AB 715 Heads to Governor Newsom’s Desk. Help Us Stop it.
In the early hours of the morning this past Saturday, Assembly Bill (AB) 715—a bill that CFA members have been adamantly opposed to—passed the Assembly Floor and made its way to the governor’s desk.
We urge you to tell Governor Gavin Newsom to veto the bill by adding your signature here.
Despite its current trajectory towards being signed into law, we want to take a moment to recognize our members and allies who worked tirelessly to delay this bill time and time again and push its authors to rewrite multiple versions.
Although this bill passed both legislative chambers, nine legislators—champions of CFA—sided with California teachers and abstained from voting.
Theresa Montaño, CFA Teacher Education Caucus tri-chair and CSU Northridge professor, has been vocal about her opposition to AB 715. She continues to share the serious implications of the bill in spite of its many considerable revisions.
“This bill, in its current form, will still have a chilling impact on classroom teachers who are already facing lawsuits, censorship, and threats to their ability to facilitate critical discussions on important and timely current events,” Montaño said. “Teacher discourse on Palestine or the genocide in Gaza will be policed, misrepresented, and reported to the antisemitism coordinator. Today, it’s Palestine. Tomorrow, will it be the ‘rainbow flag,’ your ‘Black Lives Matter poster,’ or your ‘ICE out of LA’ t-shirt? The question of equal protection for all students remains a concern.”
Montaño also noted that it is both unjust and absurd that per the bill on the Governor’s desk, only one anti-racist coordinator would be required for over 70% of the California student population. She raised concern that this bill was given support despite its authors admitting it had problems and several legislators pointing out its flaws.
Unfortunately, many of our legislators have been misled about the bill’s real impact. While its language may appear to promote inclusion and safety, it will instead surveil and censor our stakeholders.
“Thank you to those who stayed off the bill and listened to the education community, who will now live with the consequences of this dire piece of legislation,” said Montaño. “We must not rest; tell Governor Newsom to veto AB 715.”
Please add your signature here telling the governor to veto the bill and prevent the enactment of legislation that would erode academic freedom and free speech.
Our fight against AB 715 has always been a broader fight to uphold academic freedom, free speech, and the ability to challenge our students to inquire more deeply about their studies. Our work continues, and we will ensure our students can pursue knowledge freely without fear or constraint.
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