All Mira Costa High School teachers and administrators must complete antisemitism and bias training by Oct. 26 under a state order issued Wednesday, Sept. 9.

The California Department of Education (CDE) overturned Manhattan Beach Unified School District's finding that an Advanced Placement U.S. history teacher did not discriminate against students, JNS reported. The ruling requires MBUSD to hire an outside trainer to lead the mandatory sessions, which must focus on preventing bias and prejudice in the classroom with a specific emphasis on antisemitism.

The teacher had posted supplemental materials on a Google Classroom page with slides asserting that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, without presenting opposing views, according to the district's own investigation. The lesson followed classroom instruction about the Holocaust and genocides.

MBUSD's probe found the teacher violated district policies on teaching controversial subjects. But the district concluded the materials were not discriminatory because the teacher did not intend to target Jewish students. The CDE called that finding "inconsistent with law," ruling that intent is not required to prove conduct is discriminatory under the California Education Code.

The state found substantial evidence that students and families experienced the materials as upsetting, one-sided and emotionally harmful. The ruling said the materials created an intimidating environment in which some students felt targeted based on their nationality, race, ethnicity or religion.

Ilana Cohen, founding attorney of Emet Legal Services, filed the appeal to the CDE in July on behalf of the South Bay Jewish Advocacy Group. Cohen told JNS the ruling "sends an unmistakable message to school boards across California. You cannot turn a blind eye to classroom bias or defend it under the shield of 'good intentions.'"

MBUSD public information officer Grace Edgington told JNS on Sept. 10 that the district accepted the CDE's decision and was already implementing the required corrective actions. Neither Board President Tina Shivpuri nor Superintendent Dr. Kim Linz has commented publicly on the ruling.

The order comes amid a string of antisemitic incidents at Mira Costa. A student was disciplined in spring 2026 after being found responsible for drawing swastikas in a boys' restroom in two separate incidents in April and May, the Daily Breeze reported. In 2022, antisemitic images were found on campus in four different incidents. MBUSD was the first Los Angeles County school district to earn the Anti-Defamation League's "No Place for Hate" designation, according to The MB News.

The district must complete the mandatory training by Oct. 26. The teacher's name has not been publicly identified.