations and 110 Members sit on our council. I spent 17 years in California public schools after my grandfather fled Nazi Germany.

Please just state your position on the bill.

I do not feel comfortable sending my two children.

Please state your position on the bill. Please state your position. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Tal. I'm a proud Israeli American and I experienced anti Semitism at school 10 years ago where no actions were taken to protect me. I strongly support the anti hate bill AB 715. Thank you.

Thank you. Hi, my name is Michelle and I'm a concerned lesbian Jewish parent who has kids in SFUSD and they've experienced anti Semitism in their schools. I urge you to vote yes on AB 715. Please. Thank you so much.

Good evening. I'm David Mandel, a retired journalist and a human rights attorney, proud Member of Jewish Voice for Peace Sacramento, A parent of three now adult products of the public school system. Two grandchildren.

I'm also an elected Member of the Central Committee of the Sacramento and California Democratic Party and and a founder of the newly chartered California Democrats for Justice in Palestine, a part of the Democratic Party. I'm also an Israeli American. I lived in Israel for 10 years. When I was drafted, I refused to serve in the occupied Territories.

Please, if you could state any other organizations and your position on the bill.

Okay, I'm done with the organizations. I'm opposed to this bill because it's enough. Enough of conflating anti Semitism.

Thank you. Thank you.

Hello. My name is Marila Nabadilla. I work for the San Juan School District. I have children in the San Juan School District and I strongly oppose this racist, sectarian, awful, awful bill. Thank you.

My name is Jasmine Singh. I'm a student at Sacramento State and I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Christina Vell and I'm representing APIs for Civic Empowerment and we strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Elisa Mamaclay. I am here representing the philippinex Igniting Engagement for Reimagining Collective Empowerment Coalition and the AAPIS for Civic Empowerment. And we ask you to strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Genevieve Kolar. I'm a Jewish descendant of Holocaust victims and survivors. The International Holocaust remembrance alliance and the ADL are two organizations that only serve the interest of Israel.

That's. That's enough. Your position on the bill. If you're going to state organizations, it's organizations you're representing. What is your position on the bill?

They don't represent me either.

Okay.

What is your position? Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Danny Portman. I live here in Midtown. I have five kids affiliated with Congregation B' Nai Israel. Currently, my wife and myself have been subject to an anti Semitic.

Please state your position on the bill. Please state your position on the bill.

Thank you.

We have 200 people waiting outside, so I want folks to understand why it's important that we make our comments short so everybody is heard. Because we're going to hear from everybody.

My name is Michael Harris. I'm a lay leader with Stand With Us, a Los Angeles based organization that works with parents and students combating anti Semitism across the state and the country. I'm also myself an elected Member of the California Democratic Party Central Committee and Stand With Us.

Speaking on behalf of Stand With Us and myself, we urge you to support this bill. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Valerie Rutenberg. I'm the stand with U.S. northwest High School educator of students who are experiencing anti Semitism reminiscent of what my parents went through in the Soviet Union. I urge you to support this bill.

My name is Nancy Diamond and I'm a board Member of a synagogue in the Bay Area and a concerned parent and grandparent. And I urge you to support this bill.

Hi, my name is Jeff Gottesman. I am here as a concerned community Member and I've come here to respectfully urge you to support this bill. Thank you.

Steve Schwartz, former school board President. Great relations with teachers. I'm a son of a Holocaust survivor, Auschwitz survivor, son of a teacher. Support AB715. Thank you for your support. And a synagogue board Member.

Hi, my name is Dena Bloom. I am affiliated with Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles. 10,000 congregants, 750 kids in their day school program. And as part of that leadership team, we are frequently forced to address concerns and fear.

Please state your position on the bill.

Hate is okay. I am very much in favor of this bill. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Elizabeth Friedman. I am affiliated with Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles working on combating anti Semitism. I'm in support of this bill. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Jacob. I'm here on behalf of Jewish Family and Children's Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma counties to express our strong support for this bill.

I'm Anna Rogers. I'm a fourth generation Californian, mother of three girls, all raised in the public schools. And this is not the right thing for this.

Please state your position on the bill. What is your position on the bill?

Is that it would make it work.

Please state your position. Either support or oppose. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That's enough. Thank you. Well, we're moving on to the next. There's 200 people waiting outside. Thank you.

My name is Dana Simas. I urge you to vote no on 715. Don't censor learning on Palestine.

My name is Larry Handel. I'm representing Jewish Voice for Peace with 100,000 Members and supporters in California and also the Wellstone Democratic Club in Berkeley, California. Oppose this bill very much.

Hello, my name is Wendy Greenfield. I am a lifelong Jewish activist for justice since elementary school. And I organized with the Dolores Huerta Foundation. I was a Member of the California Teachers Association for over 30 years as a public school teacher. And I am presently an organizer with the Jewish Voice for Peace in the South Bay.

All three of those organizations strongly oppose this bill. Thank you.

My name is Marie Hoff. I'm a Jewish American, Member of JVP and of Temple Beth Israel in Redding, California. And I oppose this bill.

My name is Charles Dornfest, speaking in support of this bill as a very concerned community Member, parent, grandparent, uncle, grand uncle, and. And speaking on behalf of all those people I'm concerned about.

Hi, my name is Rita Fabi. I'm a parent of children in the Piedmont Unified School District. I strongly urge you to support this bill. As I've seen firsthand that schools do not know how to respond when an anti Semitic incident happens. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Gail Argon. I'm a Jewish Israeli American and the parent of a student in the Oakland Unified School District. And I'm deeply concerned about his right to a safe education, Education free from discrimination. And I urge you to support this bill. Thank you.

Again, name, organization and position on the bill. We're trying to get through everybody that wants to speak today.

Hi, I'm J.B. Leibovich. The Oakland Jewish Alliance strongly supports this bill.

All right. Jeff Lipset, parent of a child in the Akalani's Union School District. I strongly support this bill.

Hi. Ezra Barani, 15 year science teacher at Oakland Schools, California schools, and I strongly support this bill. Thank you.

My name is Sabrina Fitzsimmons. I'm not Jewish, but I'm proud to be here today in support of this bill. Thank you.

Hi, I'm Debbie Aza Brown. I'm a Member of local Mosaic Law Congregation, and I strongly urge you to support the bill.

Jim Lindbergh, on behalf of the Friends Committee on Legislation of California in opposition to AB 715. Thank you.

Hi, I'm Shira Gilbert and I'm a board Member at Mosaic Law Congregation here in Sacramento, and I strongly support this bill. Thank you.

Madam Chair and Member Don Gilbert. On behalf of my children and grandchildren, and I want to thank everyone who worked hard on this bill. Support it. Thanks.

Hello, my name is Jocelyn Herman. I'm Vice Chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council here in Sacramento, and I strongly support this bill. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Jeffrey Burdofski. I'm a parent of a small daughter here in Sacramento, and I support this bill.

Randy Pollack, past President of Mosaic Law Congregation, in support.

Zach Miller, in support. Thank you.

I'm Ardith Scholler. I'm a Member of the JCRC here in Sacramento. I'm also a professional Jewish educator. I strongly support this bill. Thank you.

My name is Clary Schumann. I am on the Executive board of the local Jewish Community Relations Council, and I strongly support the bill.

Joe Castler, They Them pronouns. I am on the Sacramento Jewish Community Relations Council. And as a librarian and as someone who grew up in the Sacramento City Unified School District, I strongly support this bill.

Ben Murphy, on behalf of Public Advocates, in respectful opposition. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Larry Best. I am an Alameda parent and a gay man, and my children have gone through the public school system. I've worked with area who have submitted.

Please state organization and position on the bill. So if you're done listing organizations, what is your position on the bill?

I want to support it, but I can't.

Okay, then that's okay. Okay.

Hi, my name is Musa with the Council on American Islamic Relations, California. And we oppose AB 715's erasure of critical voices in our classrooms. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Gabriel. I'm with the Council on American Islamic Relations, and we oppose this bill. Thank you.

Hi, I'm Jennifer Van. I'm with Jewish Voice for Peace in Sacramento. And I strongly oppose this bill.

Hello, my name is Alex Day. I'm a teacher at Berkeley High. I'm part of Berkeley Federation of Teachers for Palestine, a rank and file group. And I oppose AB 715.

Good evening. Jamari Calloway, also at Berkeley High. Also with Berkeley Federation of Tutors for Palestine. And I also strongly oppose AB17. Thank you.

My name is Stephanie. I'm a 16 year public high school social studies teacher, UC Berkeley. PLI graduate, 2023. And a Member of Berkeley Federation of Teachers and Teachers for Palestine. This bill will not make Jewish kids safe. Please position on the bill. Please support.

Hello, I'm Mindy Spat. I'm a Jewish grandmother. I'm a Member of Orshalom Jewish community. I'm a volunteer with Faith in Action here. Representing both myself and the Harvey Milk Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Democratic Club. The club and myself oppose very strongly this bill. Anti Semitism is based in ignorance.

Thank you. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Carla Schick. I'm a Member of Quit Coalition for Liberated Ethnic Studies. CTA retired. And a proud 30 year veteran Jewish and queer teacher and mentor. Whose students thrive with a critical thinking education, including Palestine. Please see your position. Oppose this bill.

Good evening. I'm Lori Wager, retired UESF and CTA teacher. Elementary school all the way up to college. Also a Jewish Member of the Jewish community or shalom. Faith in Action. Strongly oppose this bill. Huge mistake.

My name is Liz Price. I'm the mother of a ninth grader in the California public school system. And I strongly oppose this extremely frightening and dangerous bill.

Michael Lyon, a Jewish teacher who remembers when the church wanted creation science in the schools. Jewish Voice for Peace. American Federation of State, County Municipal Employees. No. 1 censorship. No on this bill.

My name is Kathy Burek. I'm a Member of Jewish Voice for Peace. And a City College of San Francisco faculty union Member where I've taught for 46 years. I strongly support student safety, but I oppose the harm that censorship causes. I oppose the.

Can you state your position please on the bill?

Strongly oppose it.

Okay, that's good enough. Thank you. Good evening. Yes, again. Name, organization, position on the bill. We have many people waiting outside and we're going to get through everyone. So name organization, position on the bill. Out of respect for everyone. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Sharon Fritsch. I'm from the Chico Palestine Advocacy and Information Network. I oppose the bill. Thank you.

Hello. My name is Donnie Zastrow. I'm here with C. Pain, Chico Palestine Action and Informational Network, Resistors Chico, Chico Peace Alliance, and myself as a concerned parent. And we oppose this bill.

Hi, my name is Kara Hanmetti, President of Turkish Peace and Justice Committee. We oppose the bill. Thank you.

And Jusik Palmer, I'm the treasurer of the Jewish Democratic Club for the Greater Sacramento region, and I urge you to vote yes on AB 715. Thank you.

Bruce Palmer, representing the Jewish Federation of the Greater Sacramento Region in strong support of AB 715. Thank you.

Brenda Borge, active CTA, retired teacher, and I urge support of this bill.

Hi, I'm Dana Schwartz, a Jewish woman and psychotherapist, a mother, a grandmother of children who attended or are attending California public schools. I also represent the Middle East Peace Committee of Kehla Community Synagogue in Oakland, and we strongly oppose this bill. It will help nothing. Thank you.

I'm David Schonholtz with JCRC Bay Area. I'm a Berkeley resident who is terrified for Jewish students in California. I strongly support this bill. Please.

Thank you. Name, organization, position on the bill again.

Hi, I'm Jeremy Durazo. I'm with JCRC Bay Area, and as a parent, I strongly support this bill. Thank you.

My name is Alisa Kang. I live in Sacramento, California, and I strongly oppose this bill.

Dave Passavoy, California taxpayer and voter. I am very pro this bill.

My name is Greg Grunwald. I'm a counselor here at McClatchy High School, and I support this bill.

My name is Nathan Dozert. I am an outside vendor for STEM education in schools, work on a number of schools in the area. I oppose this bill. Will not solve what it's.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Ruth Fletcher. I'm the Board Chair for Jewish Silicon Valley, and I strongly support this bill. Thank you.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Jennifer Rader. I'm an educator in West Contra Costa Unified School District and a Member of Congregation Beth El in Berkeley, and I strongly oppose this bill.

Hi, my name is Margie Hutchison. I am a parent of kids who went through the Berkeley public school system and a Member of Kahila Community Synagogue. I strongly oppose this bill.

Hi. Barbara Wenger, West Contra Costa Unified educator. I strongly oppose the bill.

Allison Brauning, a disappointed Member of the California Teachers Association, and I support this bill.

Alain Rivier from Eureka, California, Chair of the Hubble Progressive Democrats. And I strongly oppose this bill.

Lawrence Abbott, Lathrop, California, Jewish Voice for Peace, in strong opposition to this bill. It's terrible.

Good evening, Chair and Members Derek Lennox, on behalf of the California county superintendents, in respectful opposition.

Paula Rainey, Alameda. Alameda Family and Friends for Collective Liberation and Northern California Seville Ecumenical Organization. I strongly oppose this bill.

Hi, my name is Dylan Castleton. I'm with Jewish Voice for Peace and Taxpayers Against Genocide. I'm a parent of a junior at Berkeley High School, and my wife and daughter and I all oppose this bill very, very much. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Monique Mcdaniel. I'm a California Faculty Association Member as well as an ethnic Studies educ at SAC State Folsom Lake College and Sierra Community College, and I strongly oppose this bill.

Hello, My name is E.J. Price. I'm a former graduate of Sac State University, and I am a family Member to many teachers, and I strongly oppose this bill. Thank you.

My name is Martin Putnam. I'm a lawyer and Chairman of the Gaza Group at Indivisible East Bay. Also proud grandparent of three children, Oakland Public Schools. I strongly oppose this bill. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Olivia Labrasca. I'm just a person and I oppose this bill.

Hi, I'm Emily Alma. I am the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors and a Member of the Chico Palestine Action and Information Network. I oppose this bill and represent many people who do.

Hello, my name is Sarah Connor. I'm a rank and file Member of SEIU 1021, working in the Sacramento City Unified School District, and I'm the Chair of the International Committee of the Democratic Socialists of America Sacramento Chapter. I oppose this bill.

Hello, this is Farzad Kilmer, and I have two sons that I'm raising by myself on autism, and one of them is low functioning. The reason I mentioned that is because there was dozens and dozens of people in the line that wanted to vote no, but had to go home because of their family situations.

I please ask you to strongly vote no or at least abstain. Thank you so much.

Good evening. My name is Michael Bachelder. I'm from San Mateo, California, and I'm a Member of Jewish Voice for Peace, and I and JVP strongly oppose this bill.

Hello, my name is Karis Kazako Taylor. I'm a teacher in the Berkeley Unified School District, and I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Azra Haley with Jewish Voice for Peace, Sacramento, and I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Candace Youngblood, and I'm a public high school teacher, and I strongly oppose this bill. Y' all should be embarrassed of yourselves. Okay, that's enough. Thank you.

Hi there. My name is Lee Howard. I'm from Corta Madera, California. I'm a parent in the Larkspur Corta Madera School District. A parent in the Tam Unified School District. I'm a UC Berkeley grad and I support this bill. Thank you.

Good evening. I'm George Landau. I'm 92 plus years old and I've gone through World War II and survived both the German part and the Russian part. I'm a former board Member of the Reed School District and I strongly, strongly support this bill. Thank you.

Hello. My name is Dr. Rhonda Rios Kravitz. I'm a retired dean from Sacramento City College and a former Professor at Sacramento State. And I am here on behalf of our friends at the University of California Student Association representing over 230,000 undergraduate students across nine UC campuses and Alianza and Sacramento Immigration Coalition.

And we strongly, strongly oppose this bill.

Hi, this is Sue Saunders. I strongly oppose the bill and I'm in Jewish Voice for Peace Sacramento and I'm also associated with Congregation Bene Israel in Sacramento. We strongly oppose the bill. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Alice Finan. I'm from Humboldt County, Blue Lake, California. I am an educator. I was a co Director at Mistwood Educational Center where I'm still on the board. I'm here representing my two teenage children who have and are going through a public high school education. I am representing Humboldt for Palestine, a.

Collective dedicated to the total liberation of Palestine. And we all strongly oppose this bill. Thank you.

Hello. My name is Genevieve Amadouri Arcata, California resident, mother of three Palestinian American children, with family currently enduring criminal apartheid. Worse than criminal apartheid, criminal occupation, settler colonialism in Palestine. I oppose the supremacist censorship and genocide whitewashing bill.

Good evening. My name is Johan Van Denorthe, a former lecturer, a retired lecturer at Fresno State. I'm a Member of CFA and I oppose this bill. I think it's a bad bill.

Hello. I am Carrie Aced. I drove up from Ventura left at 8 this morning. Because I felt so strongly it was important to be here to share my thoughts. I am an educator and my family are Jewish. Anti Zionist. All of us strongly stand against allowing basically fascist right wing censorship to rewrite our.

Please name again. Name and position on the bill. Name, organization, position on the bill. I just want to remind everyone we're trying to get through. Everyone.

We couldn't hear it out there, but thank you.

Yes, my name is Jess Arrigo. I'm here as an individual. I live in Sacramento County. I'm here as an individual who went to California Public School where I was lied to about the Irish potato.

My name is Alana Moakler. I am a graduate of California Public Schools and a Member of Yolo for Palestinian justice and Woodland for Peace. I'm also here representing someone, Teresa Robinson, who is a credentialed school nurse and a Member of California Teachers Association. She was in line, but due to the delay she had to leave.

And I would like to express both of our strong, strong opposition to AB 715. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Ranjit Tate. I'm with Jewish Voice for Peace and with the Alliance of South Asians Taking Action. I'm also a parent and I do not want my children's humanitarian.

Please, your position on the bill. There you go. Okay.

Basil Ayesh. I'm the son of Palestinian Nakba survivors who want my children to have their and current reality honestly discussed in the classroom without fear, censorship, discrimination or the denial of Israel's current genocide. I'm also a Member of Arab Resources and Organizing Committee action and oppose this censorship bill.

Hi, my name is Sanam Dusamad, I live in Sacramento. I'm an educator counselor and I oppose this bill.

Thank you again because we have new folks that are coming in it's name, organization and position on the bill. We're trying to get through everyone I know there's some people that that can't stand for very long that are leaving. So out of respect for them, please name organization, position on the bill.

Thank you. Eva Crisanti, Marin County Confidential.substack.com I strongly oppose this pro censorship bill. AB 715. Thank you.

Mohammed Misalam. I came from Stockton as individual. I oppose no on ABC 715.

Good evening, Senators. My name is Seth Schlussel with the Anti Defamation League representing Northern California and I strongly support this bill. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Noah Levitt. I'm a Jewish father of four public school kids. My wife is a public school teacher and I oppose this bill.

Hi, my name is Andrew Youssef. I'm a resident of San Francisco and a Member of the Democratic Socialists of America, San Francisco and I strongly oppose this bill. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Samantha Stringer. I'm a resident of Sacramento, California and I am a Member of Jewish Voices for Peace and I strongly oppose this bill.

Good evening, my name is Sam Alpedy. I'm a Member of the Democratic Socialists of America, San Francisco and I strongly oppose this bill.

Good evening, I'm Emily Cody. I'm an attorney in San Francisco. I'm a graduate of LAUSD schools and currently a student at the City College of San Francisco. I strongly oppose this bill.

Hi, I'm Sarah and I'm a Sacramento resident. I'm also a SAC State alumni and I strongly oppose this bill.

Hi, my name is Amna Kara and I say no on AP750. I'm from Stockton, by the way.

Hi, I'm Monica Concha Alvarez. I'm an anthropology major at Sacramento State University and I strongly oppose this bill. Thank you.

My name is Andrea De Castro. I'm also an anthropology major at SAC State and I'm part of Students for Justice in Palestine. I strongly oppose this bill.

Good evening. My name is Kaveh Rad. I live in Oakland. I'm a retired engineer. I'm an Iranian American of both Jewish and Muslim ancestry. I strongly oppose this bill. Thank you.

Hello, I'm Naseem Raad. I'm in strong opposition to this bill. Thank you.

I'm Casey Southard. I'm a Member of the Yolo County chapter of the Democratic Socialist Association from America and I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is M. Plouffe and I am also a Member of the Yolo DSA chapter and I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Skyler Blakesley. I'm from Davis, California, Member of Yolo DSA. I oppose this bill.

Hi, my name is Dr. Amira Kot. I am an equity and wellness consultant with rida, a nonprofit in Sacramento that serves Middle Eastern refugees fleeing war and genocide. I, as an American, as an Egyptian American, this bill.

Thank you. My name is Manushi Verasingha, local business owner and proud Sri Lankan American. As a witness of the long term effects of genocide in Sri Lanka during the Tamil genocide. I strongly oppose this bill.

On behalf of Students for Justice in Palestine at Davis, SAC State, SF State, Dominguez Hill, Stanford, Long Beach, Yale, San Jose, Berkeley, Northridge, usf, Chico State, Occidental, UCLA, San Diego, San Marcos, Irvine, De Anza, Riverside, Santa Cruz, and a Palestinian student myself who did not have these, who did not get any sympathy for my history.

I oppose this bill.

Lana Dawood. And I am a Palestinian student at. Sacramento State and I'm also part of the SJP there and I strongly oppose this bill.

Leslie Zeiger, Jewish mother with kids in public schools in Santa Clara County, Member of Collective for Inclusive Education. I strongly oppose this censorship education bill.

Hi, I'm Dr. Ronnie Zeiger, parent of kids in Santa Clara County Public Schools, a Member of the Collective for Inclusive Education and a descendant of Holocaust victims And I strongly oppose this bill. It's bad for all of us.

My name is Dominique Williams. I am a mother, a credentialed history, social science teacher and professional learning provider who's been vilified. I'm a Sacramento State ethnic studies graduate student and organizer. I piloted ethnic studies in the Sacramento City Unified School District and work on AB 2016, and I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Monica. I'm a credentialed teacher, part of the. First ethnic Studies master's program, cohort at SAC State, advisor for the grassroots organization Brown Issues, and a constituent of Senator Christopher Cavaldon, and I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Nicole Romfola. I'm a student of the inaugural cohort of Ethnic Studies at California State University, Sacramento, and I strongly oppose the this bill.

My name is Robin Kelly Denton. I'm a first generation college student and a graduate student of the Ethnic Studies inaugural program at California State University, Sacramento, and the wife of an educator in the Sacramento City Unified School District, and I strongly oppose this bill.

Hello, my name is Zeynep Abdullah. I'm an ethnic studies adjunct Professor and a current graduate student in the first ethnic studies master's program at Sacramento State, and I strongly oppose this bill. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Natalie Freestone. I'm a researcher in microbiology, a student at SAC State, a Member of SJP at SAC State, and I strongly oppose this bill.

Hey, I'm Benny Tran. I'm a student at Sacramento State, Member of Students for Justice in Palestine there, and I strongly oppose this bill.

Hello, my name is Dimitri. I am a Jewish Member of California State University chapter of Sacramento Students for Justice for Palestine. I astonishedly refuse and against this Anti Semitic bill.

Hi, my name is Alyssa Leva, community organizer from Stockton Stands, Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities, Central Valley BIPOC Coalition and Working Class Unity. We strongly oppose this bill.

Hello, I'm Damaris Leyva with Stockton Stands and I strongly oppose this bill. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Hanina Butawila, I'm with KRSBCC and I strongly oppose this bill.

Hello, I'm Fozia Farouk from the Council on American Islamic Relations, Sacramento Valley, Central California. I'm the policy coordinator there and we strongly oppose this bill.

Hello, my name is Omar Mohamedi from the Council of American Islamic Relations, Sacramento Valley in Central California, and we strongly oppose this bill.

Hello, my name is Riaz Mojadiri. I'm also from the Council of Islamic Relations, and we strongly oppose this bill.

Hi, I'm Deborah Condon. I'm a ESL teacher and Member of Jvp, Jewish Voice of Peace. And. And I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Joseph Kunkel. As a Jewish American undergraduate student at the University of California, Riverside. My grandfather having been a multi time elect for the Jewish chair at the Marin Interfaith Council, being related to those who suffered the ultimate cost of anti Semitism in the Holocaust.

Your position on the bill please?

I strongly oppose this bill.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Maya Steinhardt. I'm a special education teacher in Sacramento Unified School District, a CTA NEA Member as well as a Member of Jewish Voice for Peace. And I strongly oppose this bill.

Hi, my name is Dean Freeman. I am an Israeli American Jew and I strongly oppose this bill.

I'm Darian Delou. I'm with the Sacramento branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. I'm a credentialed teacher secondary in California. We strongly oppose this bill.

Hi, I'm Nikki Jones. I'm just a. I was a student of the school system and have a lot of loved ones who both teach and are being taught in it. And we all strongly oppose this bill.

Hi, I am David Blumenfeld Bridge. I am Professor Emeritus of mathematics. I have taught in Oklahoma, Baltimore and Pittsburgh. I have classroom experience and I know the importance of safety.

Please share your position on the bill.

That being said, I know the importance.

Please share your position on the bill. Please share your position on the bill. Do you have a position to share on AB 715, sir?

Therefore, strongly support AB 715.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Professor Emeritus Oricritz. Hello. There is no room for hate in education. I strongly support the bill.

Good evening. My name is Susan Kitchell. I'm a San Francisco resident. I am the daughter of two Holocaust survivors and I am coming just shy of 30 years as a CTA Member. I wholeheartedly support this bill, and you should, too.

Good evening. Jonathan Bennoun, concerned community member who have seen multiple people, young and old, attacked in our community, physically and verbally. Please vote yes on this bill. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Renzan Dallas. I am an ethnic studies educator through Panay Pinoy Educational Partnerships and a student at San Francisco State University. I strongly oppose AB 715 due to its inaccurate. Complete. Thank you. Thank you.

Hi. My name is Rosario Macijilis. I'm a resident of Daly City, California, an arts and culture commissioner of Daly City. I'm a student and staff Member at San Francisco State University, coordinator with Pinoy Panay Educational Partnerships and the Filipino Mental Health Initiative of San Francisco, and I strongly oppose this bill.

Good evening. My name is Eve Hirschkoff. I'm a member of Jewish Voice for Peace Bay Area and the daughter of Holocaust survivor. I strongly oppose this bill and urge you to vote no. Thank you.

Hello, my name is Dr. Abdoul Malik Draydar. I'm a resident of Elk Grove, California, and I strongly oppose this bill.

Good evening. My name is Maysoon Lisbah. I'm a resident of Elk Grove, California, and a concerned citizen and taxpayer, and I strongly oppose this bill.

Hello, my name is Sabeel Khan, and I'm a member of the Muslim community of Sacramento, and I strongly oppose this bill.

And a reminder for those folks that just came in, we're doing name, organization, position on the bill. We want to make sure we get through everybody that came here to speak.

Hi, my name is Jorge Pacheco Jr.

I'm a California certified certificated public school teacher specializing in Native studies, and elected trustee of the Santa Clara County Board of Education, a proud member of the Maya American, Korean American, Salvadoran American communities, an incoming PhD in education student at Claremont Graduate University and a future parent of public school students here in California, and President of the California Latino School Board Association, representing school board members all across the state.

And on behalf of CLSBA, we strongly oppose this bill. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Maimona Silberta. I am the President of the Santa Clara County Board of Education, speaking in my personal capacity. I'm also a California credentialed special education teacher. And longtime local CTA chapter union leader espoused to a member of the California Teachers Association, an organization that opposes this bill.

A proud public school parent delegate for the California School Boards Association, another organization that also opposes this bill and strongly opposing AB 715.

Good evening. My name is Lane Begay. I'm an indigenous from the Navajo Nation and I'm a future parent of public school kids and a partner to an educator. And I strongly oppose this bill.

My name is Ella Roberts. I'm about to teach science at the junior high or high school level. I have grandchildren and children and great grandchildren who attended Sac City Unified School District. And my organization is the Peace and Freedom Party Central Committee. And I oppose this bill.

Good evening. Carlos Machado with the California School Board Association CSBA as opposed to SB RAB 715. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Tayeba and I'm talking on behalf of Islamiya Mosque in Concord. Islamic center of North California in Oakland. Jafariya Islamic Society of Quaday in California. Shia Association of Bay Area Shia Itna Ashari Islamic Jamaat of Los Angeles. Zainabiya Islamic Society in Claremont. Institute of Islamic Philosophy and Mystical Thought in Panaruma City.

Masjid Al Fatima in Orangeville. And on behalf of everybody, all the members of those organization, we strongly oppose this bill. Thank you.

Good evening, Madam Chair and members. Tristan Brown with CFT Union of Educators and Classified Professionals here tonight in respectful opposition for slightly different rationale, but dedicated to working with the Legislature to making sure every child feels safe on our campuses. Thank you.

Diana Vu, on behalf of the Association of California School Administrators office, also in respectful opposition. Thank you.

Good evening. Eric Paredes with the California Faculty Association on behalf of our 29,000 members who work in the California State University system, in respectful opposition. Thank you.

Hello. Eric Ellis and I strongly oppose this Zionist bill. Thank you.

Good evening. Rabbi Ben Herman, Mosaic Law Congregation Thousand families strongly in favor of this bill to fight antisemitism.

Hello, I'm Anna Bell. I go to SAC State and I strongly oppose this bill.

Hi, my name is Ahmed Yunus. Moved here from Socan three years ago. Saint Lue in Sacramento. Strongly oppose this bill. We are trying to rewrite the history. Let's not do that.

Hey, Chair, members. David Bocarley, the Executive Director of JPAC. We are the proud sponsors of this bill and we are proud to be able to say that we have the largest coalition of Jewish organizations to ever support a California bill. We have 70 organizations on in support. I apologize in advance, but because of the late notice,

not all of them could be here and I want to make sure they're all named. [David lists all organizations he represents]. Thank you so much. We urge your support.

Aubrey Rodriguez with ACLU California Action and strong opposition. I just want to I'm here available for technical assistance to answer any questions about first speech and our position. Thank you.

Hello, My name is Leah Pamela Miller Restivo. I'm the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors. I'm representing the Santa Cruz County Jewish Community. I'm a former California public school teacher of children with special needs and former chairperson for the Santa Cruz County Head Start Policy Council.

I'm the mother to five not just religiously but immutably ethnic Jewish children who have all experienced anti Semitism in the California public school system and including Lev Miller Ruderman, right here. And we are in strong support of AB 715. Thank you.

Henry Stern, Los Angeles, one of your colleagues thanking everyone for this peaceful gathering here today and respectfully supporting the bill.

I'm Jesse. I'm the dad of three Jewish boys in public school. I love them more than anything and I strongly support this bill.

Alrighty. Are there any other speakers, Mr. Zbur? Okay, it looks like we have gone through the full list. I'm going to go ahead and turn it back now to the members of this committee for discussion and questions. Does anybody have any questions or comments that would like to begin? Senator Choi.

Thank you, Chair. It has been a long night, very, I guess, controversial item. I have a couple of questions, but let me try to limit to one- one- one question and make my comments on that bill.

We only received a new language for this bill last night at about 6 o' clock and ultimately I wonder if we should be supporting such big changes to this bill when the public has had less than 24 hours to to read the new language and contact the committee in support or opposition.

Can you explain now what the conversations you've had with the opposition since the July 1st amendments and why we are seeing this new version of the bill only two days before the deadline to pass all bills to the Governor?

So after the- before the recess when we made the decision to postpone the initial hearing, the Education Committee and the pro tem's office engaged in extensive meetings with all the key stakeholders to obtain their input on the bill.

The bill did have, you know, we did have a bill in print before and, and we made changes to the bill, but there was extensive dialogue with the Education Committee and the pro tems office by a wide range of stakeholders.

Do you want to add anything?

I'll just add that it's not atypical, that this is not an atypical process. We have many bills that are on Shorter timelines at times and this one will continue to go through the process should we have the honor of getting it out of this committee.

I understand there was big amendments. Can you highlight the major points of amendments for us members and also public need to know.

So most of what occurred in the bill is actually pulling the bill back in a number of areas. There was a definition of antisemitic learning environment in the prior bill that was removed from the bill. We actually made changes to the bill that actually. Let me get the sheet of paper.

Yeah.

We had sections in the Bill that had been actually recommended by the education—many of the education stakeholders—originally to put in California Department of Education standards related to how you deal with controversial topics. There had been two portions of the Bill related to that.

That—those—sections of the Bill were taken out of the Bill and replaced with some standards that were put into the Bill, already existing sections of the law related to how you—some guard posts related to what's our appropriate instructional materials and what's appropriate instruction that's consistent with existing standards and with existing California case law.

We made—the biggest change was the creation of the Office of Civil Rights, which is before we actually had an Anti-Semitism Coordinator that was part of the Bill. Some of the input that we had was that it's appropriate to focus on discrimination from all communities that are protected under Section 220 of the Education Code.

And so, one of the comments that we had had on the Bill was that we should actually expand those protections. So, the Bill does create an Office of Civil Rights within which an Anti-Discrimination Coordinator is created. There is another bill that will actually create other discrimination prevention coordinators within the Office of Civil Rights.

And so, that is the main big change. But much of the responsibilities of the Anti-Semitism Coordinator were already in the prior version of the Bill, and I can go into detail if you'd be interested in that. But those are, I think, the key, the key areas.

Senator.

Yeah. Before you say anything, let me ask you opposition witnesses. Since we have had less than 24 hours to read this Bill and discuss with the stakeholders, I would like to ask you, opponents, what amendments were taken that address your concerns?

Can I just respond briefly to some of the comments before I answer?

I'm sorry. So.

You can answer to my question, what the.

For both the support and opposition, unless the Committee Member goes and asks a question directly, I want to avoid doing the back and forth. So, I just want to flag that. So, Senator Choi, do you have a question for the opposition?

I ask that question.

Okay.

Yeah. Since you had less than 24 hours to read this Bill and discuss it with the US stakeholders, I would like to ask you, the opponents, what amendments were taken that address your most concerns?

This has been, you know, a tough conversation, certainly. I think we've had a lot of conversation with the Chair of your Committee, with the Pro Tem's office. There were some major changes to, for example, as was mentioned, the definition of an anti-Semitic learning environment.

There were problematic, very limiting, I would say, comments about how you had to speak about Israel, how you had to speak about Palestine, how you had to speak about the Israel Palestine conflict. And we were very concerned with a lot of that language. It's changed now to language that is also concerning.

So, it's changed now to this phrase "factually accurate" that we think will also create a lot of problems about what's going on in our schools. The author mentioned that this phrase "factually accurate" is currently in the law.

To be clear, the State Board of Education, when they're adopting instructional materials, uses that term as one of the criteria when they're evaluating curriculum that they want to adopt. That's a very different phrase than what's in the Bill. What's in the Bill says all instruction will be factually accurate.

And we're very concerned with what the wide ranging implications are of making that very significant change to how our public schools operate.

You think about, for example, in an English language arts class, if, you know, if you're trying to analyze fiction with students, but now we have a piece of law that says all instruction must be factually accurate. What are the implications in a performing arts class?

There's very widespread implications here for a comment like that, which is truly in a criteria piece that we look at when we're looking at instructional materials and we're changing it to apply to all instruction, which is a huge difference. So, we're very concerned with some of those kinds of changes that have occurred in the language.

Additionally, there is new language that's focused on personal opinion. There's phrases like "advocacy." We're concerned about how those terms are going to be used in this part of the law.

So, in other words, there was a concern. We had a big concern with controlling what's going to happen in the classroom, how teachers are going to teach, what topics you're going to be discussing, and how you're going to be discussing them, very specifically around Israel, Palestine, Israel Palestine conflict, some of those.

But now we have a set of concerns based on using different terms in this highly politicized environment. How it's going to be essentially in some school communities allowing folks who are seeking—I'm wondering, when I say advocacy in the classroom, can my identity itself in some communities in California be considered advocacy?

Like there are areas in this state, in this political climate, where you will see that weaponized, not just against public schools, but certainly directly against educators. So, we have big concerns.

Okay, listening to you, this particular Bill, in fact may open up—and I really struggled with this Bill to make up my mind, either to support or not, because AB 715 had two major concerns. Number one was this particular Bill may open up the flood of floodgate of "me too," so to speak, by different groups.

Why just Jewish group with the anti-Semitism concerns? Number two is that all day long, my phones in my Capitol office and then also district office were ringing off the hoko, you know, last couple days. And interestingly, the opponents and the support group were a little bit different.

That divided. The support people and opposition in the Capitol area and from my district, a little bit different. Different. So, in fact, I never heard about the anti-Semitism issue until I came to this country from my home country of South Korea.

And I began to wonder and I still ask around people why this issue exists in this country. And part of the answers were given by the support witnesses in the beginning. I can understand the feelings of Jewish people that are being targeted and discriminated and even children are a part and become the target of attacks.

So, you will remember that during the COVID period, Asian people were targets for Asian hate. And a lot of people were punched, shot in those bad language slurs, and then I think that the sentiment still lingers.

And then, also, historically in American history, that I don't know much about, but partially what I know is that such as Chinese immigrants who came here to help, to help lay the railroad, they were discriminated as well. So, now those kind of groups and Asian population now with Asian hate and says what about me? Me too.

I need the protection. So, the two major concerns really I had. But at a time when anti-Semitism and the other forms of hate are rising across our nation, it is vital that our schools are equipped to respond with both the clarity and the compassion.

Because if we are afraid of solving at least one segment of very prominent target of students, particularly in schools, they just start expressing their hatred without the sensitivities or they experience from schools, early age. So, I was struggling, but I thought why not we start solving one target at a time.

We may not be able to solve entire issues, but when the issue is up here, maybe we can tackle it and give it a try. So, that's what my thinking is developing right now. AB 715 strengthens our commitment to ensuring that every student feels safe, respected, and free to learn without fear of discrimination.

Even with my accent when I was running, still I have a thick accent because I came at my adult life after my college and military service and I tried to brush up, but my tongue is too thick and I I get discriminated and attacked.

Even my colleagues a long time ago, school board members, I was going to run for City Council—"Oh, you will not run for City Council with your kind of English," etc., etc. So, this Bill does not diminish anyone's rights.

It reinforces the protections that already exist and provides educators with the tools and the resources to address incidents proactively. By fostering education awareness and accountability, AB 715 will help prevent ignorance from turning into intolerance. That's what I feel. Our students deserve an environment where they can focus on their future, not fear.

For these reasons, I'm leaning toward supporting this 715. And if this is effective, then we can expand to other groups of people. I think our general law is already preventing any discrimination, any form based upon the gender, national origin, or sexual orientation or whatever religion. We all know that.

But that the general law hasn't been that effective still, that the discrimination issue is going on. So, targeting, helping certain specific group with this type of method may prove to be proven to be effective. And so, I think doing some proactive measures is better than doing nothing. So, with that, I'll be supporting this 715 tonight.

Thank you, Mr. Senator.

Thank you for your comments, Senator Choi. Did I see Senator Gonzalez?

Thank you very much. And I do want to thank the Chair and the education consultants and the authors and everyone who came to speak, because I think there were about 500 people, and I think that's what's incredible about this building is that you can have folks from all sides being able to come and speak to their truth.

And I really appreciate that, regardless of agreements or disagreements, I think that's really important. And this is a very, very tough topic. I'll tell you. For me, I'm the Chair of the Latino Caucus here, 38 members strong, and we have been working—gosh, how many meetings have we had?

I'm laughing because they were about 20 meetings we have had. This is not lost on me that this is not—this is a very difficult subject. It's been a lot of late nights, a lot of pain, a lot of hurt cries between legislators really trying to get it right, and discussions with, of course, our education partners.

I just got off the phone not too long ago with CTA President, David Goldberg, speaking with CFT, talking to CSBA, ensuring that I'm talking to educators in my own family and educators who are texting me left and right because they feel so passionate about this issue.

I want Jewish students to feel as supported as Palestinian students, as Arab students, as Muslim students. I don't know if many people know my family is not just Mexican. They're also of Arab descent as well, and I really take that to heart. I really do. And so, this is why this is, this is hard.

And I can't tell you how deep it feels for so many of us to see the devastation happening in Gaza, to see the devastation and hurt in Israel, and to see your friends that are just pouring their hearts out on all sides. It personally hurts for all of us. I just want to, to start there.