College is a Place for Learning, Not Hate

Over the past few years, the United States has seen a staggering increase in antisemitism. The three months following the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel saw a 360% increase in anti-Semitic incidents. From November 2023 to February of this year, 34 anti-Semitic incidents were reported every single day. Assaults, vandalism, written or verbal threats, and harassment targeting Jewish people were happening in communities across the nation. So precipitous was the increase that during those four months we saw as many anti-Semitic incidents as there had been the entire year proceeding the attacks.

Colleges too have been struggling with rising antisemitism. California is home to the third largest Jewish population globally. Yet our campuses have been rocked by a shocking increase in antisemitism that exceeds the national statistics. According to the Anti-Defamation League, there has been a 2,000% increase in anti-Semitic incidents on California college campuses since Oct. 7. In a national survey, 73% of Jewish college students surveyed reported that they had been a victim of, or witnessed, anti-Semitic incidents while at school. Fifty-five percent said they had not reported the incident due to fear of backlash. As a result, 67% of the students surveyed reported that they do not feel safe while on campus.

Dealing with antisemitism is not easy when hate speech is largely protected in the United States, which has left colleges and universities struggling to address antisemitism on their campuses. So, after a precipitous rise in antisemitic incidents on their campuses, California’s colleges and universities looked internally, asking what training and educational materials they had ready to address antisemitism.

Unfortunately, most of our campuses have neglected to include antisemitism in their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion trainings and campus climate programs. This meant that there was no one trained to recognize antisemitism when it occurred and no one had experience in combatting it. In fact, one study showed that only 18% of anti-discrimination trainings done on college campuses included training about antisemitism.

Earlier this year, I introduced AB 2925 to help rectify the situation. AB 2925 is a very simple, straightforward bill that requires California’s colleges and universities to combat discrimination by offering anti-discrimination training for the five most hate-targeted groups in the state. To do that, campuses will refer to the annual “Hate Crime in California” publication released the attorney general, which reports hate crime data required to be submitted to the attorney general by law enforcement agencies from across California.

AB 2925 has received broad, bipartisan support in both the Assembly and the Senate. It is currently pending in the Senate Appropriations Committee and will hopefully move to a vote before the full Senate later in August.

Campuses should remain places where students can speak their minds and share their thoughts but colleges and universities have a duty to ensure that their students and staff are protected from hate and that schools are welcoming of our diverse population. I very much look forward to AB 2925 becoming law in the months ahead.

What are your thoughts on AB 2925? As always, I’d like to hear your thoughts on our budget, legislation or any general comments or concerns. You can reach my district office at (818) 558-3043, or by email at Assemblymember.Friedman@Assembly.ca.gov.