California education leaders are raising alarms over what they describe as an undemocratic power grab by Governor Gavin Newsom, after the passage of a budget trailer bill that strips day-to-day managerial authority from the independently elected state superintendent of public instruction and transfers it to a new governor-appointed position. Assembly Bill 181, passed as part of the 2026–27 fiscal year budget, creates the role of education commissioner, who will report directly to the governor rather than to voters. Critics argue the move bypasses the will of millions of Californians who have repeatedly rejected similar proposals at the ballot box.
Steve Campos, a teacher for more than 30 years and a member of the Perris Union High School District board of trustees, voiced strong opposition to the legislation. “As a teacher and voter, I am completely against this undemocratic power play,” Campos told Fox News Digital. He expressed disappointment that the governor would seek to override the electoral process, especially after the passage of AB 1955, which he said already reduced local control for parental rights supporters. “Californians deserve the opportunity to elect someone who supports their values statewide,” Campos added, calling for a legal challenge to overturn the measure.
Sonja Shaw, school board president for the Chino Valley Unified School District and a candidate for state superintendent in the upcoming November general election, accused Newsom of orchestrating what she called “the most brazen power grab in California history.” Shaw, who advanced from the state’s top-two primary in June and will face Richard Barrera in the general election, argued that the bill violates the state constitution. “Californians have rejected this idea at the ballot box four separate times because they believe the person overseeing our schools should be accountable to voters, not to political special interests,” Shaw said. She vowed to challenge AB 181 in court, suggesting the timing is intended to weaken her potential impact if she wins the office.
Newsom defended the restructuring during remarks on the day of the bill signing for the public education budget, noting that organizations have advocated for governance reform for decades. “As it relates to governance reform, change has its enemies. I’m for change. I’m not arguing for the status quo,” Newsom said. In a statement earlier this year, he emphasized that the reforms aim to modernize the governance system by unifying the policy-making State Board with the Department of Education, and empowering the state superintendent to align education policies from early childhood through college. “These critical reforms will bring greater accountability, clarity, and coherence to how we serve our students and schools,” Newsom said.
Critics, however, contend that the move is a direct response to the rising conservative momentum embodied by Shaw’s campaign. Campos believes the governor fears that Shaw’s election could bring millions of voters to the polls in the midterm election and threaten the Democratic hold on the 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 said. He noted that the California Teachers Association and current Superintendent Tony Thurmond also oppose the bill. Thurmond, who ran a progressive gubernatorial campaign but failed to advance past the June primary, will not be on the November ballot for governor. The race to replace term-limited Newsom will instead be between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton.
Laura Markin, a Southern California high school English teacher with 20 years of classroom experience, called the policy alignment “wrong” and agreed that the legislative maneuver appears designed to muzzle conservative momentum. “There’s a lot of unpopular positions that Tony [Thurmond] was supporting over the years, which led to the rise of Sonja [Shaw], and now Gavin Newsom is reacting to that. And I think it’s appalling,” Markin told Fox News Digital. She also criticized the lack of public transparency surrounding AB 181, noting that the bill bypassed standard public input processes. “This was done by Gavin Newsom without the input from his constituents,” Markin added.
The controversy underscores a broader political battle over education governance in California, with implications for parental rights, local control, and the balance of power between elected officials and the governor’s office. As the November election approaches, Shaw and her supporters are preparing to challenge the law in court, while Newsom’s administration defends the changes as necessary modernization. The outcome could reshape how California’s public schools are managed for years to come.
