Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1509126
Even Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony urmond was caught up at a July Chino Valley school board meeting — getting thrown out by the extremist school board president. "Tonight, I went to a school board meeting to stand up for LGBTQ+ students who invited me to join them as they spoke out against a radical new policy that threatens their safety. When done speaking, the board president verbally attacked me and instructed the police to remove me," Thurmond tweeted that evening. "If I am forcibly removed from a public school board meeting as the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, how are everyday parents and students in Chino Valley Unified supposed to have their voices heard? I will always stand with California students and will use every power of my office to protect them from politicians who seek to divide our communities instead of keeping our kids safe." Other elected leaders statewide have also stepped up to defend students and hold these extremist politicians account- able. On Aug. 28, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a state lawsuit to immediately halt the enforcement of the Chino Valley Unified Board of Education's mandatory forced outing policy. Bonta's office also launched a civil rights investigation into the new policy. Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin New- som threatened to fine Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD) $1.5 million after their extremist-controlled board refused to adopt textbooks because they included a section on LGBTQ-rights icon Harvey Milk.And educators in these districts continue to lead the charge, stay- ing focused on real issues impacting their schools and communities, while also step- ping up to defend their students in these manufactured controversies. Temecula Val- ley Education Association (TVEA) joined students and educators in filing a lawsuit in August against the school district for censor- ing instruction; Associated Chino Teachers (ACT) filed an Unfair Practice Charge the same month for uni- lateral policy changes enacted by the school board without negotiation; and Orange Unified Education Association (OUEA) joined a campaign to recall extremist board members and take their school district back. "is movement has been organized — large, growing and passionate — through grassroots fundraising and action, a signature drive to gather enough voters to petition a recall Associated Chino Teachers at a July school board meeting supporting LGBTQ+ students' privacy rights in the face of a new district policy. "We will never waver when it comes to advocating for our students and their safety. We will not support policies that harm children." —CTA President David Goldberg 25 O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 "Teachers have had their reputations irreparably harmed. The inability to facilitate academic discussions based on student ideas is causing educators to worry about discipline and their jobs." —T VEA President Edgar Diaz