children-and-youth

A person speaks into a microphone while holding papers in a formal legislative chamber. The individual wears a burgundy outfit and stands at a desk with ornate woodwork. In the background, others are seated or standing, engaging in various tasks, including using a laptop and conversing. Tall curtains and architectural details frame the setting.

Justice

Lawmaker seeks new way to outlaw threats against California schools and places of worship

Existing law makes it illegal to threaten people in many cases, but what happens when the threat is against a building, such as a school or a place of worship?

By

Denise Amos

• April 23, 2025

Three teenagers sit in the backseat of a car, all wearing seat belts. Two of them are focused on their phones, while the one closest to the camera looks out the window.

Politics

No more calling ‘shotgun?’ California could ban teens from riding in the front seat

A new bill would require teens up to 16 years old to ride in the back seat if they’re not tall enough. Middle schoolers up to age 13 would need to use booster seats if they’re tiny.

By

Ryan Sabalow

• April 3, 2025

A lively elementary school classroom is filled with students engaged in various activities. Two children sit across from each other, one reading aloud from a book while the other leans in, listening attentively with a smile. In the background, a teacher assists a student wearing a headscarf at a desk, while other students stand and interact. The walls are covered in colorful educational posters and student artwork, and the classroom is furnished with bookshelves, desks, and storage bins, creating a vibrant learning environment.

Commentary

The real crisis in California schools is low achievement, not cultural conflicts

As lawmakers debate whether transgender athletes can play sports, they're missing a more widespread education issue — low test scores, especially in reading.

By

Dan Walters

• March 27, 2025

Three people wearing aprons and hair sets help pour an orange-colored salad dressing into a container in the kitchen of a cafe.

Commentary

How technology can lower barriers to employment for Californians with disabilities

Californians with disabilities face barriers that can seem insurmountable when they enter the workforce. New technology can break down barriers, but businesses need better planning and training.

By Matt Cherry • March 14, 2025

A person with black curly hair and wearing a brown shirt leans down as they touch a piece of robotic machine.

Commentary

On-the-job robotics training propels California teen toward a career in engineering

Nikhil Kaul, a Bay area high school senior, hopes his robotics apprenticeship will help him follow in the footsteps of his parents, who are both engineers.

By

Denise Amos

• March 11, 2025

Two people wearing blue surgical masks hold signs in front of a giant letter block sculpture outside a hospital during a recent evening. One sign reads "I am Human" and the other reads "Gender Affirming Care is Hard Reduction" and includes two drawings of the transgender flag.

Mental Health

‘Will I be safe’? Transgender California youth feel threatened by Trump’s executive orders

Calls to LGBTQ crisis lines spiked after President Donald Trump's election. His policies target health care for young transgender people, creating uncertainty for a vulnerable community.

By

Jocelyn Wiener

and

Kristen Hwang

• March 5, 2025

A child, wearing a white, black and pink pattern dress, jumps in the air at a playground at a park. Other children swing on swing sets in the background while other people walk by.

Commentary

For California kids with disabilities, playgrounds reinforce exclusion. We can change that

Californians must demand designs that welcome all children. A playground designed for everyone isn’t just nice to have — it’s essential.

By Tilly Griffiths • March 3, 2025

Health

California has a lot to lose if Trump slashes Medicaid. Seniors, kids and more could face coverage cuts

Almost 15 million Californians have health care coverage through Medi-Cal, a program that stands to lose billions of dollars if Republicans follow through on proposed cuts.

By

Ana B. Ibarra

• February 28, 2025

An aerial view of a lot with several one-story white buildings surrounded by grass and a couple of tress.

Commentary

California wants LA County to close its juvenile hall. Why it can’t is a failure decades in the making

The roots of juvenile probation failures in the nation’s largest county run deep — far deeper than the elimination of California agencies or juvenile justice realignment.

By

Robert Greene

• February 27, 2025

A dad strokes his daughter's hair as she looks closely at a cellphone while they both sit on a chair at a hotel.

Health

His daughter has an ultra-rare genetic disorder. His push to treat it just hit a major milestone

Joe Lang has helped shape California policy as a lobbyist since the 1980s. For the past decade, he's pushed to find a cure for his daughter's ultra-rare genetic disorder.

By

Adam Ashton

• February 17, 2025

Children-and-youth