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Politico
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Why Sacramento is fighting over antisemitism in schools
Presented by SCHOOL SKIRMISH: California educators and Jewish advocates are publicly bashing each other over legislation meant to prevent antisemitism in schools, exposing deepening divisions over the fraught issue. With the two sides far apart, Assemblymembers Rick Chavez Zbur and Dawn Addis yanked their bill — which would penalize schools for creating antisemitic learning environments and restrict what they teach about the Israel-Gaza conflict — from today's Senate Education Committee agenda. Now, they must scramble to ease forceful opposition from progressive groups, school administrators and the powerful California Teachers Association during their month-long summer break before bringing a revised proposal back during the last weeks of session. More than a year after campus protests over the war in Gaza rocked the state, Jewish lawmakers continue to raise the alarm about rising rates of antisemitic incidents at schools. The debate over such legislation in the Capitol has been very personal and at times raw — particularly for members of the Legislative Jewish Caucus, as their proposals run into concerns about educational censorship. Progressive groups — including Indivisible California and various chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America and Jewish Voice for Peace — called the legislation 'dangerous and unnecessary' in a letter to the committee. They argue it's meant to 'repress and censor educational content and protect the state of Israel from criticism, rather than address the real problem of antisemitism.' In spite of the impasse, leaders insist they want to 'send an antisemitism bill to the Governor by the end of this year's legislative session in September.' The lawmakers only recently unveiled their latest version of the proposal, which would punish schools found to be hostile toward Jewish students and restrict how schools teach about Israel, such as banning messaging 'directly or indirectly denying the right of Israel to exist or saying that Jewish people don't belong to a country or community.' It would also create a statewide antisemitism coordinator position, another point of contention with the teachers' union because it would focus on just one group. The legislation advanced from the Assembly last month with vague placeholder language after CTA shut down an earlier version that would have limited lessons about the Gaza war in ethnic studies classes. It prompted an emotional floor discussion about antisemitism, with Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan saying through tears that 'students are being taught to hate my children … because they're Jewish in the public schools in California.' Progressives framed the delay as a win, but remained wary. Theresa Montaño, who serves on leadership of the California Faculty Association, said that the bill's crafters went from 'multiple perspectives' to 'one perspective' as they got closer to releasing the language. 'The intended motivation around this bill was particularly chilling from the beginning, when it started with ethnic studies, to this policing of classroom teachers, to now — 'We're going to come up with something, we just don't know what it is,'' Montaño said. 'That's still kind of scary to me.' The Jewish Public Affairs Committee, the main group behind the legislation, blasted the teachers union earlier in the week when the proposal's fate was in serious doubt. David Bocarsly, JPAC's executive director, said the group agreed to focus broadly on antisemitism at CTA's request, so he was dismayed that the union's opposition pointed to the antisemitism prevention coordinator position and proposed curriculum restrictions, arguing it is 'something that we don't do for any other active conflict in the world.' 'The hypocrisy is so clear — when we only have this bill in this version because they suggested it,' Bocarsly said. CTA's opposition has created tension inside and outside the union, including with its Jewish Affairs Caucus. Addis, who was a public school teacher for two decades and had 'very, very positive relationships' with CTA, said the union's position caused her to do 'quite a bit of soul searching.' She called it 'hurtful and harmful,' though she said she remains open to collaborating. 'It's really important to continue the conversation and that they look for ways to engage more constructively and bring forward ideas so that, as this bill moves forward, they can be seen as a partner with the Jewish community,' Addis said. 'That's my biggest hope.' IT'S WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check on California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to lholden@ WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY LAWSUIT WATCH: Gov. Gavin Newsom hinted that California may file yet another lawsuit against Donald Trump's administration over federal immigration action in Los Angeles' MacArthur Park. 'Yes, in fact, one of the first texts I'm going to send back is to Rob Bonta, 'cause he just reached out to me right before I jumped in here,' Newsom told reporters today in response to a question about potential legal action over the incident. 'And we've got the city one, the local ones, at the state, so there's a lot of different levers that we could pull,' the governor added. Rifle-toting agents went to the park on Monday, seemingly to create an intimidating display rather than arrest undocumented residents. The move sparked an appearance from Mayor Karen Bass, who later described the scene she encountered when she pulled up. 'I got alerted that there was an ICE operation, military intervention — who knows — at MacArthur Park. I turned around. We went to the park,' Bass said. 'I could see a helicopter in the air. I think it was a Black Hawk helicopter. And I saw military tanks.' Los Angeles city and county joined a federal class-action lawsuit on Tuesday, and California and other blue states also weighed in on the case this week, asking the court to intervene. ON THE (CAMPAIGN?) TRAIL FANCY SEEING YOU HERE: Newsom's visit to rural South Carolina today became an impromptu reunion for Republican expats eager to harp on the liberal boogeyman from their former state. The one-time Californians, braving the muggy Southern weather in MAGA gear, traded former hometowns like call signs and displayed placards — 'CA -> SC Refugees' and 'UHAUL Salesman of the YEAR' — while protesting Newsom's two morning stops in small towns nestled among rolling hills in the state's northwest corner. They were quick to mention favorite conservative talking points (gas prices, pandemic lockdowns, the French Laundry controversy) to reporters and Democrats walking in to see the governor. 'He's the governor there, yet he's here, what, running for president?' 49-year-old Brad Beach, a former school board member in Cerritos who moved to South Carolina last month, told Playbook. 'It's ridiculous. He should stay home and fix the problems there.' Newsom — who's used to being a conservative punching bag — brushed off the protests with a few cheeky remarks to 100 or so friendly attendees at both stops. 'I'm proud to be here in a county that probably doesn't overwhelmingly support some guy from California, is that about right? That's what I'm being told,' Newsom told the crowd at his first stop in Seneca, near the Georgia border. 'I mean, I can test the theory by walking the streets with you, but I don't know if you've got enough security.' — Tyler Katzenberger IN OTHER NEWS SPORTS SUIT: The Trump administration sued the state Department of Education today over a policy allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls' sports, repeating a threat to withhold billions of dollars in school funding over California's policy. The lawsuit, filed in the Central District of California, alleges that California's transgender athlete law violates Title IX, the federal civil rights law that bans sex-based discrimination. It cites Newsom's comment earlier this year that it was 'deeply unfair' for transgender athletes to compete in girls sports. 'The Governor of California has previously admitted that it is 'deeply unfair' to force women and girls to compete with men and boys in competitive sports,' Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. 'But not only is it 'deeply unfair,' it is also illegal under federal law. This Department of Justice will continue its fight to protect equal opportunities for women and girls in sports.' A spokesperson for Newsom said that both the state's Department of Education and CIF are independent from his administration and are following state law. Newsom is not named as a party in the suit. 'No court has adopted the interpretation of Title IX that is being advanced by the federal government, and neither the Governor, nor they, get to wave a magic wand and override it — unlike Donald Trump, California follows the law,' spokesperson Izzy Gardon said in a statement. X-ED OUT: Linda Yaccarino announced she is stepping down from her role as CEO of X in a post on the website today, our Aaron Pellish reports. 'After two incredible years, I've decided to step down as CEO of X,' she wrote. 'I'm incredibly proud of the X team - the historic business turn around we have accomplished together has been nothing short of remarkable.' The former NBC Universal executive joined X in 2023 shortly after Elon Musk took ownership of the social media platform. Musk and Yaccarino had spearheaded an initiative to totally remake the company — which was then known as Twitter — with the tech titan warning the platform was too 'woke.' Yaccarino praised the company and its owner in her post, and touted the features the company unveiled under her watch — including xAI. xAI is the engine behind its chatbot, Grok, which posted antisemitic content on X on Tuesday. But Yaccarino's resignation was unrelated to the Grok incident, according to a person familiar with her departure who was granted anonymity to speak freely. In response to her resignation post, Musk replied: 'Thank you for your contributions.' He has not yet indicated who would replace Yaccarino. WHAT WE'RE READING TODAY — A program that allows homeless people in Los Angeles County to earn gift cards each week they pass a drug test has gained traction in the region. (LAist) — State workers from a number of unions are approving tentative agreements after a monthslong battle to strike a deal. (Sacramento Bee) AROUND THE STATE — Los Angeles is on track to end 2025 with the lowest homicide total in almost 60 years, an LAPD tally shows. (Los Angeles Times) — San Diego has relaxed its first-in-the-nation mandate banning digital-only grocery coupons after facing pushback from grocery stores and business groups. (San Diego Union-Tribune) — A bishop in San Bernardino issued a decree exempting churchgoers from attending Sunday Mass amid heightened immigration enforcement in the region. (OC Register) — compiled by Juliann Ventura
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Here's how federal cuts could undermine free community college in Mass.
If they're signed into law by President Donald Trump, Pell Grant cuts approved by the U.S. House could upend free community college programs that are just getting started in Massachusetts. They also could saddle current and former students with more student loan debt, public higher education officials warned this week. 'We're hyper-focused on seeing the House's proposed Pell changes fail,' William Heineman, president of North Shore Community College and chair of the Community College Council of Presidents, said at a recent meeting of the state Board of Higher Education. 'Tens of thousands of our students rely on Pell Grants,' he said, adding that the changes 'would threaten the future of free community college and have a disastrous impact on our students.' The U.S. Senate's version of the bill has not made it to that chamber's floor yet, though Deputy Commissioner for Policy at DHE Michael Dannenberg said the chairman of the Senate Education Committee has rejected the Pell Grant cut put forward by the House GOP. Still, higher education officials in Massachusetts say they remain concerned about what could happen during negotiations over details of a final bill. The House version of the bill would eliminate Pell eligibility for students taking fewer than eight credits and raise the credit requirement for a full Pell award from 12 to 15. State Higher Education Commissioner Noe Ortega said those changes could directly undermine the state's free community college programs, which rely heavily on Pell awards to offset costs. 'We've got a lot of programs in Massachusetts that we call 'last dollar' programs, which are reliant on the first-dollar awards, right? And Pell Grant makes the biggest, significant impact,' Ortega said. 'Any changes that happen at the federal level with Pell Grant impacts and [put] strains on the resources that are at the state level.' Dannenberg estimated the House proposal could reduce or eliminate Pell Grant aid for approximately 45,000 Massachusetts residents, resulting in nearly $60 million in lost financial support. In response to a question from Thalles De Souza, a community college student and student voting member of the board, about how these changes could impact the state's free community college program, Ortega reiterated that the state's ability to offer tuition-free programs depends on maintaining strong federal support. 'We want to continue to offer those commitments to our students, right? So that's where I think a lot of the concerns are emanating.' Dannenberg warned the House bill would also impose significant new burdens on student loan borrowers. He said roughly 45,000 Massachusetts residents could see a 29% increase in interest rates on subsidized Stafford loans under the House changes. Additionally, 270,000 borrowers in Massachusetts already repaying loans could face higher costs under revisions to income-based repayment plans. 'The chairman of the Senate Education Committee has rejected the Pell Grant cut put forward by the House GOP,' Dannenberg noted. 'However, the Senate chairman… embraced the House cut to the student loan program, which would mean there is a high likelihood that we will see much more expensive federal student loans in the coming years.' 'So the long and short of it here,' he concluded, 'is that it's highly likely that there will be dramatic cuts to student loans. I would say it's more likely than not that the reductions in Pell Grant aid will not be seen — and it is likely that there will be an increase in the federal endowment tax for super wealthy institutions.' As the U.S. Senate prepares its final version of the bill, Massachusetts higher education officials say they are keeping a close eye on what makes it in and what's left on the cutting room floor. Massachusetts launched its free community college program last fall after state budget negotiators agreed to cover the costs with revenue from the surtax on the state's highest income households. The surtax approved in 2022 has quickly become a major source of revenue for new education and transportation investments. These 16 states are supporting the Trump admin in lawsuit with Harvard Alums urge Harvard to resist compromise with Trump as reports of deal emerge 'Devastating': 10 Harvard researchers detail 'essential' work set to be cut by Trump Federal judge halts Trump's plans to keep Harvard from enrolling foreign students Harvard researcher's work gives 'hope' for Parkinson's. But the feds cut his funding Read the original article on MassLive.
Axios
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Yee challenges Horne in GOP primary for state superintendent
State Treasurer Kimberly Yee is taking on state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne in the Republican primary, challenging him from the right over Arizona's school choice system. State of play: Yee, who is termed out, will attempt to wrest the GOP nomination from Horne as he seeks reelection. She announced her candidacy from the state Capitol Wednesday, touting her career-long dedication to education issues and pledging to "build a stronger and higher-achieving school system." Yee criticized Horne for what she called "government overreach" in his administration of the voucher-style Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program and argued that he's exceeded his legal authority in imposing restrictions on it. She also dismissed the types of excesses by some ESA parents that critics focus on as a minute fraction of a percentage of the total program. Background: Yee chaired the Senate Education Committee and focused on education issues during her 2010-2018 legislative career, as a legislative staffer and as an aide to former California Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pete Wilson. The intrigue: State Sen. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek), who leads the far-right Arizona Freedom Caucus, told reporters last month he wanted to find a GOP primary challenger for Horne, whom he called "the single greatest threat" to the ESA program. Hoffman is backing a slate of candidates for statewide offices and introduced Yee at Wednesday's press conference. Yee said parents in the school choice community had been asking her to run for superintendent well before Hoffman's recruitment efforts. Between the lines: The superintendent proposes changes to the handbook that governs the ESA program. Horne's Arizona Department of Education in March proposed changes to require a curriculum for supplemental materials; impose spending caps for expenses like computers, musical instruments and home economics appliances; and ban expenses like smartwatches, multi-person kayaks, Amazon Prime fees and certain appliances like espresso machines and freeze-dryers. The State Board of Education postponed a vote on the new handbook after about three dozen ESA parents spoke out against the changes. Horne last month asked the board to again push back the vote, saying he wanted to meet with state lawmakers who had voiced concerns to him. The other side: Horne, a longtime school choice advocate who previously served as superintendent from 2008-2011, said in a press statement Wednesday that the state education department is strongly in favor of parental choice and ESAs. But he rejected the notion that the program should be unrestricted, pointing to expenditures he's rejected like a $5,000 Rolex watch, a $24,000 golf simulator and a vasectomy testing kit. If the department approved such expenditures, it would provoke a negative public reaction and threaten the program's survivability, he said. Horne added he has a duty to responsibly manage taxpayer funds, which includes limiting ESA expenses to reasonable educational purposes.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Oklahoma Senate approves governor's new education board members
Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, left, sits next to Oklahoma State Board of Education member Mike Tinney, right, before supporting Tinney's confirmation during a Senate Education Committee meeting May 20, 2025, at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday confirmed Gov. Kevin Stitt's four new appointees to the State Board of Education along with picks for several other state leadership posts. With no discussion, senators approved the appointments of Mike Tinney, of Norman, Christopher K. Van Denhende, of Tulsa, Ryan A. Deatherage, of Kingfisher, and Becky Y. Carson, of Edmond, to serve on the state board tasked with governing the state's public school system. Gov. Kevin Stitt in February removed three prior members from the board and criticized them for creating 'needless political drama' following their vote requiring schools to collect students' immigration status. Stitt then named Deatherage, Tinney and Van Denhende to fill the vacancies, saying the board needed fresh eyes. State Superintendent Ryan Walters accused Stitt of firing the three former board members for political purposes. The three booted members had voted in line with Walters since he took office in January 2023. They approved Walters' budget requests, which included $3 million to spend on Bibles, along with controversial new rules that would require the student citizenship checks and require teachers to pass a naturalization test in order to be licensed. During the session, the Republican-controlled Legislature rejected all three proposals. In April, Stitt appointed Carson, a retired educator, to fill a seat representing Congressional District 5 that has been vacant for two years. Walters and six members appointed by the governor make up the board. During the committee vetting process, some Republican senators objected to Stitt's decision to overhaul the board's membership. Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, carried Tinney's nomination after his hometown senator, Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, declined to do so. Standridge told some media outlets she was friends with Kendra Wesson, who served on the board before being booted. In other business, the Senate confirmed John Budd of Oklahoma City to serve as the Department of Commerce CEO. Richard L. Rose of Oklahoma City was confirmed as Office of Management and Enterprise Services director. Jeffrey Cartmell of Edmond was approved to serve as Department of Human Services director. Timothy N. Tardibono of Oklahoma City was confirmed as Office of Juvenile Affairs executive director. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate panel begins negotiations with the House over how to scrap the STAAR test
A Senate panel early Friday unveiled its rewrite of the House bill that would scrap STAAR, the state standardized test widely criticized for taking instructional time away from teachers and putting pressure on students. The Senate changes kick off formal negotiations with the lower chamber as the clock is running out on the legislative session. The Senate Education Committee's rewrite reflects a gap in what the two chambers want to see out of the new state assessment — and the A-F accountability ratings that are largely calculated based on assessment results. House Bill 4 would swap the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test for a shorter test that aims to better support student learning. Students would be tested at the beginning, middle and end of the year to monitor their progress. 'By the time we get to a shorter end-of-year test, we are not concentrating this into a high-stakes anxiety game that basically has teachers and students walking a tightrope,' said Sen. Paul Bettencourt, the Houston Republican sponsoring the bill. 'I know there'll be more of this coming out of my House counterparts as we move this bill on.' The Senate amendments to the legislation absorbs much of the language from Senate Bill 1962, the Senate's own bill on testing and accountability. The House had started the session with much of that language but moved away from it after public testimony and closed-door meetings with school leaders. The House wants to grade Texas students by comparing their performance to their peers around the country in what is called a 'norm-referenced test.' Proponents of this kind of test say it allows students and their families to get results back faster. The Senate panel does not specify what grading would look like, which would allow the state to continue a rigid scale to track students' academic performance. The House also eliminated a mandatory standardized test on social studies, while the Senate chose to retain it. Students' STAAR performance is a key metric in the state's ratings of school districts and school campuses, which are graded on an A-F scale each year. School performance ratings were held up in court because of two consecutive years with lawsuits. The House's bill also left an avenue for districts to sue to challenge the Texas Education Agency in the future, but set up a fast-track court process so those lawsuits do not halt the release of the ratings. The Senate's bill, meanwhile, doubled down on discouraging schools from taking legal action again. It gives the TEA commissioner, for example, the option to appoint a conservator to districts that initiate a lawsuit. Bettencourt has repeatedly slammed districts who joined the lawsuits over the A-F ratings in the past, calling the action 'lawfare.' The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
