California's Education System Needs A Heroine

The Democratic Party has a problem that should concern every liberty loving American. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have run up an impressive string of election victories against mainstream Democrats and are rapidly taking control of the party. Democratic Party leaders refuse to address the causes of the DSA’s rise. Among those causes is the Democrats own failed educational philosophies.

Democrats have ignored a half century of warnings about the impacts of their increasingly left-wing teachings. It is those teachings that now give rise to the Democratic Socialists. The promise of free buses, cheap groceries, frozen rent and taxing the wealthy is music to the ears of the DSA base — an economically illiterate collection of college graduates and young voters.

The value of liberty, limited government and free markets is clear. The Heritage Foundation’s “World Heat Map” shows the countries with the most liberty. Not coincidentally, those countries also have the greatest income, wealth, gender and racial equality. They have the best housing, health care and education systems. Our education system has failed to teach that simple lesson.

Democratic Socialists do not understand business basics. The increased government regulations they promote favor the large corporations they hate over the small businesses they love.

Liberty and limited government produced the free market capitalism that inspired innovation and entrepreneurship. They made it easier to start or expand a business and lifted millions out of poverty. They built the largest and strongest middle class in the world. Anyone that loves small businesses should embrace liberty and limited government.

Democratic Socialists naively complain of too much money in politics. They don’t understand. Money is limited. Businesses invest their limited money in a way that gives them the best return. When government increases regulations, the natural response of business is to shift money away from the scientists and engineers that do research and development to the lobbyists and politicians that control the regulatory process. Peeling back mountains of unnecessary regulations will solve much of this problem.

Democrats have dominated the public education landscape. Cornell University’s student newspaper reported in 2015 that 96% of faculty political donations went to Democrats. Colleges and universities have become mills of left-wing thinking. Training future teachers includes subjecting them to textbooks such as Literacy with an ATTITUDE which rains down a constant stream of indoctrination. One such passage is “…educating working-class children in their own self-interest will include social justice teachers working both with their students and with parents and community organizations…”

The textbook often refers a “New Paradigm” to address student challenges. A new socialist paradigm is not the answer but is the sausage being sold to students unfamiliar with despots like Lenin, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, Fidel Castro, Daniel Ortega and Hugo Chavez. The death and economic suffering that those leaders inflicted on their own people, and the utter failure of countries and economies like Venezuela needs to be taught.

One result of left-wing teaching was on full display at the California Department of Education in 2021. The staff was developing a new math curriculum. They repeatedly recommended teachers use “A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction: Dismantling Racism in Mathematics Instruction.” The workbook explained to teachers that “The framework for deconstructing racism in mathematics offers essential characteristics of anti-racist math educators and critical approaches to dismantling white supremacy in math classrooms by making visible the toxic characteristics of white supremacy culture with respect to math.” The manual then encourages teachers to “Identify and challenge the ways that math is used to uphold capitalist, imperialist, and racist views.” The recommendation to use this manual was eventually dropped under pressure from mathematicians but the fact it was considered at all is beyond alarming.

California Democrats outlawed schools’ disclosure to parents when their children were changing their pronouns, their names, and otherwise transitioning to a different sex. They also mandated that biological males could compete, share bathrooms and locker rooms with females. This all feeds into the DSA goal of more government control over our children's minds.

The result of this left-wing activism is clear for all to see. An education system that was one of California’s crown jewels a half a century ago is but a shadow of itself. Less than half of today’s public-school children are reading and writing at grade level. Barely one third are performing at grade level in math. The number of first-year students at the University of California, San Diego whose math skills fall below a middle school level has risen nearly 30-fold over the past five years.

Public charter schools are proving that California’s education system can be restored. The change will require new leaders with the character to stand up to the forces that have taken us to where we are today. Sonja Shaw is one of those leaders.

Shaw and the Chino Valley School Board have developed a culture of teachers working together and sharing strategies. They have put the focus on core academics, mastering foundational skills before students move on and giving teachers the tools they need.

The Chino Valley Board did their research. They then established a policy respecting parents’ right to know when their children were changing their pronouns, their names, and otherwise transitioning to a different sex. They respected Title IX and did not allow boys in girls’ sports, bathrooms or locker rooms. Shaw and the board didn’t retreat when Attorney General Rob Bonta sued and brought the full weight of California government against their small school board. They fought back. They won! School boards across the state are now free to protect our girls.

As California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Shaw promises to chart a new course that discards social engineering. She will keep the focus on core academics, on subject matter competency, professional development of teachers, respect for teachers and respect for the role of parents in raising their children.

Mainstream Democrats fearful of the DSA need to support Sonja Shaw. She will bust the balloon of education nonsense fueling the Democratic Socialists. It is the best chance Democrats have of saving their party. Our parents, our businesses, and Republicans will be there in the winner’s circle celebrating a Shaw victory with them!

This is a time for all Californians to fight for our children. No retreat. No surrender.

— Lloyd Leighton is a Realtor. He served as the National Association of Realtors federal political contact to Congressman Doug LaMalfa. He is the former chairman of the Sutter County Republican Central Committee.