“It is our hope that all schools will be able to physically open for five days per week in the fall but local conditions will determine whether that is possible.” – Cecily Myart-Cruz, President, United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA Update 5/14/2021) It’s impossible to know what “local conditions” are going to look like when...
Editor’s note: This is the seventh in a series of missives to Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. The first six can be accessed here. Oy vey, old friend! As you well know, I have written several heartfelt emails to you over the years, pointing out my concern over many of the...
New episode of National Review’s Radio Free California Podcast is out In the latest episode of the Radio Free California podcast, CPC’s Will Swaim and David Bahnsen discuss Governor Gavin Newsom’s plan to hand out checks to Californians on the eve of his recall. They also talk about the latest news from the state Department...
The consequences of Democrat control of Congress and the White House are just beginning to be felt, as one of the most disruptive pieces of legislation in American history quietly moves from the House of Representatives to the Senate, where only a successful filibuster may prevent its passage. The “Protect the Right to Organize,” or “PRO...
For months now, Governor Gavin Newsom has spared no opportunity to demean and bash conservatives for their efforts to do what he thought unthinkable: put him up for recall. But as quickly as he sent his kids back to in-person private school this past fall, Newsom seems to have embraced a very conservative principle: return...
It is no secret that California has its own myriad of economic issues: high taxes, a bloated government, overly powerful unions, and many more. However, one issue that is a product of all of these, but does not get nearly enough attention, is skyrocketing public pensions. For as long as I can remember, unions and...
Two opinion articles worth a read Summer is almost here, and the tide may finally be turning in the Los Angeles Unified School District. This week, two notable opinion pieces were published in area newspapers questioning the ongoing, union-orchestrated school closures, and challenging the LAUSD Board of Education to stand up to the United Teachers...
Despite the reopening happy talk, more than half of all California’s k-12 students remain in distance learning. While schools in California have reopened, a study by EdSource reveals that 55 percent of all public school students in California have not returned to their physical classroom. And just 13 percent of all students in the Golden...
This week marked Teacher Appreciation Week – a time when, in normal years, students may have gifted their beloved instructors with apples or homemade cards of appreciation. But with many schools still locked down thanks to union intransigence, some took their celebratory messages to Twitter. And boy, were they ironic. “We celebrate and thank you,”...
RE: AB 1484 – SUPPORT Dear Assemblymember Kiley: The California Policy Center is pleased to support Assembly Bill 1484 to bring California law into compliance with a recent decision by the Supreme Court of the United States and ensure public school employees are freely able to consent or decline union membership. On June 27, 2018,...
Recent news has not been favorable to public schools in California. More and more students are leaving these institutions, according to data from the California Department of Education. Over the past six years, California public school enrollment fell by 4%. This is part of a continual decline in K-12 enrollment that began in the 2004-05...
In their latest episode of National Review’s Radio Free California Podcast, CPC’s Will Swaim and David Bahnsen discuss a tale of two bills in Sacramento – one aimed at restricting teachers’ rights, and the other at limiting children’s access to education. Of course, it wouldn’t be a complete podcast about California without some talk about...
In a recent Facebook post, one of the many Republican candidates hoping to replace Governor Newsom had this to say: “Californians can’t afford to make ends meet because Gavin Newsom and his allies keep raising taxes. We need to make our state more affordable for our middle class. I spoke to @EvieFordham about lowering the...
Unprecedented federal spending on education is a swindle of epic proportions. As reported by the estimable Just Facts, federal, state, and local governments in the U.S. spent $1.02 trillion on education in 2019. This breaks down to $7,945 for every household in the country. It’s worth noting that these figures do not include land that...