The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA), along with signatories from more than 110 civil rights, education, and community-based organizations, today sent a letter to state lawmakers calling on them to honor their commitment to providing necessary clean-up legislation for newly implemented Assembly Bill (AB) 715. The letter was addressed to California Legislative Jewish Caucus co-chairs Senator Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, as well as the bill’s authors, Assemblymembers Rick Chavez Zbur and Dawn Addis.
In the letter, the Coalition emphasized that, during both the Senate and Assembly Education Committee hearings, Zbur and Addis repeatedly affirmed their “ironclad commitment” to working with education stakeholders to correct AB 715’s most concerning provisions. These assurances were made in direct response to concerns that AB 715 may be applied in ways that deter honest discussion, stifle critical inquiry, and create confusion or fear around teaching subjects that are essential to a comprehensive education.
The Coalition is requesting that the clean-up legislation be honored promptly and transparently at the beginning of the 2026 session.
In a statement, CAIR-CA Legislative & Government Affairs Director Oussama Mokeddem said:
“AB 715 was passed through a rushed process that ignored the multitude of concerns raised by educators, civil rights advocates, school administrators, and faculty organizations, with the on-record promise from its authors that the bill’s most problematic aspects would be addressed.
“It goes without saying that our opposition to AB 715 stems from concerns about classroom censorship, not from issues with its stated goal of combating the very real issue of antisemitism. We call on the Legislative Jewish Caucus and Assemblymembers Zbur and Addis to honor their commitment to addressing the bill’s implications for academic freedom, free speech, and the constitutional rights of both educators and students.
“We reiterate that AB 715 must not be used—intentionally or unintentionally—to suppress or chill instruction about Palestine or any other politically charged or historically contested topic. The fear that the original bill could be interpreted to censor criticism of any government remains one of the strongest concerns for educators statewide.”
CAIR-CA is a chapter of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR Greater Los Angeles Area Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or [email protected]; CAIR Sacramento Valley/Central California Communications Director Zaid Hisham, (916) 441-6269 or [email protected]; CAIR San Diego Executive Director Tazheen Nizam, (760) 201-7626 or [email protected]; CAIR San Francisco Bay Area Communications Manager Lorrie Adam, (408) 498-5779 or [email protected]