California’s Governor Gavin Newsom is facing a new challenge in his state as reports suggest he is losing parents’ faith.
A new survey released by the Public Policy Institute of California revealed only around 60% approve of his handling of education.
Back-to-Back Problems For Newsom
California appears to have a new problem with each passing week; from its budget deficit to rising unemployment and persistent outmigration, Newsom has been under fire recently.
Now, the governor has a new problem to contend with: the residents of his state are losing faith in his ability to provide adequate education for their children.
New Survey Showcases Loss of Faith in Newsom
The survey from the Public Policy Institute of California shows that around 60% of Californians are happy with how Newsom’s government is handling education.
While this is still a majority, it’s a significant 13-point drop from last year and the lowest since 2019, which could suggest Newsom is losing favor among the parents.
Californians Want More State Funding for Local Schools
The survey also revealed that just under half of those involved in the study believe California’s K-12 public education system has gotten worse.
The same percentage of people believe that the current level of funding for local schools is “not enough.”
Newsom Favored in Major California Cities
Gavin Newsom’s education approval rating appears to increase in places like Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay.
The regions received around a 55% approval rating for how Newsom’s government runs the education system. However, non-urban areas were much less happy with the governor’s handling of education.
Californian Parents Resent Newsom
Speaking with Newsweek, California resident and father Paul Walker claims people have a slight resentment for the governor.
Many parents resent the fact Newsom’s kids attended private school with in-person learning while public schools were closed,” he said.
Children in California are Years Behind on their Studies
The resentment for Newsom stems from the fact that many of the children in California are two to three years behind in their studies, which they partially blame on Newsom’s handling of public schools during the pandemic.
“Now parents are angry that children are behind. While most parents like the teacher, they also recognize that many of the students are two, three, or four years behind,” said Walker.
Newsom Threatens Schools With Fines
How Newsom enforces some of his educational policies, such as the LGBTQ+-friendly curriculum, has been deemed controversial by many in the state.
The governor even went as far as to threaten hefty fines to schools that do not adhere to California-specific social studies curriculum.
Conservative School Threatened With $1.5 Million Fine
One school that came under fire was the slightly conservative-leaning Temecula Valley Unified School District.
Last year, Newsom’s government threatened to issue a $1.5 million fine to the school.
Newsom Alleges Californian School Broke the Law
When speaking on the incident last year, Newsom argued he was in the right to threaten the fine as he claimed the school was breaking the law.
“The three political activists on the school board have yet again proven they are more interested in breaking the law than doing their jobs of educating students — so the state will do their job for them,” Newsom said.
Californian Governor Comes Under Fire For Restaurant Offer
It’s not just the education system that has led to criticism online. Recently, his new law, which proclaims all fast-food restaurant workers must be paid at least $20 per hour, was brought into question.
Newsom is part owner of the PlumpJack Café in Olympic Valley, which was recently caught looking for a new busser who would make $16 per hour. This directly violates the new law, which came into effect at the beginning of the month and raised eyebrows across the state.
Newsom Continues to Be Criticized
In recent years, Newsom has been blamed for excessively high gas prices, a poor-performing economy, and record homelessness in the state.
The governor appears to have his work cut out for him in the coming months as he tries to win back the respect of many of the state’s residents.
