California School Board Rejects State Superintendent, Declares: ‘No Bullying Allowed’

California Superintendent Escorted Out⁢ of School Board Meeting Amidst LGBT Education Debate

The recent school​ board⁤ meeting in Chino, California took an unexpected turn when Superintendent Tony Thurmond was escorted out after speaking against a resolution regarding parental notification for​ gender ​transitions. The board chair, Sonja Shaw, cut off Thurmond’s microphone when he exceeded‍ the speaking time limit. Refusing to leave,⁣ Thurmond was eventually removed from the building by the ⁢police. The‌ board proceeded to⁣ pass the resolution with a​ 4-1 vote, marking a significant rejection‍ of guidance from the California⁤ Department of⁢ Education.

“This is not your meeting,”‍ Shaw firmly told⁢ Thurmond. “You may have a⁢ seat, because if I did ⁣that to you in Sacramento you would not accept it. You’re not going to blackmail us. …⁣ You will not bully us here in Chino.”

Chino ‌is just‌ one of several Southern California school boards challenging the state’s⁤ comprehensive LGBT mandates and‍ guidelines. Governor Gavin⁢ Newsom and Democratic ‌state lawmakers have responded to this resistance with threats, ⁢condemnation, ⁣and new legislation.

“I see a shift happening in the state, and it’s partly because of years of having to deal with an overreaching state government on public ⁣education issues—from the⁢ COVID-19 shutdowns to vaccine mandates, and mask mandates,” said Jonathan Zachreson, founder of Reopen ⁢California Schools, a parent group advocating against school closures ⁣during the pandemic. “Now we ⁣have to deal with a lot ‌of the culture wars Sacramento ⁢has ‍brought​ into ‌school districts. [Parents’] only recourse is to deal‍ with it at the local level.”

In ⁣a similar vein, the Temecula Valley school board recently voted ⁣for the second time to reject⁢ a state-endorsed‌ social studies curriculum for elementary schools, deeming it inappropriate. ⁢In response, Governor Newsom announced plans to force the board to ‌purchase LGBT-themed textbooks and impose​ a $1.5 million⁤ fine on the district for its defiance. The Temecula⁤ school board ‍president criticized Newsom’s actions as “unilateral” ⁤and​ stated that the board would⁤ vote on⁣ an alternative solution that complies with state and federal mandates.

Newsom has also faced opposition from ⁤Glendale parents protesting their district’s Pride celebration plans. The governor labeled their campaign as “organized hate” and condemned their actions.

During the Chino school board‌ meeting, Thurmond defended the state’s guidance that schools⁤ should keep students’ gender changes confidential from parents.

“I ask you to consider‍ this: that the policy⁤ you consider tonight may not only ⁤fall⁣ outside of privacy laws and safety for our students but may put⁤ our students ⁤at risk,”​ Thurmond ⁣argued before his microphone was silenced.

However, ⁢Shaw expressed her refusal to comply with state ​directives.

“I’m a ⁤soccer⁢ mom… a fitness trainer. ⁢I had ⁢no desire to ever be in this seat,” she stated after Thurmond’s removal. “We trust ​the state. We trust ​the government. ‌Well, ⁤we‍ did until our eyes were opened and we ‌were ⁢no ‍longer able to because we noticed that we were sending ⁣our kids into danger.”

Thurmond​ later took ⁣to‍ Twitter, claiming he was “thrown out of a board meeting by extremists” and expressing support for pending legislation that would penalize school districts⁢ failing to provide sufficient LGBT materials‌ for students.

Meanwhile, federal courts in California⁤ are currently deliberating on‍ similar issues. Two middle school⁢ teachers filed a⁢ lawsuit against their district’s policy⁤ of concealing students’ gender transitions ⁢from parents, arguing that ⁤it violated⁤ their religious and speech rights. Additionally, two mothers have sued ⁣their respective districts for infringing upon their parental rights, alleging that⁣ teachers covertly influenced⁢ their​ daughters ‍to identify as boys.

In the state legislature, Assemblywoman Mia ​Bonta, the attorney general’s wife, ‌recently proposed a bill that would empower school boards to remove members who object ⁢to‌ the state’s “inclusive” education policies. Lawmakers are also considering a Democrat-backed bill that would mandate LGBT training for middle and high school teachers. Transgender activist groups, including the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and the Trevor Project, have been enlisted to ​assist⁣ in developing the ⁣course materials.

Federal courts ⁢in⁣ California are considering⁣ the some of ⁢the same questions at issue in Chino. Two California middle school teachers in ⁢April filed suit against their ‌district’s policy ⁤of hiding students gender transitions from parents, saying it violated their religious and speech rights.‍ And two California mothers have sued their respective districts ‌ for violating their parental rights, saying that teachers secretly manipulated their daughters to believe they were boys.

Meanwhile, in‌ the⁢ state legislature, Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, the attorney general’s wife,⁤ last month proposed a bill to authorize school boards to ‌boot members who object to the state’s “inclusive” ⁤education ‌policies. Lawmakers were also considering a Democrat-backed bill‍ to​ mandate ‍LGBT training for middle and high ⁤school teachers.⁣ Transgender activist groups including the⁢ Human Rights Campaign Foundation and the Trevor Project have‌ been tapped⁤ to help develop the course materials.