This is an ongoing article and will be updated as new information is released.
This article was updated at 6:59 p.m. on May 27, 2026, to include specifics from the settlement.
The District reached a settlement in Concerned Jewish Parents of Sequoia Union High School District, et al. v. Sequoia Union High School District, et al., a federal lawsuit filed by six Jewish families alleging antisemitism, on May 23.
The settlement mandates that:
- $325,000 will be paid out by the District, mostly to cover legal fees.
- Antisemitism will be specified in District policy as a “prohibited form of discrimination.”
- World History classes must include at least one lesson on antisemitism, and a presentation on or from a Holocaust survivor.
- An annual “climate survey” will be sent to all students over the next three school years regarding antisemitism at school.
- An annual, mandatory student “anti-hate” program will be implemented to address antisemitism.
- The District will pre-review material on the Israel-Palestine conflict before classroom use.
- An independent attorney-investigator will be appointed to ensure compliance with the settlement; an independent investigator will review antisemitism complaints; and a separate independent decision-maker will review the investigator’s report to determine if there was a violation of District policy.
- District employees will undergo antisemitism prevention and response training.
The suit stemmed from a presentation on the Israel-Palestine conflict delivered in some Ethnic Studies classes in September 2023. Community members responded with a petition urging Leach to act on alleged discrimination, claiming the lesson was inaccurate, biased, and fostered antisemitism. This, combined with antisemitic remarks and swastika drawings at Woodside High School and M-A, led the six families to sue the District in November 2024, with an initial trial date set for Aug. 24, 2026.
The Plaintiffs alleged that the District violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in programs that receive federal funding, such as public schools. According to the lawsuit, “Plaintiffs’ children suffered harassment so severe, pervasive, and offensive that it effectively deprived them of the right of equal access to educational benefits and opportunities.”
The Plaintiffs also claimed that the District violated the First and 14th Amendments, which grant citizens freedom of belief and religion and provide equal protection against discrimination. Violating these amendments also breaks provisions of the California Constitution and the California Education Code.
Some teachers were confused by a few of the District’s policy changes. “I’m not sure what [the review process] would entail. [Do] I have to send in my lessons months in advance?” an anonymous M-A teacher said. “I think I need more guidance around what this is.”
Although the District has not yet explicitly commented on the lawsuit, it sent an announcement to parents on Tuesday that emphasized its zero-tolerance policy for discrimination and mentioned revision to District policy that will include antisemitism as “a prohibited form of discrimination” to “strengthen protections for all students and staff.”
The District has not admitted wrongdoing in the settlement or subsequent announcements.
I think this is overall a good thing, as the amount of kids who engage in casual anti-semitism is appalling. However, I am concerned with how this lawsuit includes criticism of Israel as anti-semitism,, as I think anyone would be fully within their rights to dislike the state of Israel. Genocide is genocide, no matter who is perpetrating it.
And who told you that it’s genocide there? Press? What is genocide, Xavier?
Genocide is a crime under international law: acts committed with the specific intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group as such. The key element is not only mass death, but intent to destroy the group.
To prove genocide, one must prove the special intent: the goal was to destroy the protected group, not merely to win a war, expel people, terrorize them, or commit war crimes.
So at October 7th thousands of armed terrorists enter Israel from Gaza, civilians were following them, helping to kill, to torture, burning people alive, raping, beheading innocent Israelis. Why? Because they are Jews. Is this genocide or not?
Arabs live in Israel, enjoy all rights, they are in politics, sport, art, army. Can you please tell me how many Jews live in Arab countries? Not in politics, not in sport… simply live there? None, Xavier. Why? They would be killed immediately, upon arrival.
Look what Gazans did in Israel https://saturday-october-seven.com And this is just very small amount of their crimes.
They filmed their killings themselves and uploaded it on the web. Now they say different story. They show you how it was snowing there (and it was +17 in Celsius.. snowing is impossible.) They show you hunger which doesn’t exist, because tens of huge cars with food go there every day. If Hamas is taking it, it’s Hamas problem.
They tell you that Israel killed thousands of kids, but they didn’t tell you that civilian population was used in Gaza as human shield. they didn’t tell you that before the was they started it was about 600,000 kids in Gaza. Recently team of international doctors made vaccination in Gaza (Polio). They vaccinated 603,000 kids. No doubt, when it’s war people are getting killed, it’s unfortunate outcome, but Israel didn’t start the war. And it was not tens of thousands kids killed.
Do you know how many hospitals Gaza had for the population of 2 mil people?
38. Even USA can show this number.
Do you know that every hospital and schoo is used as gun and ammo storage, they had tunnels under hospitals and schools. Why? they want their people die, so they will show the blood blaming Israel in genocide.
Don’t trust me. Read what they say.
It was Ismail Haniyeh, then the head of Hamas’s political bureau.
The statement was reportedly made in an October 26, 2023 address, broadcast by Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen TV. MEMRI translated and published the clip on October 27, 2023;
The key line, as translated by JNS/MEMRI, was:
“The blood of the women, children and elderly […] we are the ones who need this blood…”
He then said this blood was needed to awaken the “revolutionary spirit” and strengthen resolve”
So who exactly is committing genocide? Israel who removed all Jews from Gaza, left green houses there or Arabs who voted for Hamas. They could have great state in Gaza if they wanted. Problem is that don’t want state. They get money because of terror and war against Israel. They want Israel to not exist.
Who is committing genocide?
How did swastikas being drawn, which is entirely wrong and appalling, lead to not being allowed to teach about Gaza? This will continue to push the Israeli perspective and prevent teachers from teaching the Palestinian perspective. How would people feel if schools couldn’t teach about the German Holocaust, or South African apartheid, or Japan’s unit 731. Students deserve to learn about the atrocities happening in the world. It’s not anti-Semitic to criticize Israel.
It is antisemitic to accuse Israel of genocide despite the fact that this is commonly believed on the left. It’s holocaust inversion and defies logic but the accusation sticks because antisemitism morphs to fit the times.
It is anti-Semitic to lie non stop about Israel. Israeli perspective is simple: let us live and build, create, write music, play, let us exist.
Arabs of Gaza perspective is also simple: “from the river to the sea”, basically saying Israel has no right to exist. That is why Arabs’ leaders refused to co-exist.
You better learn history, Sarah.