AB 394 (Levine): Protect Youth From Hate Incidents
Hate incidents are meant to instill fear, not only in the individual victim, but all members of the community. Increasingly, bias-related discrimination and harassment is striking youth, as more students report feeling unsafe in their own schools, and become subject to harassment based on their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability, sometimes leading to bias-related violence.
According to the California Student Survey, between 27-30% of 7th, 9th, and 11th graders have experienced harassment due to their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Although California’s existing laws prohibit discrimination in schools, additional provisions are needed to ensure students are attending safe schools. AB 394 (Levine) will ensure the Department of Education monitors schools for their compliance with nondiscrimination requirements and posts resources, including information on best practices and model trainings, on its website.
More information on AB 394 is provided in the RESOURCES section, at right.