California Education, Where Governor Newsom is the Sane One

(Fox News photo)

In the mid-20th century California's public education system was the nation's envy.

The decline began in 1978---according to the politicians that run the State, the education industry, and the media---with the passage of Proposition 13. That measure limited all property tax increases, and Proposition 15, on the ballot this November, removes Prop 13's protections against tax hikes on business property. As they wait for Prop 15's potential windfall, politicians haven't sat still in their efforts to fix education.

AB 331, passed by super-majorities (33-4 in the Senate and 62-12 in the Assembly) in the Legislature, would require "ethnic studies" that teach

students “the four ‘I’s of oppression” and academic concepts like “intersectionality,” “internalized oppression” and “transformative resistance.” Instead of a dynamic, imperfect, pluralistic republic with common ideals, students would be taught to see their country as an organized conspiracy against victim groups.

The University of California no longer requires taking the SAT or ACT to gain admission, purportedly because of the tests' discrimination against disadvantaged minorities. The educational philosophy that gave rise to AB 331 shows that there may be reasons other than discrimination and the lack of money that the kids aren't performing well on standardized tests of English and math.

In a rare moment of sanity in the one-Party State, Governor Newsom vetoed the bill. Perhaps it was because of stuff like "an assignment on Jewish and Irish Americans 'gaining racial privilege.'"

Gavin Newsom has been displaying unusual behavior, like cooperating with President Trump on wildfire management, tabling the high-speed rail project, and not granting his Party everything it wants. In this strangest of political years the Governor has nothing to fear from the toothless Republicans, and he would do well to watch his left flank over his right.