Newsom, Southern California school board double down on opposite sides of culture war

Grace Scullion
·5 min read
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NEWSOM TELLS SCHOOL BOARD TO EXPECT A TEXTBOOK DELIVERY. AND A BIG FINE

After the Temecula Valley Unified School District voted again Tuesday to reject a social studies curriculum that includes a brief mention of gay rights activist Harvey Milk, Gov. Gavin Newsom responded in kind.

Newsom announced Wednesday that the state had entered into a contract to purchase and distribute the rejected textbooks to Temecula’s elementary schools.

The governor said the Southern California district would be billed for the cost of delivery and fined $1.5 million for violating state law because its elementary schools did not have proper instructional materials. Students would have to use a curriculum created in 2006 that does not meet California’s current educational standards.

“The three political activists on the school board have yet again proven they are more interested in breaking the law than doing their jobs of educating students — so the state will do their job for them,” Newsom said in a statement, referring to the conservative majority on the five-member board.

The board, which voted 3-2 against the curriculum in May and on Tuesday, also voted in December to ban teaching of critical race theory in the district.

Newsom also said he intends to sign legislation that prohibits school boards from banning books that contain “inclusive and diverse perspectives” that advanced through the statehouse this year.

STOCKTON CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE WOULD RESTRICT ABORTION, DEI IN MILITARY

Via Gillian Brassil...

Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln, who is running as a Republican for Congress in 2024, would have voted for the sweeping defense spending package that was loaded with GOP amendments to restrict abortion access and diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the military.

“Based on my current understanding of the legislation, I would have probably voted yes,” Lincoln said in a statement to The Bee Wednesday. “I believe that book bans and other social issues should not be connected to increasing the pay of our dedicated service members.”

Lincoln, 42 failed to offer a coherent answer Tuesday to the question about the National Defense Authorization Act in an interview with KCRA 3 (Watch the interview here.)

“Listen, I haven’t seen that just yet,” he said. “But the fact of the matter is we’re going to make sure that, um…”he trailed off.

Last Friday, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed the annual budget bill that sets pay raises for U.S. troops, policies for dealing with adversaries and critical funding for Pentagon activities. The bill, considered a yearly priority, is generally bipartisan.

But the vote to pass it Friday fell largely on party lines because of the controversial social and health care policies.

Republican amendments passed to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs; prohibit reimbursements for abortion-related expenses,and bar coverage of gender-affirming care for transgender people. The conservative bill will likely be challenged in the Democrat-held Senate before heading to Democratic President Joe Biden’s desk for signature.

Lincoln is running in a Central Valley district that will likely vote for incumbent Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, according to nonpartisan election analysts. Harder, 36, voted against the defense bill. (Four Democrats broke ranks and voted with Republicans, and four Republicans voted with the majority of Democrats.)

“Unlike Josh Harder, I strongly advocate for a pay raise for our service members, along with adequate funding for the renovation and construction of new barracks, as well as the development of new combat ships and drones, and I support providing aid to Ukraine,” Lincoln said.

In announcing his candidacy for California’s 9th Congressional District, Lincoln stressed his commitment to bipartisanship: “As Mayor, we’re not partisan. Washington can take note of that.”

In a show of support, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, is attending a fundraiser for Lincoln tomorrow night. McCarthy is a strong and celebrated fundraiser among GOP colleagues.

“Kevin McCarthy’s grip on power is clearly hanging by a thread and this proves he’s getting more desperate by the day,” Jen Fox, a spokeswoman for Harder said Wednesday of supporting Lincoln.

Lincoln was elected Stockton mayor in 2020, his first foray into politics. Prior, he was executive pastor of LifeSong Church in Stockton. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps in his 20s.

CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS FIGHT TO CONFIRM LABOR SECRETARY

Via David Lightman...

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer insisted Wednesday that Democrats are still fighting to get California’s Julie Su confirmed as U.S. Labor Secretary.

“We believe she is a strong nominee and we’re trying to do everything we can to get her passed, plain and simple,” Schumer, D-New York, said at his weekly news conference after being asked what’s next for Su.

Su was nominated as secretary in late February, but has not been confirmed. Her confirmation has stalled largely because of Republican concerns about her ties to organized labor and her stewardship of California’s chaotic unemployment system during the COVID pandemic.

She needs 51 Senate votes for confirmation, and her chances took a blow last week when Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, said he’d oppose her. That means Su probably has 50 no votes, including all 49 Republicans.

Sen. Krysten Sinema, Ind.-Arizona, has not said how she would vote. A no vote would probably sink the nomination. The White House has continued to insist it is pushing hard for Su.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Coming out of the pandemic, when we saw that some child care programs were not reopening, we knew we had to face the problem head-on. Child care is absolutely essential. Families have to have child care to return to the workplace. Our entire economy depends on it,” said Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, at a White House event celebrating the $2.9 billion increase in child care and preschool funding in California’s new budget.

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