Newsom uses new bill to strip California superintendent of authority
Californians working in the state’s education sector are warning against what they describe as Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “undemocratic power play” to strip the state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction of his authority.
House Bill 181, passed as a budget trailer bill for the 2026-27 fiscal year, shifts day-to-day management authority from the state superintendent to a newly created position, the Commissioner of Education. Unlike independently elected The new commissioner will be appointed by the superintendent and report directly to the governor. The structural overhaul was completed as part of budget talks between legislative leaders and Newsom.
“As a teacher and a voter, I am completely opposed to this undemocratic power play,” Steve Campos, who has taught in California for more than 30 years, told Fox News Digital.
Newsom on Thursday made statements on the day Noting that the organizations have been advocating for “change” for decades, they signed the bill into law for public education budgets.
“Change also has its enemies as it relates to governance reform. I am for change. I am not arguing for the status quo,” Newsom said. “I couldn’t be prouder that the legislature and the people of the state demanded a new approach, and I was proud to sign off on a new approach.”
Newsom announces changes In a statement earlier this year, he said: “California can no longer delay reforms that have been regularly recommended for a century. That’s why we will modernize the governing system by combining the policy-making State Board with the Department of Education, which implements those policies. And we are empowering the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to help align our education policies from early childhood through college. These critical reforms will bring greater accountability, clarity, and consistency to the way we serve our students and schools.”
Test Scores Rise in Texas’ Largest School District After State Takeover Despite Allegations of Racism
Californians are warning against what they describe as Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “undemocratic power play” to strip the state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction of authority. (Getty Images)
Campos, who currently serves as a Perris Union High School District trustee and teaches physical education, expressed deep concern about the timing of the legislation.
“As a school board member, I am extremely disappointed that he is trying to take away the will of millions of voters who support parental rights,” Campos said. “Californians deserve the opportunity to elect someone who supports their statewide values because the enactment of AB 1955 eliminated some of their local control. The governor also supported the elimination of their local voice through AB 1955. My hope is that the governor’s plan will be legally challenged and overturned.
Sonja Shaw, Chino Valley Unified School District school board president, echoed those frustrations. Speaking to Fox News Digital, Shaw accused Newsom of orchestrating “the most brazen power grab in California history, bypassing voters and using the backdoor budget bill to strip the independently elected State Supervisor of power and turn it over to a political appointee.”
Shaw is currently running to become the state’s next superintendent. He won the state’s first two primary elections in June and will face Richard Barrera in the November general election. The conservative firebrand gained national attention for advocating for local parental notification policies that require schools to disclose a student’s transgender identity to their parents.
Shaw has vowed to challenge AB 181 in court, arguing it violates the state constitution.
“Californians have rejected this idea at the ballot box four separate times because they believe whoever oversees our schools should be accountable to the voters, not political special interests,” Shaw said. “The timing is not coincidental. They know that if I am elected I will expose years of failure and mismanagement, so they are trying to change the rules before the election.”
LNDA MCMAHON: PARENTS TOLD ME THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION REQUIRES LESS BUREAUCRACY AND PROVIDES STRONGER RESULTS
Chino Valley Unified School District board president Sonja Shaw accused Gov. Gavin Newsom of “the most brazen power grab in California history.” (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via Will Lester/MediaNews Group/Getty Images)
Campos believes Newsom’s tactical move is entirely aimed at weakening Shaw’s potential influence should he win office.
“This has been tried before and is a desperate move by the governor to not allow the people of California to elect Sonja Shaw as the next Superintendent of Public Instruction,” Campos told Fox News Digital. “The governor fears he will drive millions to the polls in the midterm elections this November and lose his stronghold on this elected position and the governorship. This desperate move is also opposed by the California Teachers Association and current SPI Tony Thurmond.”
Although conservative advocates are concerned about a progressive tone in the state executive office, Thurmond himself will not appear on the November gubernatorial ballot; The current superintendent ran a progressive gubernatorial campaign but failed to advance past crowded primary elections in June. The race to replace term-limited Newsom will be decided between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton.
Laura Markin, a high school English teacher with 20 years of classroom experience in Southern California, called the policy alignment “wrong” and agreed that the legislative maneuver appeared designed to silence conservative momentum.
“There are many unpopular positions that Tony does not accept. [Thurmond] She has been supportive throughout the years, which led to Sonja’s rise [Shaw]and now Gavin Newsom is reacting to it. And I think it’s appalling,” Markin told Fox News Digital, also criticizing the lack of public transparency surrounding the EU. [181].
“This was done by Gavin Newsom without the input of his constituents,” Markin said, noting that the bill bypasses the standard public comment order. “He did this to take away power. My understanding is that the position still exists and will mostly be a committee position, which means taxpayer dollars are being elected into a position that will only be on committees.”
WHILE THE RED STATE POSITIONED ITSELF AS THE ‘PLAN’ FOR THE NATION, ADMINISTRATION SANDERS ANNOUNCED A ‘MAJOR LEAP’ IN EDUCATION
Californians are warning against what they call “undemocratic power play” by Gov. Gavin Newsom to terminate the state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction. (Getty Images)
Lance Christensen, a former state superintendent candidate who now serves as Vice President of Government Affairs and Education Policy at the California Policy Center, describes himself as an “ultra-nativist” who favors strengthening local school boards rather than expanding Sacramento’s reach.
“Let’s be honest about what’s really driving this: They’re afraid of losing the superintendent’s office to a genuine parental rights advocate in Sonja Shaw,” Christensen told Fox News Digital. “If legislators actually want to eliminate the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the ethical course is a constitutional amendment that eliminates that office and puts it before the voters. But that won’t happen, because it’s been tried before and it always fails.”
The California Department of Education did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
But somehow Interview with ABC10Thurmond, the current superintendent, admitted that he strongly disagrees with how the changes were pushed by the legislature.
“I don’t think that’s a bad thing per se; when you want a governor to be directly involved in education, it’s a good thing, and most states operate the same way,” he told the station.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
“What is concerning is the way this is being done,” Thurmond continued. “The state superintendent position was approved by the voters, and I think that’s the way that position should have been changed. And on top of that, they created an extra layer of government so that now there’s an elected state superintendent who will have very little to do as a result of these changes. And now you’ll have this new position that will be available again.”
