AZ state legislature passes bill to crackdown on anti-Semitism in public education
Arizona lawmakers have advanced a bill that would allow students to sue public school educators for engaging in anti-Semitic conduct.
'Our schools should be places of learning, not breeding grounds for hatred and discrimination,' a bill sponsor said.
Arizona lawmakers have advanced a bill that would allow students to sue public school educators for engaging in anti-Semitic conduct, with repeat offenders risking suspension or loss of their teaching license.
The state Senate passed H.B. 2867, the Antisemitism in Education Act, by a 16–12 vote on May 28. The legislation, which also passed in the state House with bipartisan support, now heads to Gov. Katie Hobbs for approval.
H.B. 2867 adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism and prohibits teachers and administrators from promoting “antisemitic conduct…that creates a hostile educational environment.” A first offense warrants a reprimand, a second leads to suspension, and a third would revoke the educator’s certificate.
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Supporters say the bill is needed to address rising incidents of anti-Semitism in Arizona classrooms. Rep. Michael Way, the bill’s sponsor, previously told Campus Reform that he had “an inbox full of examples,” including teachers rewarding students for participating in anti-Israel protests.
“Our schools should be places of learning, not breeding grounds for hatred and discrimination,” Way said. “Arizona has zero tolerance for antisemitism.”
Republican Sen. John Kavanagh defended the bill during Senate debate, questioning which examples of IHRA-defined antisemitism opponents believe educators should be allowed to promote. “I’m curious which of these six (examples of antisemitism) those voting against this bill people think (teachers) should be able to do,” Kavanagh said.
However, Arizona’s largest teachers’ union—the Arizona Education Association—and a coalition of advocacy groups argue the bill goes too far and could chill classroom speech.
“In a state where salaries are already too low, this bill will create a powerful disincentive to teach in Arizona,” the groups wrote in a letter to Gov. Hobbs. They also criticized the bill for failing to address bigotry against other religious groups.
Democratic Sen. Analise Ortiz called the measure “a broader effort to falsely and slanderously associate advocating for Palestinian human rights with antisemitism,” which she called “dangerous and offensive.”
Campus Reform previously reported that nearly 70 anti-Israel activists were arrested at Arizona State University during an April protest, prompting local officials to emphasize the importance of upholding campus policies and the law.
Campus Reform has reached out to Rep. Michael Way, Sen. John Kavanagh, and Sen. Analise Ortiz for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
