Chino Valley School Board Hires Firm Behind Landmark Anti-Labor Janus v. AFSCME Ruling in “Forced Outing” Lawsuit Versus State of California

Liberty Justice Center has agreed to handle the case pro-bono

 CHINO, CA – In a clear attempt to eventually make their case before the United States Supreme Court, tonight Chino Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) board hired the Liberty Justice Center to represent the district in the “forced outing” lawsuit against the State of California. The People of the State of California, Ex Rel. et al -v- Chino Valley Unified School District (San Bernardino County Superior Court Case No. CIVSB2317301) was filed by Attorney General Rob Bonta. According to their website, Liberty Justice Center “is most known for” the Janus v. AFSCME anti-worker ruling decided by the Supreme Court in 2018.

 Yesterday, CVUSD Board President Sonja Shaw told CNN that, “we know we’re not going to win it here in California because of who is elected and who is appointed in California. We know at the Federal government level we can win this.”

 Kristi Hirst, a parent and former teacher and co-founder of the grassroots non-profit Our Schools USA, spoke at tonight’s “emergency meeting” that was not televised (unlike CVUSD’s September 7 regular meeting last week). Her remarks, as prepared, are below.

 This is nothing but an attempt to get your illegal notification policy a hearing in the United States Supreme Court.

 The Liberty Justice Center is proud to have been on the landmark anti-worker Janus v. AFSCME case in 2018 when this extremist Supreme Court ruled against workers.

 Sonja Shaw – you admitted as much on CNN yesterday. In case you do not remember, you told a reporter, “We know we’re not going to win it here in California because of who is elected and who is appointed in California. We know at the Federal government level we can win this.”

 In other words, you are wasting our time. You are wasting our resources. We have a teacher shortage and teachers do not want to work here. You are costing us more than just money. You are costing us capable staff that are irreplaceable, and you know it.

 You are hiring this firm to invite a long, protracted court battle that will cost our school district money in legal fees – money that won’t be spent on educating our children.

 This district has already been sued before. James Na – your prayer proselytizing in this room caused parents just like me to sue you. You lost that case, and it cost this district $282,000 in legal fees. That’s $282,000 – five teacher salaries – that was not spent on educating our children.

 I urge this board to finally put all kids first as you claim you want to do and oppose this hiring.