Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed House Bill 2867 on Tuesday, rejecting a GOP-backed measure that would have banned the teaching of antisemitism in public schools and universities and allowed educators to be sued personally for violations.
In her veto letter, Hobbs said the bill “is not about antisemitism; it’s about attacking our teachers,” warning it would expose them to “personally costly lawsuits.”
The bill, introduced by Republican Rep. Michael Way, sought to hold teachers civilly liable if students or parents claimed they engaged in antisemitic instruction, overriding legal protections normally afforded to educators.
Although the bill gained some bipartisan support—most notably from Jewish Democratic lawmakers Alma and Consuelo Hernandez—critics warned it could chill education on complex topics such as the Holocaust, Zionism, and antisemitism’s historical context.
Lori Shepherd of the Tucson Jewish Museum urged Hobbs to veto the measure, arguing Holocaust education requires nuanced discussion and exploration of difficult themes.
The bill’s definition of antisemitism, based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s framework, was criticized for potentially labeling criticism of Israel as antisemitic.
Hobbs emphasized that mechanisms already exist for reporting teacher misconduct and affirmed her commitment to combating hate while protecting academic freedom.
Source(s)
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
