Temecula teachers hold protest over rejection of the Harvey Milk Story in the social studies curriculum

I have taught "The Times of Harvey Milk" in my college classroom over the years. It is one of the most moving documentaries I have ever seen. 

I encourage people to get educated on who is banning books, often only one or two people, and what organizations those seeking to ban books belong to. Chances are they belong to Moms for Liberty, an organization about which I have blogged in recent days.

This is a very well-funded effort that is often by parents who do not even have children in the schools. The larger goal is to sow division and discredit public education so as to pave the way for the privatization of schools through voucher programs, tax credit schemes, and the like.

I like that folks in Temecula, California, are protesting this nonsense. We need to all do what they're doing and organize against this everywhere and in so doing, take back our schools from these right-wing, anti-public school zealots.

Do see "The Times of Harvey Milk." It's a powerful story. I highly recommend it. You can view it on Amazon, Youtube, Google Play or Apple. Let's not let this moment of unjustified, contrived outrage toward books not double as a teaching moment—either for our youth or for ourselves. 

-Angela Valenzuela

Temecula teachers hold protest over rejection of social studies curriculum

Wednesday, June 7, 2023 |  abc7.com

TEMECULA, Calif. (CNS) -- Temecula Valley Unified School District teachers held a protest Tuesday in response to a recent school board vote rejecting textbooks and curriculum for an elementary school-level social studies program, a vote that made headlines when the board president referred to slain gay-rights activist Harvey Milk as a "pedophile."

During its May 16 meeting, the school board voted to reject a proposed curriculum and textbook for its kindergarten through fifth-grade social studies program, with a majority of board members concluding that it contained "morally objectionable material." Board members Jennifer Wiersma and Danny Gonzalez joined board president Joseph Komrosky in voting to reject the materials.

The discussion partially focused on the inclusion of Milk in supporting materials for the curriculum.

"Why even mention a pedophile?" Komrosky asked during the meeting in reference to Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

The comment earned a Twitter rebuke last week from Gov. Gavin Newsom.

"An offensive statement from an ignorant person. This isn't Texas or Florida. In the Golden State, our kids have the freedom to learn. Congrats Mr. Komrosky you have our attention. Stay tuned," Newsom wrote.

Komrosky has not responded to the governor's Twitter post. He could not be immediately reached for comment.

The "pedophile" comment was an apparent reference to a biography of Milk that suggests he had a relationship with a 16-year-old boy when Milk was 33.

District staffers noted that the actual textbook for the curriculum makes no mention of Milk, but he is mentioned in supporting materials that would have been available to students in the upper grades.

The board's vote to reject the curriculum could also put the district in some legal jeopardy with the state. Last week, state Attorney General Rob Bonta and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond sent a letter to county school superintendents, district superintendents and charter school administrators in California cautioning against book bans, while also outlining educational civil rights and legal mandates.

"In the first half of this school year alone, 1,477 books were banned nationally, with teachers and librarians threatened with prison time for shelving the wrong book," they wrote. "As state leaders elected to represent the values of all Californians, we offer our response in one shared voice: Access to books -- including books that reflect the diverse experiences and perspectives of Californians, and especially, those that may challenge us to grapple with uncomfortable truths -- is a profound freedom we all must protect and cultivate."

The letter noted that schools or districts that ban materials from classrooms or libraries could be required to provide additional information to the Attorney General's Office to justify the move.

The board's vote has also thus far left the district without textbooks for K-5 social studies classes.

Members of the Temecula Valley Educators Association plan to hold rallies at elementary schools across the district Tuesday afternoon, followed by an after-school rally at the duck pond at the corner of Rancho California and Ynez roads. Additional protests are anticipated at upcoming school board meetings.

3 arrested as protesters clash over Pride curriculum outside Glendale school board meeting

Temecula students walk out to protest critical race theory ban: Hundreds marched off campus Friday, Jan. 13, 2023

So glad to see our youth standing up to this by walking out of school and protesting. This reminds me of a student who shared in class recently who said that Texas' ban on specific books has made these books hugely popular in her Central Texas secondary school, backfiring on those in support of this. If anything, censorship is politicizing many of our students even more. 

It actually all so predictable. All of a sudden, this "forbidden fruit" becomes attractive and lots of students are now reading books that they likely would never have read under ordinary circumstances.

-Angela Valenzuela

Temecula students walk out to protest 

critical race theory ban

Hundreds marched off campus Friday, Jan. 13, at Chaparral, Great Oak and Temecula Valley high schools

By ALLYSON VERGARA | avergara@scng.com |

PUBLISHED: January 13, 2023 at 10:51 a.m. | UPDATED: January 13, 2023 at 6:02 p.m.

Temecula students are sending a message to adults in their school district: They will not be silenced.

Hundreds of students across the city’s three high schools — Temecula Valley, Great Oak and Chaparral — walked out of classes Friday morning, Jan. 13, to protest a school board resolution that bans the teaching of “critical race theory” in the Temecula Valley Unified School District.

The two school board members who opposed the ban, Steven Schwartz and Allison Barclay, plan to propose rescinding it at the Tuesday, Jan. 31, meeting.

At Temecula Valley High School, more than 200 students began leaving campus about 10:30 a.m. and headed to nearby Ronald Reagan Sports Park.

Some of the teens carried handmade signs with slogans such as “Stop censorship,” “End racism,” and “If history makes you uncomfortable, imagine how they felt.” Some shouted as they demonstrated. Many said they fear the ban could censor their education and that of younger students, while affecting the representation and safety of students of color and LGBTQ students. About 20 to 30 adults — apparently parents and residents there to ensure students were safe — also attended.

“Teach all history!” students shouted while gathered around the sports park’s parking lot. “We are here.”

Genesis Kekoa, president of Temecula Valley High’s Black Student Union, said she has been emailing Temecula Valley school board members about reversing the ban, which she believes silences students’ voices.

“I hope they realize we’re not going to be silent,” Kekoa, a 16-year-old junior at Temecula Valley High said. “We’re not being told by parents or teachers to do this; we’re doing it ourselves. We have a voice. I’m scared students are not going to be taught our history. Everyone deserves to be seen. Everyone’s culture and history deserves to be taught.”

A new conservative board majority last month approved the resolution, introduced by new board president Joseph Komrosky. Critical race theory — which is typically taught at the graduate school level and examines how racism has been historically embedded in society and policy — has been a contentious subject in the Temecula Valley community. Some have blasted the methodology, though a school district spokesperson and some current and past school board members have said it is not taught in the district.