California finds Oakland Unified discriminated against Jewish students

The California Department of Education concluded that Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) fostered a discriminatory environment for Jewish students, as outlined in a recent investigative report. Cited issues included maps of the Middle East that omitted Israel and the prolonged display of a Palestinian flag at a school. Complaints from attorney Marleen Sacks, who is also suing OUSD on behalf of the Oakland Jewish Alliance, prompted the state investigation. The agency found that OUSD did not adequately address the complaints and missed statutory deadlines for responding to allegations of discrimination. Although OUSD's internal investigation acknowledged a violation of board policy, it did not determine if discrimination occurred.

As corrective measures, the state mandated bias training and a review of complaint procedures for the district. In response, OUSD admitted to oversights in educational materials related to Arab American Heritage month, specifically regarding the exclusion of Israel on maps. The district has since corrected these materials and issued a public apology.