Temecula Valley Unified School District urged to explain Social Studies Alive rejection

Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta demanded explanations from the Temecula Valley Unified School District Board of Education after their May 16 decision to reject the Social Studies Alive program for first through fifth grade.

The curriculum has been adopted by the Senate Board of Education and district staff, and is in keeping with the FAIR Act.

“In the Golden State, our kids have the freedom to learn — and there are consequences for denying that freedom,” Newsom said in a 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.”

The FAIR Act, Bonta said, provides California students with a “curriculum that reflects our diverse state and nation” and that local educational agencies are required to incorporate the contributions of various communities into their curriculum.

The board has been asked to formally explain its decision and provide instructional materials and adoption policies, among other documents, by June 22.

“Restricting what our children are taught in school based on animus or ideological opposition contradicts our societal values,” Bonta said in a statement. “The Board needs to explain its decision making, and moving forward will need to ensure students have access to a wide range of ideas and perspectives.”