Voters in Riverside County are weighing whether to reelect former Temecula Valley school board president Joseph Komrosky, a conservative who was recalled in a special election earlier this year after implementing a series of controversial policies that were challenged in court.
First elected to the board in November 2022, Komrosky drew nationwide attention for his decisions to prohibit the teaching of critical race theory and to require that parents be notified of changes in their child’s gender identity. The policies brought a lawsuit from parents , who argued that the rules put trans, non-binary and gender noncomforming students at risk. In early-2024, a Riverside County judge sided with the district, upholding their decision to ban critical race theory.
Komrosky and two other conservative board members also barred the display of any flag not associated with the state or federal government and banned books including state-provided educational material. Under Komrosky, the board also pushed the district to prohibit 5G towers on school grounds.