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An Elk Grove Unified School District trustee candidate faces backlash and the loss of two endorsements after online posts from an account appearing to belong to him used slurs against people with disabilities and derogatory language toward members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Read more Elk Grove school board candidate loses endorsements after offensive posts surface
Screenshots of an account appearing to belong to Kirk Thomson, who is running for Area 2, were posted to Reddit and show the use of the insensitive remarks.
One post, responding to a question asking users if they were comfortable with the use of the ableist slur, says “Only when describing Democrat politicians and their ideas.”
Another post uses the remarks in a derogatory manner and says “we can do that on the right,” presumably referring to the political right.
The posts appear to be dated through 2025 and 2026. The account is now private as of Tuesday afternoon. The account links to Thomson’s campaign website in its bio.
In a statement to The Sacramento Bee, Thomson said posts surfacing online were “old posts” from his “personal Twitter account,” made “months and sometimes years” before he considered running for office, and said the language he used was “wrong.”
“Words like that have caused real harm to people with disabilities and their families for a long time. I’m sorry to everyone those words hurt, especially the families in this district who live every day with the reality that language like that makes harder,” Thomson said in the statement.
Thomson said the situation was “personal” for him because his son has a disability.
“My son has a disability, and my wife and I have spent years learning what it actually takes to get our child, and kids like ours, the support they deserve at school. I know firsthand how much language and attitude shape whether a child with a disability is included, respected, and given a fair shot,” the statement read.
Thomson said he would not step down as a candidate in the race and would continue to “push for stronger special education programs and real transparency between the EGUSD board and the families it serves.”
Heidi Moore pulls her endorsement
In a statement posted to Facebook, EGUSD trustee Heidi Moore, who had endorsed Thomson early on in the campaign for Nov. 3, said she Monday was “made aware” of comments made by Thomson.
“After becoming aware of the comments, I have decided to rescind my previous endorsement of his candidacy,” she said.
Moore did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. First elected in 2024, she represents the district’s Area 7, including northeast Elk Grove and parts of Wilton, Rancho Cordova and unincorporated Sacramento County.
Incumbent Michael Vargas, Thomson’s opponent, released a statement on his campaign Facebook page Monday condemning the use of slurs.
“We have a special responsibility to build campus cultures where this language is never accepted as normal and where students are safe from all forms of bullying and harassment, including anti-disability discrimination,” Vargas said in the post.
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Elk Grove police union also pulls away
The Elk Grove Police Officers Association, the union representing police officers in the city, also rescinded their endorsement, saying in a Facebook post that the statements “do not reflect the values or standards” of the organization.
EG SPEAKS, a nonprofit organization advocating for families and students with disabilities in the district, also condemned the use of slurs in a statement Tuesday.
“Ableist and racist language has no place in public leadership, especially for someone seeking a position responsible for representing students and families,” the statement read.
Thomson first announced Moore’s endorsement on his Facebook page in June. He has also been endorsed by the Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association; state Sen. Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks; Assemblymember Josh Hoover, R-Folsom; and former Elk Grove Unified School District board trustee Carmine Forcina.
Views on transgender students
Thomson and Moore have expressed similar positions on some issues, particularly policies involving transgender students.
During a public comment session at a school board meeting last year, Thomson spoke in support of a potential resolution introduced by Moore to ban transgender students from participating in girls’ sports.
Thomson called the potential resolution “common sense” and argued that “boys and girls are different.” The board voted 6-1 to stop future discussion of the proposal. Moore cast the sole vote in favor.
At a school board meeting in March where trustees voted to recognize Transgender Day of Visibility, Thomson spoke against the resolution and said the trustees were pushing a “failing and dangerous agenda” and citing studies that he said “highlighted serious risk with so-called gender interventions in kids.”
Moore cast the sole vote against the resolution to recognize the day. She said the resolution was redundant since the district already recognizes Pride Month for the LGBTQ+ community, and called for a “Detransitioners Day of Visibility.”
Detransition has been highlighted in gender-affirming care bans nationwide. Two recent studies suggest as little as 2% of transgender people eventually identify with the gender they were assigned at birth.
In an interview with The Bee in August, Thomson said if elected to the board, he would promote transparency in board discussions about “biological boys in girls’ spaces,” referring to the debate over transgender girls participating in girls’ sports and using restrooms and other facilities marked for girls, as well as the content of books available for students to read in libraries.
“I know it’s controversial, but I think educational success should be the main priority of a board of education,” Thomson said.
He also said he would prioritize academic equity and success and fiscal responsibility.
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