Protect Jewish, pro-Israel and all California students – contact your legislator today on AB-2374
AMCHA Initiative Bulletin – April 10, 2018
TAKE ACTION: For CA Residents – Please email or call your respective Assemblymember to urge them to support this critical legislation that helps protect Jewish and pro-Israel students (see this link for contact information): “As one of your constituents, I urge you to support AB – 2374, the Free Speech on Campus Act of 2018, which seeks to protect and encourage free speech, tolerance and respect on UC, CSU and California Community College campuses. This bill will go a long way to restoring civility and respect on our state’s campuses and upholding the pillars of higher education.”
CA AB-2374 Helps Protect
the Free Speech and
Full Participation in Campus Life
of Jewish, Pro-Israel and ALL students
Illustrative photo – Shutdown of a 2017 pro-Israel event by protesters at the University of California, Irvine who entered the event and shouted loudly and continuously, explicitly stating to speakers, “You people…should not be allowed on this f*****g campus!” The event was effectively ruined and attendees and speakers had to be escorted safely out by police. Source Credit: Gary Fouse
Over the past year, there has been a sharp spike in acts of hatred and intolerance targeting a wide range of individuals with differing identities. Sadly, we are witnessing an unprecedented unwillingness to accept, or merely recognize and respect, differences. And our research and monitoring indicate this is most problematic on college campuses, where one group’s freedom of expression is being used to denigrate, harass, intimidate and shut down the expression of another.
While AMCHA’s focus is on protecting Jewish students from intolerant behavior that is antisemitic, we believe the entire campus benefits when all students are ensured equal protection from exclusionary behavior that would deprive them of their freedom of expression and full participation in campus life. To this end we have been working with universities across the country to encourage the adoption of adequate and equitable responses to exclusionary behavior, as well as the implementation of educational initiatives to help students understand their rights and responsibilities with respect to the First Amendment and encourage tolerant and respectful behaviors that allow for the expression of a wide range of opinions, views and identities.
Now a bipartisan bill has been introduced by Assemblymen Kevin Kiley (R-6th) and Bill Quirk (D-20th), to codify this approach into law. The Free Speech on Campus Act of 2018 (AB – 2374), calls on campuses of the California Community Colleges, California State University, and University of California to create and disseminate statements that affirm the importance of free expression. It also encourages the development of programs to educate students about the value of tolerance and freedom of thought and inquiry on a college campus.
Last week, Tammi Rossman-Benjamin, the director of AMCHA Initiative, served as an expert witness at a hearing before the California State Assembly’s Committee on Higher Education in support of AB – 2374. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Committee overwhelmingly approved the bill. It will now be voted on by the full California Assembly and we need your help.
TAKE ACTION: For CA Residents – Please email or call your respective Assemblymember to urge them to support this critical legislation that helps protect Jewish and pro-Israel students (see this link for contact information): “As one of your constituents, I urge you to support AB – 2374, the Free Speech on Campus Act of 2018, which seeks to protect and encourage free speech, tolerance and respect on UC, CSU and California Community College campuses. This bill will go a long way to restoring civility and respect on our state’s campuses and upholding the pillars of higher education.”
A video outlining how Jewish, pro-Israel and other students are impacted by intolerant and exclusionary behavior that seeks to suppress their freedom of expression and full participation in campus life.
