DAVIS, Calif — Effective immediately, California schools are no longer allowed to ban books after Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assemblybill 1078 into law.
Due to the bill's urgency clause, schools and parents are now scrambling to try and be in compliance, and it's has some parents concerned about their child's education.
"My son, when he was 12 last year, saw the book 'This Book is Gay,' in his junior high library. And that book has nothing to do with being gay, and everything to do with grooming children to make them more accessible to adults and predators," said Allie Snyder.
Snyder said she's upset she doesn't have the ability to control what her children are being taught while in school. It's gotten her so concerned that she's taken drastic steps in her son's education.
"I'm also pulling my child out of this district," she said.
However, for some students, they believe there's more behind this objection, saying parents are afraid of LGBTQ+ narratives and their children being exposed to people of color.
Regardless of the differing opinions, the California School Boards Association (CSBA) said this is where a majority of the state is headed.
"We do agree with the overall motivation or the impetus for this bill, which is to create inclusive materials," said Troy Flint, chief communications officer for the CSBA.
CSBA represents a majority of the school districts in the state, and while they agree with the cultural movement of this bill, they said they're unhappy about a certain aspect.
"The state has the ability to come in immediately and without any discretion for the locals or any opportunity for the local school district to correct. The state can come in and make those changes on its own," said Flint.
If a school is in violation, it could mean a hefty monetary penalty.
"In the past, when this has been threatened, we've been talking in the millions of dollars," Flint said.
If a school has been in violation, with this new law, the state will be alerted and that would trigger an investigation. The school district would be subject to a violation or penalty based on the findings of that investigation.
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