Friend –

California schools should be places where students learn to think critically, engage with diverse perspectives, and build understanding across differences. But AB 715 would do the opposite – censoring teachers, undermining academic freedom, chilling critical, constitutionally protected classroom discussion, and threatening freedom of speech in our public schools.

We all agree that antisemitism and all forms of discrimination must be addressed in schools. But AB 715 goes far beyond protecting students from harassment or violence. Instead, it polices what can be said in classrooms, subjects legitimate academic frameworks to overly broad censorship, and risks undermining conversations about history, identity, and human rights.

If signed, this bill would chill free expression and critical inquiry in California schools, opening the door for political censorship of curriculum and undermining educators' ability to teach with integrity.

Tell Governor Newsom to veto AB 715.

With your help, we can stop this sweeping classroom censorship bill before it becomes law and ensure schools remain spaces for critical discourse.

Thanks for taking action,

David Trujillo
Pronouns: he/his
Executive Director, ACLU California Action