Southern California school board president referred to Harvey Milk as a ‘pedophile’

A suburban California school district has drawn the ire of Gov. Gavin Newsom after the district’s school board rejected a social studies curriculum during a meeting at which the board’s president falsely referred to LGBTQ rights activist Harvey Milk as a “pedophile.”

Newsom and state Attorney General Rob Bonta on June 7 issued a statement urging the Temecula Valley Unified School District’s governing board “to provide information regarding its process and decision-making related to the Board’s decision to reject the Social Studies Alive program for grades 1 through 5 on May 16, 2023.”

The board of the district, which includes the city of Temecula and some surrounding areas, about 60 miles north of San Diego and 90 miles southeast of Los Angeles, rejected the elementary school social studies curriculum by a vote of 3-2. During the meeting in which the vote took place, three conservative Christian board members who were elected in November 2022 took issue with Milk being mentioned in the textbook’s supplemental materials, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reported. Milk, the first openly gay man to hold elected office in California as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, was assassinated in 1978.

“My question is, why even mention a pedophile?” Temecula Valley Board President Joseph Komrosky said during the meeting.

According to the statement, Bonta sent a letter to Komrosky, as well as to the district’s superintendent, expressing concern over the decision to reject the curriculum. He said it was adopted by the state Board of Education, meets state requirements, and was recommended by Temecula Valley Unified staff.

Bonta’s letter also “expresses deep concern about the potential discriminatory intent” of Komrosky’s claims about Milk.

“In the Golden State, our kids have the freedom to learn — and there are consequences for denying that freedom,” Newsom said in the statement. “California is closely watching the actions of malicious actors seeking to ban books, whitewash history, and demonize the LGBTQ+ community in Temecula and across the state. If the law is violated, there will be repercussions.”

Bonta also said the district must ensure students have access to a diverse range of perspectives.

“We urge the Board to adhere to the FAIR Act’s provisions and provide a comprehensive social sciences curriculum that reflects our diverse state and nation. This should include accurate representations of historical figures like Harvey Milk and not be influenced by personal bias,” Bonta said.

Days before releasing the statement, Newsom posted a tweet condemning Komrosky and his description of Milk.

“An offensive statement from an ignorant person,” Newsom wrote. “This isn’t Texas or Florida. In the Golden State, our kids have the freedom to learn. Congrats Mr. Komrosky you have our attention. Stay tuned.”

Komrosky did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the American Independent Foundation, but he and fellow Temecula Valley Board Member Danny Gonzalez addressed Newsom’s criticism on June 7 in a press conference at a church, where Komrosky doubled down on his remarks.

“Regarding Gov. Newsom’s Twitter statement to me, it was never my intention to insult anyone as it’s always my intention to lead with civility,” Komrosky said. “My word choice is based upon facts that represent Mr. Milk, and I don’t believe those facts are a good example for our children to learn about in elementary school. Gov. Newsom, I’m glad I have your attention, now you have mine.”

Allison Barclay, a Temecula Valley board member who voted against the resolution rejecting the social studies curriculum, told the American Independent Foundation: “We’re a well-known, top-notch, high-quality district that other people look to across the county — and even the region and the state — for our leadership in public education. And so it’s disheartening to see that focus has been taken away, especially this week. It’s graduation, it’s the end of the school year. We should be celebrating.”

Asked how this vote affects LGBTQ kids in Temecula, Barclay said staff and administrators have always been supportive of all students.

“We want every student to feel welcome and included and loved, and I’m hopeful that kids will still feel that and remember that, even though at this time our community seems a little bit divided and there’s a lot of mixed and divisive messages,” Barclay said.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.