I taught for nearly 40 years. Here’s why I oppose Dawn Addis’ ethnic studies bill | Opinion

Imagine sitting in a classroom where only part of your story is allowed to be told.

Assemblymember Dawn Addis’ AB 1468, claiming to address antisemitism, may silence voices that have fought for decades to be heard. This bill represents more than legislation — it’s an attack on the heart of ethnic studies: empowering marginalized communities to share their truths.

At a time when the Trump administration is illegally arresting foreign students for supporting Gaza, AB 1468 continues this disturbing trend by attempting to limit what can and cannot be discussed in California schools. Cosponsored by Assemblymember Rick Zbur (D-Los Angeles) and state Sen. Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park), this legislation threatens to reduce ethnic studies into a shadow of what it could— and should — be.

In a commentary published in The Tribune, Addis claims that ethnic studies was originally introduced without standards, and needs guidance because it has “Allowed some ethnic studies courses to be manipulated into pushing political agendas that glorify Hamas, perpetuate antisemitic tropes and denigrate Jewish people.”

Yet she does not define what constitutes antisemitism. Ethnic studies was never meant to be about comfort; it was meant to reflect the beauty, pain and struggles of diverse communities. AB 1468, however, insists on narrowing ethnic studies to the “domestic experience of marginalized groups.”

What does this mean for Palestinian Americans and students from other countries whose history is deeply intertwined with global struggles and whose voices may now be deliberately excluded?

The UC Ethnic Studies Faculty Council, representing 300 scholars, argues this restriction isn’t accidental — it’s censorship. This bill limits discussions on U.S. trade policies driving immigration, global environmental resistance and the harrowing impact of Israeli settler colonialism on Palestinian lives.

Assemblymember Addis has said that ethnic studies courses “have torn communities apart.” But it isn’t ethnic studies that divides — it’s policies like this that pit communities against each other by deciding whose stories are worth telling.

Opposition to AB 1468 is passionate and broad. Educators, including advocacy groups, and community leaders have risen against what they see as a dangerous precedent:

• The California Teachers Association (CTA) is expected to oppose the bill.
• United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) has overwhelmingly rejected this bill, calling it “an attack on the very foundation of ethnic studies.”
• The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has labeled this effort part of a larger agenda to suppress vital conversations about race, justice, and history, saying, “It strips control from educators, imposes political censorship, and erases critical histories — including the Israeli occupation of Palestine.”

AB 1468 mandates that curriculum decisions shift from educators — those who know their students best — to political bodies and advisory groups often lacking expertise. Among these groups are organizations such as the Jewish Public Affairs Committee (JPAC), whose “antisemitism” definitions conflate criticism of Israel with prejudice against Jewish people.

Sponsors of AB 1468 argue that it combats hate, yet their approach stifles meaningful conversation. The JPAC framework explicitly opposes critical movements like the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) and lists one of their goals as “combating delegitimization and demonization of Israel.” What does this mean for Palestinian students yearning to discuss the occupation, Gaza, and the forces shaping their identity?

In nearly 40 years of teaching, I’ve seen students transform when given the chance to tell their stories —the refugee from Beirut who found solace in sharing his journey, the young woman who bravely spoke of losing her family in Syria’s conflict. Ethnic studies isn’t just a subject. It’s a lifeline.

AB 1468 risks severing that lifeline. It tells Palestinian students their struggle doesn’t matter, that their pain is too “controversial” to discuss. How can we look these students in the eyes and say their histories are unworthy of study? If this bill passes, we won’t just lose facts — we’ll lose empathy, understanding and connection.

AB 1468 threatens to reduce ethnic studies into a sanitized version of history. It caters to political agendas, not truth. Ethnic studies should uplift, not suppress; educate, not erase. For the sake of our students and the communities they represent, lawmakers must reject this harmful legislation.

We cannot stay silent while this bill moves forward. Please write to Assemblymember Addis and

Sens. John Laird and Monique Limón. Tell them that AB 1468 is not the path forward. Together, let’s stand for education that reflects the full spectrum of our humanity.

Jill Stegman is a retired teacher. She lives in Grover Beach.