WEDNESDAY: State Superintendent Tony Thurmond to Host Education to End Hate Conversation on Countering Antisemitism

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond will host an important virtual roundtable discussion, Education to End Hate: Countering Antisemitism, at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, with influential leaders who work to counter the recent rise in antisemitism.

The virtual discussion will explore the rich history and multifaceted elements of Jewish identity, the rise in antisemitism, and—perhaps most importantly—specific ways that education can play a role in countering antisemitism throughout the state.

“As a social worker, educator, legislator, and now as your State Superintendent, I have always believed that education is the only way to effectively counter hate,” said Superintendent Thurmond. “Throughout the fall semester, I will lead several of these sessions, each one elevating the struggle of specific communities but also identifying key areas of common struggle, intersectionality, and opportunities for solidarity.”

Attendees will hear from a group of community and faith leaders to frame the issue, including Rabbi Meyer May, Executive Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museums of Tolerance; Dr. Anita Friedman, Executive Director of Jewish Family and Children’s Services of San Francisco, the Peninsula, and Marin and Sonoma Counties; Sarah Levin, Executive Director of Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa (JIMENA); and several members of California’s Legislative Jewish Caucus for this important conversation.

Register via Zoom for the roundtable . The event will be livestreamed, and the video will be archived on the California Department of Education Facebook page . Schools and districts are encouraged to consider livestreaming the event at their individual sites or to play the recording for their respective middle and high school students.

# # # #

Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100