California Superintendent Candidate Stands Firm Against Teachers Union Criticism

Conservative candidate Sonja Shaw, running for California superintendent, asserted she will not retreat from her stance against the United Teachers Los Angeles union (UTLA). This response followed a video purportedly showing a union leader calling Shaw a ‘real threat’ to their interests.

Shaw, current board president of Chino Valley Unified School District, highlighted the mediocre student performance scores in Los Angeles. She accused UTLA of prioritizing the education establishment over student outcomes. ‘More than half of their students still can’t read at grade level, and nearly two-thirds can’t do math,’ Shaw disclosed. She criticized UTLA for keeping parents uninformed and excusing failures that led to these outcomes.

Low Academic Achievement in Los Angeles

Recent figures from California’s official assessment in 2025 revealed that 46.46% of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) students met or surpassed state standards in English Language Arts, with only 36.76% achieving the same in mathematics. This implies 53.5% fell short in English, and 63.2% failed in math, supporting Shaw’s claims.

‘If prioritizing children and families is a ‘huge problem’ for their agenda, it reveals everything,’ Shaw commented on the video, underlining her determination to challenge the existing education framework. ‘I won’t back down,’ she affirmed, reinforcing her call for focusing on parents over politics and prioritizing students and fair gender practices in sports.

Union Opposition and Financial Support

The recording, shared by Corey DeAngelis of The Heritage Foundation, displays organized labor’s disapproval of Shaw. In the clip, a woman warned of the challenges Shaw’s election might impose. The California Post identified the speaker as Julie Van Winkle, UTLA AFT vice president.

UTLA endorsed Shaw’s opponent, Richard Barrera, with labor spending millions to support his statewide candidacy. Data showed the California Teachers Association Independent Expenditure Committee allocated $5,057,539 for Barrera, compared to $10,000 for supporting Shaw.

Roxanne Hoge, Chair of the Los Angeles County Republican Party, pointed to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent revamping of the superintendent’s authority, implying it was a response to Shaw’s impact.

Fox News Digital reached out to UTLA and Governor Newsom’s office for comments.

CJ Womack, an associate editor, emphasizes journalism’s role in shaping politics and culture. CJ graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Journalism from Long Beach State University. For news tips, email [email protected] and follow CJ on Twitter.