California School District Ethnic-Studies Committee Awash in Antisemitism, Lawsuit Alleges

Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) officials and hired consultants conspired to keep Jewish community members in the dark about ethnic-studies courses on the grounds that, as Jews, they are inherently racist and would disrupt plans to enlighten the student body, according to a new filing in an ongoing lawsuit.

The American Jewish Committee (AJC), the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the Brandeis Center, and the law firm Covington & Burling sued SAUSD in September 2023 over alleged violations of the state’s open-meeting laws. The organizations charged the district with intentionally skirting California policy to push a curriculum that casts Jews as oppressors. Information brought to light during legal proceedings suggests those behind the ethnic-studies curriculum promoted anti-Jewish rhetoric and conspiracy theories.

About the Author

Zach Kessel

Zach Kessel was a William F. Buckley Jr. Fellow in Political Journalism and a recent graduate of Northwestern University.

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Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) officials and hired consultants conspired to keep Jewish community members in the dark about ethnic-studies courses on the grounds that, as Jews, they are inherently racist and would disrupt plans to enlighten the student body, according to a new filing in an ongoing lawsuit.

The American Jewish Committee (AJC), the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the Brandeis Center, and the law firm Covington & Burling sued SAUSD in September 2023 over alleged violations of the state’s open-meeting laws. The organizations charged the district with intentionally skirting California policy to push a curriculum that casts Jews as oppressors. Information brought to light during legal proceedings suggests those behind the ethnic-studies curriculum promoted anti-Jewish rhetoric and conspiracy theories.