Temecula school board unanimously approves previously rejected textbook

After twice rejecting a social studies curriculum some members deemed “inappropriate,” the Temecula Valley Unified School District Board of Education has unanimously approved the materials with a key critic absent and under threat of a $1.5 million fine for “willful violation” of state education policies.

The approval was part of a compromise suggested by board member Jennifer Wiersma with the trustees agreeing to postpone inclusion of one lesson for fourth-graders until it undergoes further review.

The 4-0 vote came during a special meeting Friday to reconsider the curriculum after the initial rejections drew the condemnation of Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state officials. Board member Danny Gonzalez was absent, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reported.

Gonzalez was one of three board members who questioned whether a supplemental reference to San Francisco politician Harvey Milk - the first openly gay person elected to public office in California ― should be included when teaching the history of civil rights movements to fourth-grade students.

He was joined by board President Joseph Komrosky and Wiersma in voting against the Social Studies Alive for the K-5 curriculum on May 16 and again Wednesday, citing a reported relationship between Milk, then in his 30s, and a 16-year-old as the primary reason.

Komrosky, who referred to Milk as a “pedophile” later said “My remarks about Mr. Milk are not based upon being a homosexual, but rather, based upon an adult having a sexual relationship with a minor.”

Gonzalez joined Komrosky, saying he couldn’t understand the need to highlight Milk when there “are plenty of historical figures who made great strides in the (gay) community that are not associated with inappropriate sexual relationships with children.

“Discussing matters of sexuality with children under 10 in a public school setting is inappropriate. As a parent, this is not a conversation (I want my kids to have with) anyone else but me, and especially not before we even learn about the birds and the bees.”

Trustees Allison Barclay and Steven Schwarz consistently voted in favor of the curriculum and textbook, which was recommended by the Temecula Valley Educators Association following a pilot phase district officials said involved 47 teachers and more than 1,300 families.

Newsom welcomed the Friday decision. He had threatened to impose the $1.5 million fine, announced plans to have the curriculum distributed by state officials in time for the Aug. 14 opening of the school year and promised a civil rights investigation into the board’s tactics.

“Fortunately, now students will receive the basic materials needed to learn,” Newsom said in a statement. “But this vote lays bare the true motives of those who opposed this curriculum. This has never been about parents’ rights. It’s not even about Harvey Milk - who appears nowhere in the textbook students receive. This is about extremists’ desire to control information and censor the materials used to teach our children.

“Demagogues who whitewash history, censor books, and perpetuate prejudice never succeed. Hate doesn’t belong in our classrooms.”

Congressman Darrell Issa, R-Bonsall, who represents Temecula, accused Newsom of “bullying” the board members and concerned parents.

Komrosky said he and other opponents had a duty to make sure no “vulgarity, profanity, obscenity, erotica” or other objectionable material is included in the curriculum.

“Despite our continuing work and commitment to core values, Governor Newsom has taken unilateral action to intervene in the middle of our work without even contacting the school district first to understand what the school district may be further doing to meet all of the curriculum needs of our students. What he calls inaction we see as responsible considerations for all of our community’s viewpoints.”

Prior to Friday’s meeting, board members offered suggestions for resolving the dispute before adopting Wiersma’s proposal.

“This is a short-term resolution for (the) school year,” Wiersma wrote in a report to the board. “It is fiscally responsible and allows for additional time in choosing a longterm curriculum for adoption.”

The new materials will replace a textbook from 2006 and supplemental online resources that were last updated in 2019.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Temecula school board unanimously approves previously rejected textbook