A California Court of Appeals Just Put a Stop to Temecula Valley Unified’s Critical Race Theory Ban
In a surprising turn of events, the Temecula Valley Unified School District has been told they can’t enforce their ban on critical race theory (CRT) anymore. The decision came from a California Court of Appeals on Monday, making it the first time in California that a court has said no to a district trying to stop students from learning about racial and LGBTQ+ equity. Amanda Mangaser Savage from the Sullivan & Cromwell Strategic Litigation Counsel at Public Counsel gave us the scoop.
What’s Going On Here?
The ruling affects the whole of California, according to Amelia Piazza, an attorney with Public Counsel’s Opportunity Under Law project. She mentioned that this decision should send a clear message to school districts across the state. They can’t just censor student education because it doesn’t align with the views of some school board members. The case in question, Mae M. v. Komrosky, was filed in August 2024 on behalf of the district’s teachers union, teachers, parents, and students. They’re saying that the ban on CRT has created a tense atmosphere at schools, silenced teachers, and violated students’ rights to equality and information.
