Gavin Newsom’s website is topped by a photo of him talking to a group of children, and he has repeatedly stressed that as a governor and a father, he considers nurturing them to be one of hishighest priorities. Twice in recent weeks, Newsom has acted to protect California’s children from...
Walters: New Bill Reignites California's 'Reading Wars'
For decades – close to a century, in fact – America’s educators and politicians have argued furiously over how best to teach children to read, pitting advocates of “phonics” against those of “whole language,” a conflict dubbed "reading wars." Phonics stresses fundamental instruction in the letters and letter combinations that...
Charter-Mageddon: Lawmakers Advance a Raft of Union-Backed Charter School Curbs
As charter school advocates rallied en masse and California’s teachers’ unions flexed their political muscle, a cluster of bills that would dramatically curb the growth of charters in the state cleared the Assembly Education Committee on Wednesday. The votes were the first in what figures to be a lengthy, high-stakes...
Walters: Election Results Fuel War on Charter Schools
Elections have consequences, and while some are unintended, one major impact of last year’s California elections is very much intended. Organizations and wealthy individuals favoring education reforms and charter schools went head-to-head with the California Teachers Association and other elements of the education establishment. It was a wipeout. The CTA,...
5 Teachers Sue California Union Over Forced Dues Collection
SAN FRANCISCO — Five California educators on Monday filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the state's top teachers union from collecting dues through mandatory paycheck deductions, the latest in a series of similar legal challenges filed across the country. The lawsuit challenging the California Teachers Association's mandatory collection of dues...
Thurmond Wins Race for Public Schools Chief
Though there are about 2 million ballots left to count, reform candidate Marshall Tuck has conceded to Tony Thurmond in the race for state superintendent of public instruction. Tuck sent this statement to his supporters: “Given it has become clear that we are not going to win this campaign, I...
De La Cerda Takes Heat for Misrepresenting Endorsements
McLane High School area trustee Christopher De La Cerda misrepresented his endorsements to local media, the Fresno Teachers Association said in a tweet Tuesday afternoon. The first instance was with The Fresno Bee and then in a GV Wire article, FTA said. SEIU, CTA Endorse Islas In both instances, De La...
The Battle to Decide California’s Education Future
By many measures, the majority of California’s 6.2 million schoolchildren are failing to make the grade. Earlier this year California’s K-12 education was ranked 44th by U.S. News & World Report and 36th on Education Week’s “Quality Counts” report. These numbers are sobering for a state that once boasted of having the...
Teachers Union Says Janus Decision Has Strengthened Its Spine
A Supreme Court decision this summer was hailed by some as upholding free speech rights under the First Amendment for employees covered by a contract who disagree with the union’s political activity, including donations to campaigns. Not surprisingly, Janus v. AFSCME was seen by unions such as the California Teachers...