Overview: A California appellate court has ruled that the Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD) cannot enforce its ban on critical race theory (CRT) while pending legal action takes place. The ban, which was passed in 2022 and extended to teachings about the history of racism and slavery in the U.S., was deemed “unconstitutionally vague on its face” and “so ambiguous” by the court. The court’s decision is a victory for educators and students who fear being terminated for teaching about discrimination and real history.
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A California appellate court unanimously ruled that the Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD) can no longer enforce a ban on critical race theory (CRT) while pending legal action takes place.
The ruling came on May 20, as the Court of Appeal reversed a lower court’s decision to deny students and teachers’ request for a preliminary injunction that would have prevented the TVUSD Board from enforcing the ban. The recent decision striking down the Temecula curriculum ban is the first in the nation from a state court applying a state constitution to block an anti-CRT policy.
While CRT is typically a framework taught in law school, in 2022, the district imposed a ban on CRT which extended to teachings about the history of racism and slavery in the U.S. The ban passed with a 3-2 vote, with Board Members Joseph Komrosky, Danny Gonzalez and Jen Wiersma favoring the resolution. Komrosky, board president at the time, proposed the ban.
Following the ban, a group of teachers, students and teachers’ unions filed a lawsuit in 2024, Mae M. v. Komrosky, alleging that the 2022 ban on critical race theory has impacted students’ rights, censored teachers and has created a hostile environment.
The court ordered the Board to stop enforcing its policy while the case is in progress, noting that the ban is “unconstitutionally vague on its face” and “so ambiguous,” and ultimately clashes with California-mandated educational standards.
The court’s opinion, written by Judge Kathleen O’Leary, detailed how teachers in the district feared being terminated for teaching students about Native American communities, anti-Asian exclusion movements and past civil rights United States Supreme Court cases without violating the ban.
“This decision is a beacon of hope for educators and students across California,” stated Dawn Sibby, teacher at Temecula Valley High School, in a statement released by Public Counsel and Ballard Spahr LLP, who is representing teachers and students.
“If we are ever to become a democracy free from discrimination, our students must learn the true history of our nation and confront the real discrimination that people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ people have endured and continue to endure.”
It is not yet clear if TVUSD will appeal the court’s decision. Two of the board members, Komrosky and Wiersma, from the initial vote still reside on the current board.
An attorney from the Murrieta-based law firm Advocates For Faith & Freedom, representing TVUSD, released a statement following the ruling on Facebook.
“Although we are disappointed with the court’s decision, we remain committed to defending the constitutionality of Temecula Valley Unified School District’s actions,” Julianne E. Fliescher stated. “Critical race theory and its offshoots have no place in public institutions that are meant to serve all individuals equally. These ideas promote division, resentment, and a distorted view of history that punishes students and staff based on skin color rather than character.”
However, during an oral argument, defendants’ appellate counsel, representing TVUSD board members, informed the court that the current Board consists of different Board members, and they “do not intend to adopt a similar policy or related policy.”