Democratic Club

by Mary Larson

Lw contributor

Democratic Club leaders are concerned about organizing now underway for a number of proposed recall elections and propositions for the 2022 ballots.

To date, the only statewide proposition that has qualified for the November ballot is one challenging a 2020 law prohibiting the retail sale of certain flavored tobacco products. However, Californians may also be asked to vote on a number of issues such as if taxpayers should fund parochial (i.e., religious) and other private schools and if taxpayers have a right to medical freedom (i.e., a right to not be vaccinated, not to wear a mask, etc.).

The primary backer of a proposed ballot measure that would establish a program to allow state tax money to be diverted to students attending non-public schools is David Welch. He is a wealthy Silicon Valley entrepreneur and founder of an organization called Students Matter.

The measure, titled “Constitutional Right to a High-Quality Education Act,” would amend the Constitution to authorize the program and exempt it from the sections prohibiting funding for private schools and religious organizations. Backers have been quoted as saying they hope language in the measure will make it easier to challenge teacher tenure and other laws. A similar measure was defeated in the Legislature earlier this year.

William Koski, founder and director of Stanford Law School’s Youth and Education Law Project, has expressed his concern. “At first blush, the initiative looks promising. Who could be against a high-quality education?” he wrote in an email. “But any right is only as good as its remedy. The ‘right’ to a high-quality education created by this initiative may not be realized because the remedy is so limited. It not only allows children, families and their communities to attack educational laws, policies and regulations, but explicitly prohibits them from seeking funding to improve their schools.”

For an extensive analysis of this proposed constitutional and statutory initiative by the California Legislative Analyst’s Office, members are encouraged to Google “funding for students attending private schools (ballot).”

Another proposed ballot measure would amend the California Constitution to—among other things—end the possibility of mandating masks and vaccinations to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Members can Google “the rights of individuals to make fully free and informed health decisions (ballot)” for the official California Legislative Analyst’s Office report.

For a report on all ballot measures currently being processed by the CA Secretary of State, Google “ballot measures California Secretary of State.” ••• The club urges all Leisure World voters—regardless of party affiliation—to refuse to sign the petitions to recall Los Alamitos School District Trustees, when and if they are certified for distribution in the community. If certified, vote no on the recall. ••• LW Democrats and supporters can subscribe to the club’s free electronic newsletter. Email democraticclubsblw@gmail.com or call editor Mary Larson at (562) 296-8521.