Joseph Komrosky, who decried critical race theory and called Harvey Milk a pedophile, was recalled by 51% of Temecula voters

Joseph Komrosky, who decried critical race theory and called Harvey Milk a pedophile, was recalled by 51% of Temecula voters

Voters in Temecula, California, have ousted the local school board president who thrust the political body to the forefront of rightwing culture wars seeking to eliminate discussions of race and gender identity from the classroom.

Joseph Komrosky on Thursday lost a recall vote with 51% of voters favoring his removal.

Temecula – a predominantly white city of 100,000 residents – was a hotbed of the culture wars that conservative Americans have mounted in an attempt to censure how schools teach racism, gender and American history.

In June of 2023, Komrosky presided over the Temecula school board’s banning of critical race theory – which examines how racism was embedded into American law – as well as attempts to purge elementary school textbooks of any reference to Harvey Milk, the openly gay politician from San Francisco who supported LGBTQ+ rights before his 1978 assassination.

  • Feliskatos 🐱
    41•6 months ago

    Good news that he was recalled, but kinda sad the vote was so close.

    • @bouldering_barista
      12•6 months ago

      Agreed. Maybe it was a low turnout? Too many people maybe thinking it was an easy recall win and didn’t show up

      • @whatwhatwhatwhat
        4•6 months ago

        I wish that was the case, but having lived just south of Temecula, my experience is that it’s a pretty conservative area. Lots of Trump flags, lifted trucks, anti-lgbtqia protestors on street corners, etc. I think it could be leaning a little more moderate as more people from San Diego move there for the lower cost of living. But honestly I was (pleasantly) surprised to see this recall make it to the ballot, let alone actually pass.