In yet another move to increase his dominance over the state, California Governor Gavin Newsom moved to provide textbooks to students after a local school board rejected them as part of a social studies curriculum.
The state of California has laws that require Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) studies be taught at California public schools. The state dictates a variety of textbooks the school districts can use to meet those requirements or schools can develop their own curriculum. Temecula Valley Unified District opted out of both options.
The district’s board voted 3-2 on May 16 to reject the curriculum, which contained adult content many parents deemed inappropriate for younger children, grades one through five; particularly a book that discusses controversial gay rights activist, Harvey Milk, Jr. and the movement he led.
The state overriding the decision of a local school board is antithetical to the authority local bodies of government are supposed to have over their own communities, particularly when it comes to their children’s education.
But ignoring the will of the people is what Gavin Newsom does best.
John K. Amanchukwu Sr., a preacher in the Temecula area who also went viral for a video where he read out loud explicit parts from the book “It’s Perfectly Normal” to the school board in Asheville, N.C., tweeted, “Gavin Newsom is a dictator and this is an overreach!”
Newsom proved Amanchukwu correct when he declared, “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 Calls Opposition “Extremeist”
Along with a harsh scolding on Twitter from the autocratic governor, Newsom is now supporting a fine for school districts that do not provide what he deems “adequate instruction.”
Newsom directly addressed the parents of the Temecula district (presumably the ones who did not agree with the local school board ruling) in a Tweet:
“I want you to know the state is moving forward and purchasing and procuring those social studies books. Your kids have the freedom to learn and you have the freedom to access those books, the same books that hundreds of thousands of kids throughout the state are accessing. So rest assured, we’ll be sending those books down in very short order and let’s do our best, all of us, to soften the edges of these debates and to make sure we provide accurate information and the freedom for our kids to learn. That, after all, is the California way.”
I’m pretty sure totalitarianism is the California way, Gavin. Just ask the millions of people you locked down during COVID with no significant evidence that any of your draconian policies were warranted.
What else would you call forcing a decision upon a school board and then charging them for the cost of doing so?
The Southern California district will also be fined $1.5 million dollars for refusing the book.
In addition to the forced curriculum and fine, the Governor called the members of the board who voted against the curriculum “extremist.” It is exactly this kind of misuse of language that continues to divide this country as much as Newsom likes to claim his party is the one of compassion and kindness.
Governor Gavin Newsom has a new campaign slogan for his inevitable run for president in 2024:
Gavin Newsom – giving every parent a reason to pull their kids out of public schools – one school district at a time!
Jennifer Galardi is the politics and culture editor and opinion writer for 19FortyFive.com. She has a Master’s in Public Policy from Pepperdine University and produces and hosts the podcast Connection with conversations that address health, culture, politics, and policy. In a previous life, she wrote for publications in the health, fitness, and nutrition space. In addition, her pieces have been published in the Epoch Times and Pepperdine Policy Review. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
From 19FortyFive
The Second American Civil War Has Begun
