California Democrats passed a bill Thursday that would fine school districts that deny textbooks or school library books for discrimination; Gov. Gavin Newsom supported the measure and is expected to sign it.
California Legislature sends Gavin Newsom its ‘anti-book’ bill
The state could fine districts under Newsom’s proposed legislation if they ban the books simply because they represent a marginalized group. It was extended to school library book selections, although it was initially intended to apply only to textbooks and curriculum adoption.
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Republican school culture war policies in California, supported by national Republicans, such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have received the most direct condemnation from Newsom through legislation.
Assembly Bill 1078, supported by Rep. Corey Jackson (D-Perris), was the administration’s central legislative response to conservative school boards’ embrace of the culture wars in education this year.
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In response to a GOP-backed Temecula school board that gained notoriety among state Democrats for preventing the inclusion of Harvey Milk in social studies textbooks, Newsom aides worked to development of the most recent version of the legislation.
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In a statement after the bill cleared the final legislative hurdle Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said: “California is the true State of Liberty: a place where families — not political fanatics — have freedom. to decide what is good for them. All students deserve the freedom to read and learn about the truth, about the world, and about themselves.
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The California School Boards Association and conservative organizations opposed the bill. Although two provisions that the CSBA opposed were removed from the bill last week, the group argued that it would still allow “unfettered state intervention before a school district is notified of a complaint and has an adequate opportunity to investigate and remedy the problem.
A few Republican-majority California school boards have also attracted a lot of attention by requiring parents to be informed if their children identify as transgender or gender nonconforming.
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Unlike Thurmond and Attorney General Rob Bonta, who have criticized these policies as they consider gubernatorial campaigns in 2026, Newsom has refrained from taking a position on these policies.
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