Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1509126
Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a state lawsuit in August challenging Chino Valley Unified's forced outing policy. "Teachers have had their reputations irreparably harmed — one for incorporating a school library book in a project, others for serving as student advisors to clubs and guiding students to focus on school attendance while balancing students' First Amendment rights," he said. "e inability to facilitate academic discussions based on student ideas is causing educators to worry about dis- cipline and their jobs." Educator thoughts of reprisal are constant and palpable, according to Dawn Murray-Sibby, a high school teacher, TVEA member and one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. "is ban has created a climate of fear in our classrooms, and it is preventing my students from learning about the history and diversity of our nation," she said. "I'm proud to be a plaintiff in this case to fight for my students, who deserve an education not censored by board members' ideological beliefs." TVUSD's board garnered national headlines earlier this year when they refused to approve textbooks with sections on LGBTQ+ history including civil rights leader Harvey Milk. After the short standoff with Gov. Newsom, the school board quietly approved textbooks to comply with state law. e battle continues over the right to learn without censorship in Temecula. "What the board is doing is not only morally wrong — it is ille- gal," Temecula student Susan C. said. Chino Valley: Fighting back against hate in schools ACT members are fighting back against discriminatory, anti- LGBTQ+ policies recently adopted by the C VUSD Board of Education. ese policies include a new regulation banning the pride flag (and other flags and emblems) from district properties and a policy requiring educators to "out" trans students to their parents in writing. With th e assi st anc e of C TA attorn e y s, AC T sent a What to Do When Hate Comes to Your School District Lessons learned by educators who have experienced the battles firsthand have resulted in some best practices on fighting extremism in your district: • Start the work now. Get engaged in your community before extremists go public, so your local is an established partner in com- munity issues. Getting active in your local elections is key. • Strength in numbers. Ask members from neighboring CTA locals to show support by attending your school board meetings. Be in close contact with CTA leaders and staff, who can provide important assistance. • Safety above all. Have a conversation in your local about how to ensure safety for members and students at school board meetings and other events. • Tell your story. Establish a presence on social media to share your story as educa- tors in your community. • Take care of you. Self-care is especially critical in these highly charged environments. • It's a marathon. Prepare and pace yourself for a lengthy fight that can be very draining, even in the best of conditions. Temecula Valley Educators Association members Jennifer Scharf (at mic), Dawn Murray-Sibby and Amy Eytchison at the August press conference announcing the lawsuit against the school district. 27 O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3