The Chino Valley Unified School Board in southern California took a stand to protect parental rights concerning the state’s transgender agenda, resulting in a heated confrontation with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.
During a meeting, Thurmond attempted to turn the board away from implementing a policy that would require parents to be informed about their children’s gender decisions and any gender nonconforming status.
However, things quickly escalated when Thurmond exceeded his speaking time and faced stern criticism from Chino Valley Unified Board President Sonja Shaw. Shaw accused Thurmond of trying to “pervert” children and making threats towards the board.
As seen in footage of the meeting, Thurmond got escorted out of the meeting, much to the applause of some attendees.
Despite the tension, the board proceeded with the vote, with a resounding 4 to 1 majority in favor of securing parents’ rights over their children’s gender decisions. Now, parents will be notified if their child identifies as transgender.
In response to the incident, Thurmond later took to Twitter to express his objections, defending the supposed privacy of gender-confused children.
“Tonight I went to a school board meeting to stand up for LGBTQ+ students who invited me to join them as they spoke out against a radical new policy that threatens their safety. When done speaking, the board president verbally attacked me an instructed the police to remove me,” he wrote.
Tonight I went to a school board meeting to stand up for LGBTQ+ students who invited me to join them as they spoke out against a radical new policy that threatens their safety. When done speaking,the board president verbally attacked me an instructed the police to remove me.(1/5)
— Tony Thurmond (@TonyThurmond) July 21, 2023
“I don’t mind being thrown out of a board meeting by extremists. I can take the heat — it’s part of the job. What I can’t accept is the mistreatment of vulnerable students whose privacy is being taken away,” he added, moving on to defend his advocacy for LGBTQ-inclusive curricula.
I don’t mind being thrown out of a board meeting by extremists. I can take the heat — it’s part of the job. What I can’t accept is the mistreatment of vulnerable students whose privacy is being taken away.(2/5) Thread
— Tony Thurmond (@TonyThurmond) July 21, 2023
However, Shaw continues to stand on her and the board’s decision, emphasizing that their aim was to safeguard parental rights as Thurmond’s support for policies that “pervert children” posed a danger to students and disregarded parental input.
Speaking to KTLA-TV, she said, “That is a constitutional right and we’re going to make sure that our parents at Chino Valley know they’re sending their kids here to be taught, not to be anything else.”
