JTA — A large school district serving Oakland, California, is effectively defying state efforts to make it address antisemitism on its campuses, according to a lawsuit filed this week by the California Department of Education.

In January, the department ordered the Oakland Unified School District to send letters to families and staff condemning antisemitism and take several other steps. The lawsuit says the district failed to carry out any of them by the March 1 deadline.

The state filed suit on Monday in Alameda County Superior Court seeking a court order requiring the district to comply.

“OUSD has … unlawfully refused and failed to carry out the corrective actions,” the lawsuit says.

An OUSD spokesperson told the San Francisco Chronicle the district has a policy against commenting on pending litigation.

The dispute places Oakland schools in the middle of a broader national debate over how educators should address antisemitism amid the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Many advocates say Jewish students need greater protection amid rising antisemitic incidents. Critics, however, argue that efforts to combat antisemitism are increasingly blurring the line between antisemitism and criticism of Israel or Zionism, raising free speech concerns.

In addition to requiring school officials to send districtwide letters condemning antisemitism, the state ordered staff training on nondiscrimination and political activity in schools, as well as a public presentation on........

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