California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) are scheduled to engage in a heated debate in November. In the meantime, Newsom is showing his commitment to reshaping California into a state that stands in stark contrast to Florida’s conservative principles.
While Florida emphasized personal freedom over fear during the pandemic, Newsom’s administration implemented a series of mandates and nearly broke the state’s economy.
Moreover, Newsom has recently taken measures to ensure that state-sanctioned LGBTQ propaganda can be circulated to 5.9 million K-12 students in over 1,000 different California school districts, without any interference from parents or teachers.
School boards in #California will no longer be able to ban instructional materials containing "inclusive and diverse perspectives" under a new law signed by Gov. @GavinNewsom.
AB 1078 faced opposition from Republicans who have branded it "heavy-handed." https://t.co/es0Yw06t4c
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) September 26, 2023
Newsom’s commitment to the far-leftist agenda was made even more evident after his recent endorsement of Rep. Corey Jackson’s (D-CA) AB 1078 bill. This legislation ensures that materials containing “inclusive and diverse perspectives” cannot be removed from school libraries, textbooks and curriculums.
School boards will now face financial penalties if they reject materials promoting the LGBT lifestyle. Sadly, Jackson’s bill overlooks the reasons why some LGBT-related materials have been removed from schools in other areas; labeling restricted access to erotic material as discrimination and censorship.
Unfortunately, AB 1078 has already taken effect, but not without criticism. State Rep. Josh Hoover (R-CA) decried the legislation as government overreach into local school districts. Rep. Devon Mathis (R-CA) characterized it as “government blackmail.”
Dr. Joseph Komrosky, the Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD) president, expressed concerns about the inclusion of Harvey Milk in the curriculum, citing a lack of parental input. Despite Newsom’s rhetoric about respecting parental choices, he used the threat of a $1.5 million fine to force all school boards to comply.
Democratic State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond praised AB 1078, reiterating California’s commitment to preserving access to education and expanding opportunities for knowledge. He compared how California approaches education differently from some other states that limit access to education and prohibit certain books.
One book that has generated controversy is Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer,” which contains adult content. Similarly, Alex Gino’s “Melissa” also discusses the topic of transitioning in explicit and graphic terms, which was also met with a lukewarm response among parents.
Gov. Newsom’s leadership has firmly advanced California in line with the progressive agenda, epitomized by AB 1078. Yet, this legislation has triggered heated debates regarding the government’s involvement in education and the appropriateness of LGBT content being taught in American schools.
