How much information should be available to the public in cases of severe child abuse? California lawmakers and the administration of Gov. Jerry Brown have been at odds over that question for the last two years. Legislators recently rejected a proposal to limit public access to reports on abuse so extreme that children nearly die. […]
Posted inPolitics
Can love conquer politics? Democrat-Republican marriages in California
In an era of increasingly polarized politics, Republicans and Democrats still manage to find enough common ground for romance—even marriage—though not very often. On the eve of the 2016 primary election, here’s an approximate look at California’s mixed political pairs. At least one study suggests such unions could have implications for Tuesday’s voting. The Marriage […]
Posted inEducation, K-12 Education
Lawmaker questions Brown’s aim for schools
Sen. Holly Mitchell reacts to CALmatters article
Posted inEducation, K-12 Education
Urban schools test for grit, but will it improve scores?
Something new is happening at a batch of California urban schools. Students are being asked if they are happy at school. Can they keep their temper in check when there’s trouble in class? Their parents are surveyed about feeling welcome at school. Do they think the school provides high-quality instruction and high expectations for their […]
Posted inEducation, K-12 Education
A Stanford professor’s high-stakes plan to save California schools
One by one, dozens of blacks and Latinos lined up behind a microphone placed before the state school board appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown. Spanish-speaking mothers pleaded for the 10-member panel to evaluate schools based on parent involvement because they have felt unwelcome at their children’s schools. African-American students asked the state to compile school […]
Posted inClimate Change, Environment, Politics
Oil money flows for black and Latino Democrats
It’s not often that interest groups call out public officials by their race, but as environmentalists evaluated state lawmakers’ voting records last year, that is just what they did. Black and Latino Democrats “must do better” to buck the interests of the petroleum industry and help the communities they represent, the California Environmental Justice Alliance […]
Posted inPolitics
Reader reaction: California should look at Oregon model for direct democracy
This letter was written in response to Why your signature is worth more than ever.I run a signature gathering firm in Oregon. In Oregon, we have a solution that not only puts more integrity into the system, but it removes the transaction that makes your signature worth money. In 2002 we passed Ballot Measure 26 that […]
Posted inPolitics
Quizzing the candidates leaves a secret paper trail
The eight-page document reads like a contract, asking candidates seeking a seat in the Legislature to pledge support for workers organizing unions. It lists priority issues – including health care, immigration and retirement benefits – and asks if the candidate will be a “supporter,” “champion” or “partner” as the union pursues its agenda in Sacramento. […]
Posted inClimate Change, Environment
Reader reaction: Carbon credits essential to fighting climate change
This letter was sent in response to a letter that was published in the San Francisco Chronicle regarding California ponders expanding cap and trade to Brazil. We appreciate the concerns raised by James Feichtl regarding the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) forest protocols. Carbon credits are essential to combat climate change. If designed right, they have the […]
Posted inElections
Candidate Questionnaires
Questionnaires for candidates are a staple of electoral politics. Many interest groups use them in evaluating whether to endorse contestants or spend money to support their campaigns. The stakes are high on both sides, and the process raises some ethical questions. Here is a sampling of questionnaires given to this year’s candidates for the Legislature. […]