As some school districts are being criticized for targeting LGBTQ+ students, Pomona schools have been praised for supporting its LGBTQ+ community.
Other Inland Empire school boards — from Chino to Redlands — have been chastised for “outing” transgender students, pulling pride flags from classrooms, barring transgender athletes from girls’ sports and banning LGBTQ+-centered books from libraries for what’s seen as sexually explicit material.
But, in the face of these controversies elsewhere, the Pomona Unified School District has renewed a contract with the Pomona Valley Pride center to continue mentoring and tutoring services for students. Members of Pomona Valley Pride also applauded the Pomona school board last month for refusing to adopt what it calls anti-LGBTQ+ policies.
“It is important right now in a time when our community is in disarray,” said Frank Guzman, CEO of Pomona Valley Pride. “I do believe that Pomona has been a leader in saying that ‘We are going to support all students.’”
Pomona school board members could not be reached for comment as of Thursday afternoon, July 3.
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Pomona Unified School District board members listen during their Wednesday, June 11, 2025, meeting. (Photo by John Valenzuela, Contributing Photographer)
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Pomona Unified School District board members listen during their Wednesday, June 11, 2025, meeting. (Photo by John Valenzuela, Contributing Photographer)
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In the past few years, Inland Empire districts have passed or are considering passing parent notification policies, flag bans that pull flags other from the U.S., state and military flags from classrooms, rules to make it easier to remove books off shelves and a “Save Girls’ Sports” resolution that supports barring transgender athletes from girls’ sports.
A revised parent notification policy, which was passed by the Temecula Valley and Chino Valley school boards and is set for discussion by the Redlands board later this month, requires districts to inform parents within three days if their child changes any part of the their school record.
The original policy, popularized in 2023, required schools to tell parents within three days if their child looked to change their, name, pronouns or asked about gender-affirming facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms or a sports program that didn’t match their gender assigned at birth.
Guzman said that, as a parent, he believes in parents’ rights, but said that if a parent is not aware their child is struggling with their identity, it shows that there are other issues.
“Having seen what the children in Chino are going through on a regular basis is appalling,” Guzman said. “It is sick that we have leaders who are not supporting students.”
The federal government has taken a stance against the transgender community and diversity, equity and inclusion practices by threatening federal funding to districts that use DEI programs.
President Donald Trump also issued two executive orders early in his second term that called for “restoring biological truth to the federal government” and looked to keep “biological men out of women’s sports.”
The Chino Valley, Temecula Valley, Redlands and Murrieta Valley unified school districts have all passed resolutions “to save girls sports.” The language of the resolutions parrots a failed Assembly bill that would have barred transgender athletes from sports that do not align with their gender assigned at birth.
Though applauded by the LGBTQ+ community, Pomona schools have faced backlash from others.
At the May 7 and June 11 school board meetings, some railed against the district for its support of the LGBTQ+ community and for passing a resolution recognizing Pride Month in June.
On May 7, Hansel Orzame, a Covina pastor and self-identified Christian nationalist, said promoting Pride Month in schools is exposing children to different types of sex.
“It is the parents’ job and responsibility to educate their children about that,” Orzame said.
He compared teaching about the LGBTQ+ community in schools to discussing sex with minors at a local park, an act for which Orzame said he could be arrested.
On June 11, Pomona resident Chris Garcia criticized the LGBTQ+ community and Pomona school trustees’ support of Pride Month and the center.
“Pride comes before the fall,” Garcia said. “…You allow people to come here and mock Christianity. By wearing a rainbow flag, you allow them to mock my religion.”
The rainbow is a promise from God, told in the Biblical story of Noah, that he would never destroy the world again, Garcia said.
Despite the comments, on June 25, the board renewed a contract with the center to provide tutoring and mentorship services for LGBTQ+ students in the district.
The program for middle and high school students connects them with the center and provides them with tutoring, counseling and mentorship, district spokesperson Ronald Lawrence said Monday, June 30.
The program has been funded by a $600,000 state COVID grant that will expire in 2026. The grant allowed for two years of the partnership at $300,000 a year. The program serves up to 250 students, Lawrence said.
“We are lucky to have a pride center locally,” he said.
Founded in 2019, the center started in Pomona but now serves cities in San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties, including Chino and Chino Hills.
Six employees from the center are assigned to the district, Guzman said. During its first year, the Pomona Valley Pride program saw 176 students come, Guzman said. He anticipates 250 students next school year.
The center provides tutoring but also counseling for students so they can to talk about their journey, connect with community groups, find scholarship opportunities and get other information and support, Guzman said.
“There is already a bias of people thinking that the queer and trans community are groomers and we know what that perception is,” Guzman said.
The center works hard to change that perspective, Guzman said.
On June 11, Guzman, several people with Pomona Valley Pride and allies of the center praised the board for its support.
Damien Ramirez said that the center educated him on the LGBTQ+ community and showed him that compassion and empathy can change lives.
“It is a foundation for the LGBTQ community in Pomona, and needs to stay that way,” Ramirez said.
Arianna Guzman, youth services director for Pomona Valley Pride, expressed gratitude for the district’s support of its work.
The center successfully helped 28 seniors graduate and assisted 15 students in finding jobs.
Jehan Izhar, a Pomona resident and owner of a performing arts and circus center, said that at a time when districts are feeling pressure for keeping DEI policies, she was encouraged by the district.
Izhar said she has found that the more inclusive she is of students, the more they open up and thrive in class.
“The bolder I am, the more my students, I have seen, flourish and thrive,” Izhar said.
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