Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vowed to circumvent a local school board and buy students a book that the board voted to reject.
The Temecula County school board voted to reject a curriculum that included a social studies book that referenced Harvey Milk, an LGBT activist and politician. “Why even mention a pedophile?” said Board President Dr. Joseph Komrosky ahead of the 3-2 vote, alluding to an alleged sexual relationship between Milk and a 16-year-old boy.
One Temecula Valley, a Political Action Committee, is collecting signatures to recall several members of the school board. The school board members — Komrosky, Danny Gonzalez and Jen Wiersma — have also reportedly banned critical race theory in the district.
“Cancel culture has gone too far in Temecula: radicalized zealots on the school board rejected a textbook used by hundreds of thousands of students and now children will begin the school year without the tools they need to learn,” Newsom said in a press release. “If the school board won’t do its job by its next board meeting to ensure kids start the school year with basic materials, the state will deliver the book into the hands of children and their parents — and we’ll send the district the bill and fine them for violating state law.” (RELATED: Liberals Melt Down Over GOP Rep. Eli Crane’s ‘Colored People’ Remark)
“I am glad to join in this action with Governor Newsom today and thank him for his leadership in calling for Temecula’s school board to reverse course to prevent further harm to students,” State Superintendent Tony Thurmond said. “Inclusive education promotes the academic achievement and social development of our students. School Districts should not ban books in California, especially as it harms students of color and LGBTQ+ youth. AB1078 lays out the structure for today’s action and I am proud to have sponsored this bill to protect our students from the harmful effects of book banning, exclusion of inclusive textbooks and discrimination.”
A school board in Temecula decided to reject a textbook because it mentioned Harvey Milk.
CA is stepping in.
We’re going to purchase the book for these students—the same one that hundreds of thousands of kids are already using.
If these extremist school board members won’t do… pic.twitter.com/r2iirL8b5v
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 13, 2023
After the Temecula school board voted against the curriculum in May, Newsom sent a letter to the board, warning them that “[i]f your local educational agency does remove or ban instructional materials from classrooms or libraries, you may be requested to provide the Attorney General’s Office with materials to allow it to analyze your agency’s actions and procedures.”