Temecula Teachers Win Against Extremist School Board

TEMECULA – Temecula teachers, students and parents won a key victory in their efforts to secure the rights to teach and learn accurate and inclusive history in Temecula schools, when the Court of Appeal held that a broad curriculum ban was unconstitutional and must be enjoined.

In 2022, the Temecula Valley Unified School District’s ideologically-driven school board enacted a resolution purporting to ban “Critical Race Theory and other similar frameworks.” This vague and overbroad prohibition limited teachers from providing instruction on a broad range of subjects, including content mandated by California state educational standards, and prevented teachers from having truthful classroom discussions about race discrimination and racial oppression.

A coalition of plaintiffs – including Temecula teachers and their union, the Temecula Valley Educators Association – fought back against the District’s sweeping curriculum ban and sought a preliminary injunction. While the superior court initially denied the injunction, the Court of Appeal overturned the superior court, holding that the ban violated the constitutional rights of students and teachers, and must be enjoined. Plaintiffs were supported in their efforts by a coalition of statewide educators’ unions, including the California Teachers Association (CTA) and California Federation of Teachers (CFT), who filed an amicus brief with the Court of Appeal.

“As educators and union workers, we work so hard to provide every student with a quality education and for schools to be safe places for all students, regardless of their race, sexual orientation, or gender identity,” said CTA President David Goldberg. “We believe our students deserve access to an honest education that helps them develop the knowledge and skills they need to learn, grow, and thrive. Crucially, educators need to be able to focus on this mission – teaching – and should never be forced into the untenable position of choosing between breaking state law or violating district policies. That’s why I’m so proud of the Temecula educators, students, and parents who took on politicians aiming to exclude and attack certain children, including LGBTQ+ youth, censor the truth, and ban learning from the mistakes of the past. Our union will continue to fight for our students’ freedom to learn in a safe environment.”

“This decision is a victory for every student in California,” said CFT President Jeff Freitas. “Every student in California has the right to an education that gives them a deeper understanding of our common history, and an opportunity to learn and thrive in our complex and diverse society. As a union of educators and classified professionals, we work hard to make sure every student at every school feels welcome and safe so they can learn and grow. The policy that the Temecula educators, parents, and students sued to stop created a hostile environment for students and educators alike. We are grateful the courts sided with the laws of this state and the future of our students, and not with this destructive school policy.”

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The 310,000-member California Teachers Association is affiliated with the 3 million-member National Education Association.

CFT – A Union of Educators and Classified Professionals represents 120,000 teachers, faculty, and school employees in public and private schools and colleges, from early childhood through higher education. It is the statewide affiliate of the AFT.