California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) made an announcement on Thursday that the state will step in to support a conservative Southern California school district. Last month, the Temecula Valley Unified School District’s board, which includes far-right members, voted against approving elementary school social studies materials that briefly mentioned Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist. According to Newsom’s press release, the board has not yet chosen a replacement for the classroom material.
To ensure that the district’s students have the necessary resources for the upcoming school year, Newsom, along with Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Senate President pro-Tempore Toni G. Atkins, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, and Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson, have pledged to provide textbooks if the school board does not approve new material by their next meeting. The board must choose from four textbooks approved by the state.
The rejected materials, which have been approved throughout the state, would significantly update Temecula’s outdated books, which have not been updated since 2006.
Furthermore, Newsom, Thurmond, Atkins, Rivas, and Jackson are advocating for state legislation that would impose fines on school districts failing to provide learning materials to their students.
This news comes amidst a national trend of Republicans attempting to ban books or materials that mention race or the LGBTQ community. In 2022 alone, over 2,571 books were banned or challenged across the country.
In a statement to HuffPost, Newsom expressed his concerns about the situation in Temecula, stating that “cancel culture has gone too far.” He emphasized that if the school board does not fulfill its responsibilities, the state will ensure that children and parents receive the necessary textbooks, and the district will be fined for violating state law.
Dr. Joseph Komrosky, president of the district’s Board of Education, disputed the characterization of the board’s decision, stating that they did not ban a book but chose not to adopt a history-social science program for district-wide use. He mentioned that a curriculum conforming to state standards will be presented to the board on July 18, with alternative plans in place if the curriculum is not approved.
While board member Steven Schwartz expressed his support for the governor’s efforts, Allison Barclay also agreed, emphasizing the importance of students having access to up-to-date and accurate information.
As the state steps in to support the Temecula Valley Unified School District, it aims to ensure that students receive the education they deserve.
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