The Temecula Valley school district has the dubious distinction of being the third school board in the Inland Empire to support a policy requiring school staff to tell parents if their child is transgender or gender nonconforming. Photo: Google Earth
The Temecula Valley school district has the dubious distinction of being the third school board in the Inland Empire to support a policy requiring school staff to tell parents if their child is transgender or gender nonconforming.
The Temecula Valley Unified School District’s policy is essentially identical to those approved respectively in July and August by boards of the Chino Valley and Murrieta Valley school districts. Both of those policies were included as examples with the board’s agenda.
Also, Orange Unified School District is the latest school board considering a similar policy. The board is expected to vote on the policy Sept. 7.
The Temecula Valley board’s evangelical majority — Joseph Komrosky, Jen Wiersma, and Danny Gonzalez — voted yes during the Aug. 23 meeting. Trustees Steven Schwartz and Allison Barclay voted no.
The board’s conservative majority was elected in November and backed by a conservative PAC.
A recall effort to remove the three from office is underway.
Like other school board meetings across the region in Chino Valley and Murrieta Valley, the Temecula Valley school district meeting was crowded and hostile and watched over by sheriff’s deputies.
Most of the crowd was divided into two groups.
People with rainbow Pride flags and clothing were scattered across one, and people holding American flags, “Protect Family Bonds” signs and “Leave Our Kids Alone” T-shirts were mixed into the other.
While many supporters of the policy have framed the narrative as a discussion about “parental rights,” this explanation is false and misleading. This policy and others like it are an orchestrated smear campaign against the LGBTQ+ community and an attempt to eradicate the LGBTQ+ community from public view.
For example, three of the school board members and policy supporters are evangelicals who do like the LGBTQ+ community.
Also, the Temecula Valley school board got in trouble in July when it tried to ban state-approved teaching materials because they mentioned Harvey Milk.
The Temecula Valley school district policy, proposed by board Komrosky and Wiersma, will require school staff to notify parents or guardians if their student asks to be treated or identified as a gender other than what’s listed on the student’s birth certificate or other official records, or uses facilities or participates in a sports program different from the one corresponding to their birth gender.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement rebuking Temecula Valley’s decision, saying the trend of school districts adopting policies targeting the LGBTQ+ students is “of grave concern.”
On Aug. 28, Bonta filed a complaint to have the Chino Valley policy blocked while a court determines if it violates California law.
It’s unclear if Bonta will file a complaint against Murrieta Valley or the Temecula Valley school districts.
