The California Department of Education (CDE) recently issued three rulings finding that a California public school district (District) created a discriminatory environment for Jewish students and staff following incidents in 2023 and 2024 related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The findings stemmed from appeals filed by a community attorney over three separate matters: the flying of a Palestinian flag at one public high school, an unauthorized teach-in on Palestine led by District teachers, and the repeated publication of maps omitting Israel in materials for Arab American Heritage Month.
In the first case, the CDE found that flying the Palestinian flag on a school flagpole for nearly a month shortly after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack without an Israeli flag or other balancing context contributed to a perception of bias and a hostile environment for Jewish students. In the second, the CDE concluded that the December 2023 “teach-in,” which presented a one-sided, pro-Palestinian perspective and omitted Israeli or Jewish viewpoints, constituted discrimination, particularly given its timing and the heightened emotions following the outbreak of the war. In the third case, the CDE ruled that the District’s repeated dissemination of maps labeling the entire region “Palestine” and excluding Israel in official Arab American Heritage Month materials showed bias and discrimination toward Jewish persons.
The CDE also faulted the District for systemic procedural failures, including taking over a year to investigate the complaints instead of the required 60 days under state law, and refusing to provide investigative records, finding that the District’s responses “impliedly concluded” no discrimination without sufficient factual basis to support those conclusions. The state ordered multiple corrective actions, including staff training on antisemitism and bias, non-District-led professional development for social studies teachers on teaching about the Middle East, and new training for administrators responsible for communications and curriculum. In response, the District said it would begin mandatory antisemitism and bias training in December and fully implement corrective actions in coordination with the CDE.
Note: These rulings come amid broader state efforts to address antisemitism in schools, including Assembly Bill 715, which takes effect in January 2026 and will create an Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator and streamline the appeal process for discrimination complaints in public schools. The CDE’s findings in this case underscore the state’s expectation that schools ensure classroom discussions, displays, and instructional materials on controversial issues reflect balanced perspectives and do not create a hostile environment for any protected group. These findings are helpful guidance for private schools navigating similar matters on their campuses.