Conservative California school board adopts teaching of gay rights after spat

A conservative California school board staunchly opposed to teaching gay rights in its social studies curriculum finally reversed course after holding a heated nine-hour debate and publicly feuding with Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.

On Friday, Temecula Valley Unified School District voted to adopt “California’s Cultural Contributions” textbooks, reversing a May vote rejecting the curriculum. A hearing was held in June during which many parents disagreed with the board’s 3-2 decision, followed by a nine-hour meeting earlier this month.

Governor Newsom had threatened to not only send the textbooks to Temecula but fine the district $1.5million if it did not implement curriculum which had been approved by the State Board of Education for Grades 1-5.