The Council on American-Islamic Relations of Arizona (CAIR-AZ), the state chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, strongly condemns Arizona House Bill 2867 (HB2867) as a dangerous attack on free speech and academic freedom and calls on Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs to veto the bill. HB2867 seeks to punish students and educators who express criticism of the Israeli government, while allowing, and thereby promoting, speech that aligns with a specific political agenda.
“HB2867 represents a deeply troubling attempt to suppress free speech by exploiting the serious issue of antisemitism,” said Azza Abuseif, Executive Director of CAIR-AZ. “It shamefully conflates legitimate advocacy for Palestinian human rights with hatred against Jewish people, a false and dangerous equivalence that undermines both free expression and the fight against real antisemitism.
“This bill blatantly discriminates against the freedom of speech of students, teachers, and administrators who engage in critical discourse around Israel’s policies, while granting unrestrained speech that aligns with a single political perspective. In doing so, it not only dehumanizes those who speak out for the Palestinian right of self-determination and dignity but runs counter to the foundational American values afforded to us by the US Constitution: free speech, academic freedom, and the right to dissent.” Said Martin Quezada, Attorney and Civil Rights Director for the CAIR-AZ
HB2867 is written so broadly and vaguely that it would chill open discussion in classrooms, punish educators for addressing international human rights, and leave schools vulnerable to lawsuits for allowing honest dialogue about Israel and Palestine. Rather than protecting students, it encourages censorship, fear, and political interference in education.
We have already seen examples of abuse. Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne recently attempted to ban organizations like Amnesty International and UNICEF from schools after students organized an event critical of Israeli policy. Under HB2867, such crackdowns would become even more common, targeting teachers and students simply for exercising their constitutional rights.
What YOU can do:
Schools already have rules in place to prevent harassment, bullying, and discrimination. These policies protect all students, including Jewish students, without silencing debate or infringing on First Amendment rights.
CAIR-AZ urges Arizonans to oppose HB2867 and demand that the governor reject censorship disguised as protection by vetoing HB2687.
CLICK HERE TO CONTACT GOVERNOR HOBBS TO REQUEST SHE VETO HB2867.
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CONTACT: CAIR Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif, 602-349-1573, aabuseif@cair.com