California’s bill to stop local school boards from rejecting ‘diversity’ textbooks has been approved and is now awaiting the governor’s approval.
A California Bill to Promote Diversity in School Books Heads to Governor for Approval
A California bill that aims to ensure that school boards include books that accurately represent the cultural and racial diversity of society is now awaiting approval from Governor Gavin Newsom. The bill, known as Assembly Bill 1078, passed the state Senate floor with a 55-16 vote on September 7.
Previously, the fate of the bill was uncertain as it was placed on the “suspense file,” which holds bills with significant fiscal expenses. However, the Democratic majority in the state Senate revived it and pushed it forward.
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If Governor Newsom signs the bill, it will take effect immediately.
Assemblyman Corey Jackson introduced the bill in February to prevent school boards from excluding books based on topics related to race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. To exclude a book for any other reason, a two-thirds supermajority vote by the school board would be required.
The bill also mandates audits of library and classroom books, with potential funding penalties for districts that do not meet the California Department of Education’s standards for diverse instructional materials.
Assemblyman Jackson stated that the purpose of the bill is to address instances where books have been removed from schools based on race or sexuality rather than their content or character.
This year, several Southern California school boards, including the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified and Temecula Valley Unified, passed policies banning the teaching of critical race theory. The Temecula Valley Unified board gained attention when it initially rejected, then later approved, an elementary social studies textbook that included LGBT activist Harvey Milk.
The board president, Joseph Komrosky, referred to Milk as a “pedophile” due to reports of a sexual relationship with a minor. Governor Newsom threatened to send copies of the textbook to Temecula students and impose a $1.5 million fine on the district if they did not approve it. Eventually, the board approved the curriculum with the recommendation to replace the material involving Milk with something more age-appropriate.
During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Trustee Jen Wiersma from Temecula Valley Unified and Trustee Sonja Shaw from Chino Valley Unified expressed opposition to AB 1078. They raised concerns that the bill could expose school boards to legal risks if they were unable to remove inappropriate books and materials.
Ms. Wiersma stated, “[Assembly Bill] 1078 prevents school boards from removing instructional materials, which predisposes school districts to lawsuits by parents based upon curriculum containing sexual harassment and criminal obscenity.”
Ms. Shaw added that the bill was a “blatant overreach” that undermined the power of local boards and disenfranchised voters. She also argued that it would lead to further financial difficulties for California and marginalize parents in the education process.
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