Temecula Valley school board fires superintendent Jodi McClay as protests erupt outside

Community member Kayla Church stands in support of LGBTQ+ community and in opposition to Temecula Valley Unified curriculum ban.

Credit: Mallika Seshadri / EdSource

Behind closed doors, the Temecula Valley school board voted 3-1 to fire the district’s superintendent Jodi McClay Tuesday and hire former Assistant Superintendent Kimberly Velez to fill in as interim.

While the board met in a closed session at Temecula Valley High School, dozens of parents, teachers and students protested the district’s decision to ban the “Social Studies Alive!” textbook which leaves more than 11,000 students without reading materials for the coming year.

McClay’s termination – a decision the board formally announced later in the evening during the meeting’s open session – is effective immediately. The crowd erupted in a mixture of boos and yelling, resulting in board members threatening to clear the auditorium if the noise continued. A recess was called immediately afterward.

Early on Tuesday, the Association of California School Administrators had sent a letter to the district’s school board members in support of McClay.

The letter, signed by Edgar Zazueta, executive director of the organization, stated that McClay was instrumental in making the Temecula Valley district “a beacon of light for students” during the COVID-19 pandemic. The district is one of four in Riverside County to resume in-person instruction in Spring 2021.

“She has demonstrated a deep commitment to meeting the needs of all students and ensuring that they have access to a safe, supportive learning environment,” the letter stated. “Dr. McClay’s focus on innovation, collaboration, and community engagement has been instrumental in driving positive outcomes for students and improving the lives of families in Temecula.”

In the afternoon, police arrived at the high school and patrolled the entrance to the parking lot, which was quick to fill.

To the right of the entrance, dozens of protesters gathered wearing shirts that read “Leave our Kids Alone.”

“The books that are being bought are changing the whole way they’re learning how to do simple things like their ABC’s and math,” said Rich Handy, a demonstrator who said he was connected to the California Republican Assembly. “Parents should have more say.”

On the other side, Pride activists waved flags and called for more inclusive curricula.

Malcolm Church, a local bi-gender artist, was among the crowd carrying a sign that read, “Those who ignore history want to repeat it.” For him, even the small gestures – like the honk of a car – go a long way.

“I appreciate the support,” he said. “Not everyone has the time or the strength or the ability to be able to come out here and be visibly supportive.”

At about 5:00 p.m., protesters, led by the Temecula Valley Educators Association, started to gather outside the building in opposition to the curriculum ban, wearing shirts that read “Temecula Educators Care.”

“I don’t feel like [the board] trusts the teachers,” said Emily Dellsite, a speech language pathologist in the district’s French Valley Elementary School, who stood in solidarity with the union. “Teachers spend a lot of time looking over things to select the curriculum that works best for students.”

For Rachel Trares, a mom of an LGBTQ+ student, attending today was about making a long term decision for her family.

“Honestly, part of my reason for being here is trying to figure out if I can still live here,” she said.

In November, voters elected Joseph Komrosky, Jen Wiersma and Danny Gonzalez, a trio of conservative, evangelical Christian candidates who now make up the majority vote. They have since banned teaching critical race theory and removed the “Social Studies Alive!” textbook because its supplemental material mentions LGBTQ+ rights activist Harvey Milk.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta have demanded that the board explain its decision to ban the textbook stressing the importance of a “curriculum that reflects our diverse state and nation.”

The state Department of Education has since launched an investigation into the district’s practices.

“This isn’t Texas or Florida,” Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted. “In the Golden State, our kids have the freedom to learn.”