Gov. Newsom has failed on education

The good news is that the Golden Globes are no longer the least credible awards in California.

That honor now belongs to the Education Commission of the States, which awarded its 2022 Frank Newman Award for State Innovation to California for its record-breaking spending on education.

The commission said California earned the honor with its “historic financial investments,” which include approving “an ongoing increase to the school funding formula.” The state was also recognized for making “a large investment” in beforeand after-school programming, adding “wraparound supports” to thousands of schools, and providing all public school students with “two free meals per day, regardless of family income status.”

These are all important social welfare programs that are badly needed in a state that has the highest poverty rate in the nation when the cost of living is taken into account, but these are not innovations in education.

Nonetheless, Gov. Gavin Newsom gleefully flew to Washington, D.C., to accept the award in the media spotlight. His office released a statement taking credit for proposing “the highest level of funding in state history — over $128 billion for California’s schools, amounting to $22,850 per pupil,” up from $16,350 per pupil when he took office.

That’s some award-winning spending, all right. But how are the schools performing on education?

They’re not winning any awards. In 2019, results from the state’s Smarter Balanced assessment tests showed that only 52.2% of students passed the test by meeting or exceeding the standards in English language arts. In 2021, that dropped to 48.9%. In math, the performance was even worse. Only 38.2% of students met the standards in math in 2019, falling to 33.6% in 2021.

The results for low-income students were dismaying: down 10% in English and 21% in math. English learners suffered particularly sharp declines in test scores.

California shut down the schools earlier and longer during the pandemic than other states, a decision that certainly contributed to the measurable learning loss and worsening achievement gap. The state’s school districts have received $40 billion in federal and state funding for COVID relief assistance, but a recent analysis by the California School Boards Association calls into question how much of that money has been spent to help students catch up.

The CSBA study, which looked at spending through March 31, found that much of the spending fell into a category designated by Congress as “other activities necessary to maintain operations,” which can include faculty and staff salaries, raises and bonuses.

Less spending is visible in the categories of “address learning loss” and “resources for schools.”

It’s evident in every policy and spending choice that when it comes to public schools, California is prioritizing everything except instruction.

The needs (or contract demands) of teachers and other school employees are clearly a priority, as are anti-poverty programs that provide support services for students. But what students need most from school is an education that enables them to graduate with the knowledge and skills they need to accomplish their goals in life, and in this, California schools are letting them down.

You’d never know that to see Gov. Newsom in Washington, D.C., accepting the education innovation award with a speech denouncing the governors of other states.

The left’s politicization of science and climate change for the public

Re “The downside of climate lawsuits? Higher fuel costs” (July 19):

The left’s politicization of science and climate change is getting more and more outrageous. Everyone should read “False Alarm: How climate change panic costs us trillions, hurts the poor, and fails to fix the planet,” by Bjorn Lomborg (Basic Books, 2021).

He explains what we should really be doing to address the reasonably solvable problem of climate change instead of using faux science to scare children and help wreck the world’s economies in order to advance the leftist political agenda.

One can also check out what actual climate scientists like MIT’s Richard Lindzen and Georgia Tech’s Judith Curry have had to say about the exaggeration of climate change findings for political purposes.

— Patrick M. Dempsey,

Granada Hills

SB 9, SB 10

Supposed “news” and even opinion writers are often mystified that average readers don’t believe them or take them seriously, so I have to thank Steve Greenhut for clarifying the issue. In part of his article (July 17) he chastises people for wanting to use local control to decide what happens on and near their properties. He quotes Thoreau, who said, “Government is best that governs the least,” and writes, “The goal – for those of us who value freedom -—isn’t to allow the right government functionary to control us, but to have less government control overall.” So what does Greenhut advocate to achieve this end? “Two of the most significant and praiseworthy new laws that California has approved in years.” Namely, SB 9 and SB 10, two laws that rip the power to control local authority from people who live in those areas and give the power to politicians hundreds of miles away in Sacramento. The very antithesis of the “goal” that Greenhut says he stands for.

— Ron Katz, Anaheim Hills

Rape and abortion

Re “Abortion laws spark profound changes”: (July 17):

Many consider those who oppose abortion in the case of rape and incest to be callous and uncaring. Rape and incest are commonly used to argue for abortion. The exceptional case is used to apply to all cases. If we need legalized abortion for cases of rape and incest, would abortion supporters be willing to oppose abortion for the other 99% of cases? We are trying to solve one horrible thing with another horrible thing. A child is a child regardless of the circumstances of its conception. — Philip Margala,

Chino

COVID-19 on the rise?

Re “Barbara Ferrer needs to get a clue: COVID isn’t a crisis” (July 21):

Who do you believe is giving you the straight story on COVID? Would you rather take the word of Brad Spellberg, the chief medical officer of Los Angeles County. who said “that there have been no changes in the transmission levels of COVID-19,” or Barbara Ferrer, a “doctor” who has a doctorate in social welfare? Who should we believe? — Stephen Waddell, Palos Verdes Estates

Water shaming

I agree with your recent editorial saying water shaming in the community is counterproductive, especially at water conservation pars and public bike trails. After studying water conservation for the past 30 years, I’ve come to the conclusion that education is the best strategy. If you are going to convert your lawn to a native plant garden, do some research.

Only plant what grows naturally in your region. If you live in a desert, only plant what will survive without irrigation.

— Bob Ginn, Arcadia

Education is broken

Instead of teaching reading, math, science and writing, too many schools are indoctrinating students into believing that there are no right or wrong answers.

Unfortunately, the schools are churning out students who are totallyunprepared for university courses.

And when students do get to college, instead of preparing students for life, colleges are teaching students how to undermine liberty.

— Christian Milord,

Fullerton