July 13, five days before a regular TVUSD board meeting to consider the proposed curriculum for adoption, Governor Newsom posted a tweet calling TVUSD school board members extremists and threatened to fine them for their incompetence for not adopting the curriculum favored by Sacramento. He said, “California is stepping in.”
His tweet charged that the school board rejected a specific book because it mentioned Harvey Milk, which, according to TVUSD Board President Dr. Komrosky, isn’t true and Milk is not mentioned in the school book. Milk is actually mentioned only in the support materials.
Dr. Komrosky said, “ What is also unfortunate is that…he has elected to publish this threatened action ahead of the District’s hard work on this matter that will be come to fruition in just a few days.”
In a press release, Newsom wrote, “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,”
Dr.Komrosky explained that this, as well, is not true in a submitted response to Governor Newsom’s July 13, 2023 Tweet:
“I speak personally here and not on behalf of the entire board when I say, it is unfortunate that Governor Newsom and others have seized upon an action by the Temecula Valley Unified School expressly authorized by the California Legislature and mischaracterized not only what has occurred, but why.
“The Board of Education of the Temecula Valley Unified School District did not ‘ban’ a book at its May 16, 2023 regular meeting. Instead, the Board of Education determined not to adopt as curriculum a history-social science program for District-wide use that had been part of a pilot study conducted by the District.
“Members of the Board of Education did state concerns about a supplemental material, not a textbook, that was part of that curriculum related to a lesson for fourth graders about Mr. Milk. But what the Governor has conveniently ignored is that members of the Board of Education expressed other significant concerns about the District’s process, including whether it had adequately engaged the community regarding the adoption of curriculum, as well as whether the proposed curriculum adequately addressed the needs of English learners and special education students.
“What has followed is an intense effort by a significant number of stakeholders within the District to resolve these concerns and assemble a curriculum that meets all state standards, including the FAIR Act, before the next school year is set to begin. That proposed curriculum will be presented to the Board of Education for consideration and adoption on July 18, 2023 at its next regular meeting. What is also unfortunate is that the Governor knows this and has elected to publish this threatened action ahead of the District’s hard work on this matter that will be come to fruition in just a few days.
“It should also be noted that the contention by State Superintendent Tony Thurmond that the students of the District are “slated to begin the school year on August 14, 2023 without enough textbooks for every student” is categorically false.
“Following the decision by the Board of Education in May not to adopt the pilot curriculum, the District made arrangements with the publisher of its currently adopted curriculum to provide enough textbooks for every single K-5 student of the District (which are the grade levels effected by this issue). That plan is in place and can be implemented should a new curriculum not be adopted by the Board of Education.
According to a July 13, press release from Gov. Newsom’s office, the rejected curriculum was one of four programs approved by the state and is used in hundreds of school districts in California.
Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson has introduced Bill 1078, which would require a ⅔ supermajority vote for any school board that chooses not to use books recommended by the state and allows parents to bypass the local school boards and appeal the decision to county boards of education.
Jackson was quoted in the press release, “Book banning is not acceptable and will not stand in California,” This sends a clear message that such actions will not be tolerated. We stand united in our commitment to protect our students’ access to diverse educational materials and ensure an inclusive educational environment. We will not go backward. We will meet this historical moment.”
“As I stated in my response to the Attorney General on June 22, 2023: “The Board remains steadfastly committed to compliance with all laws, providing a safe learning environment for all students, prohibiting any activity that is discriminatory towards any student or staff member, and fulfilling its statutory duty to comply with all mandates of the Education Code related to the adoption of the curriculum. The Board is charged with meeting the needs of its local community, and believes it is doing so appropriately and lawfully, and free from unlawful discrimination, said Dr. Joseph Komrosky – School Board – 4th District (R, N), A.R.R.T., Ph.D.
