Part 6: Moving Forward Without the Noise

What True Leadership Looks Like in TVUSD

1TVPAC Team

Temecula Valley Unified School District has endured two years of political chaos, failed policies, costly lawsuits, and misinformation at the hands of trustees Jen Wiersma and Joseph Komrosky. Their time in power was defined by culture war distractions, personal attacks, and a refusal to take responsibility for the damage they caused.

But there is hope.

A new board majority has taken the reins — and they’re charting a path forward that puts students, staff, and fiscal sanity back at the center of decision-making. This is what leadership looks like.

🛠️ Undoing the Damage, One Policy at a Time

The new TVUSD board majority — led by Board President Melinda Anderson, alongside Trustees Emil Barham and Steven Schwartz — has taken bold, necessary steps to reverse course:

• Rescinded unlawful and unenforceable policies (like the CRT resolution and parental notification rule).

• Ended expensive legal contracts with outside ideological firms.

• Refocused meetings on educational priorities, not political theater.

• Restored professionalism in board conduct.

These are not flashy moves. They don’t grab headlines. But they are exactly what responsible governance looks like.

📊 What the New Leadership Prioritizes

Instead of doubling down on ideological fights, the current leadership is tackling real issues:

• Student achievement gaps exacerbated by COVID

• Teacher recruitment and retention in a competitive labor market

• Mental health supports for students facing increasing challenges

• Campus safety and facility upgrades

• Fiscal stability after hundreds of thousands of dollars were wasted on lawsuits

This is the work of governing — not grandstanding.

🧑‍🏫 Rebuilding Trust with Teachers and Families

Under Wiersma and Komrosky, TVUSD teachers were vilified and distrusted. Many feared retaliation for speaking up or even doing their jobs.

The new leadership is actively rebuilding those bridges:

• Engaging openly with labor representatives and listening to their needs.

• Ending retaliatory policies like the union president pay cut.

• Restoring respect for educators and staff as partners in student success.

Without strong teachers, we have no strong schools. The board finally understands that again.

🧠 Restoring Respect for Rule of Law

One of the biggest shifts? This board listens to legal counsel. They follow state education code. They comply with PERB rulings. They don’t waste taxpayer money defending ideologically driven — but legally indefensible — policies.

That may not be “exciting,” but it’s essential. Governance is not about posturing. It’s about protecting the district from risk and ensuring every decision is grounded in law, policy, and common sense.

🗣️ Putting the Community Back in Control

Instead of governing from Instagram and curated comment sections, the new majority is inviting public input — through real board meetings, transparent agendas, and honest conversations.

If parents, students, or staff have concerns, they’re being heard — not blocked or attacked.

This is what local control actually looks like: collaboration, not command.

🧭 A Roadmap for the Future

TVUSD’s future depends on rejecting the noise and embracing leadership grounded in:

✅ Professionalism

✅ Accountability

✅ Respect for the law

✅ Fiscal discipline

✅ Focus on education — not ideology

Let this serve as a roadmap for the years ahead — and a warning to any future candidate who wants to turn our schools into a political battlefield. The community is watching. And now, they know what bad leadership looks like — and what real leadership can accomplish.

🙌 Final Thoughts

Jen Wiersma and Joseph Komrosky sold the public a narrative of bold conservative reform. What they delivered was reckless policymaking, division, and a budget bleeding red ink. Their time on the board will be remembered not for improving education — but for nearly tearing it apart.

Now, it’s up to Temecula to move forward — without the noise, without the theatrics, and without leaders who treat our schools like a stage.

We’ve seen what failure looks like. It’s time to build something better.