California school board member warns of ‘witchcraft,’ ‘child sacrifice’ in bizarre speech
Auburn Union School District Board Trustee Jayson Wedge, the subject of a recall effort among district parents and teachers, delivered bizarre, vaguely threatening remarks to the Auburn City Council during a public comment period Tuesday night.
Wedge first addressed Auburn Mayor Rachel Radell-Harris and the city’s four council members about the concerns they voiced earlier this year about the state of the school district.
Wedge and AUSD Board President Greg Holt became subjects of the recall effort after they supported an abrupt decision to close Rock Creek Elementary School and transition all other schools in the district to TK-8 schools, despite widespread concern from district parents and local elected officials, such as Radell-Harris.
“I was really disappointed” with the council, Wedge said. “You guys find yourself in almost the same situation coming up, and I encourage you, this isn’t to threaten you or anything ... now is the time to take swift actions, to pass the buck down the road, and try to come up with alternate solutions. You guys need to cut budgets.”
He then pivoted to the topic of Pride Month, admonishing the board for recognizing it after Radell-Harris opened the meeting Tuesday with a Proclamation declaring June as Pride Month in the city of Auburn. City Councilwoman Michelle Sierra-Sammons also wore a Pride shirt to the meeting.
Wedge took issue with both.
“As elected officials, we are not elected to take part in social or political movements,” Wedge said. “And with this Pride Month, this was a social and political movement that you guys took part in, and I would like to make my own statement on that.”
Wedge heads the Placer County chapter of the group Freedom Coalition, a right-wing group of “freedom advocates” who promote the conspiracy theory that the COVID-19 public health lockdowns were a way for the U.S. government to install more 5G towers across the country to control the electorate.
“I’ve been attacked, I’ve been called a racist, I’ve been called a bigot, I’ve been attacked for the love that I have for Jesus Christ, and recently, I’ve been slandered as being a part of anti-government groups. So I really hope you guys don’t support any of that.”
In a sudden turn of tone, Wedge sought to declare his own proclamation instead: “Any forms of witchcraft, any forms of idolatry, any forms of child sacrifice will not be tolerated, and your days are numbered.”
He then left the podium without elaborating on any such cases of witchcraft, idolatry or child sacrifice.
