URGENT: AB 84 is a Direct Attack on Parental Rights, Special Needs Students, and School Choice — Take Action
- Media
- Jun 8
- 2 min read
California is once again attacking your parental rights and freedom to choose the best education for your child — and AB 84 may be the most dangerous bill yet.
I support all schools — public, private, charter, and homeschool. In fact, my daughter is a public school teacher, and I’m proud of the work she and so many others do every day for our kids.
I’ve always supported school choice because I believe parents — not bureaucrats — should decide how their children learn. Unfortunately, California’s public school system isn’t working for everyone, and many families have turned to charter and homeschool options that better meet their kids’ needs.
Now Sacramento wants to shut them all down.
This 42,000-word bill is a massive overhaul of the charter school system that would effectively eliminate non-classroom-based charter schools, hurting thousands of students who cannot attend traditional school settings.
It’s discriminatory against children with disabilities, learning challenges, medical conditions, and physical limitations that make standard classroom instruction unrealistic.
AB 84 would:
Slash funding for non-classroom-based charter schools by up to 30%, jeopardizing the education of thousands of children who depend on these programs.
Ban educational funds from being used on programs unless they are delivered by a credentialed public employee — eliminating tutoring, speech therapy, art, music, equestrian therapy, STEM, sports, and more.
Crush small businesses and service providers that support all types of students — public, private, and charter — through specialized programs.
Impose $100 million in new audits, oversight committees, duplicative reporting, and bureaucratic red tape, while doing nothing to improve outcomes.
Cap charter school growth, particularly hurting rural areas with few other options.
Let’s be honest: This bill isn’t about fixing fraud. It’s about eliminating the competition — because charter and homeschool students are outperforming those in traditional public schools.
For seven straight years, public school enrollment has dropped. Homeschooling has nearly doubled since 2018. Parents are walking away from a broken system — and Sacramento is trying to punish them for it.
We must not let them.
“The child is not the mere creature of the State… Those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right… to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.”— Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925)
This is a constitutional issue. AB 84 is a direct assault on your right to direct your child’s education. And if we allow the state to eliminate non-classroom-based schools today, private schools and religious schools will be next.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
Call your State Senator and demand they vote NO on AB 84:
Steve Padilla (D-18th District) Contact Form Chula Vista Office: (619) 409-7690
Catherine Blakespear (D-38th District) Contact Form Encinitas Office: (760) 642-0809
Toni Atkins (D-39th District) Contact Form San Diego Office: (619) 688-6700
Brian Jones (R-40th District) Contact Form Scripps Ranch Office: (858) 547-3818
Let’s send a loud and clear message: Parents, not politicians, know what’s best for their children.
P.S. This bill won’t just hurt homeschoolers. It will shutter small businesses, therapists, tutors, and enrichment providers across the state — leaving all students with fewer options. This is our moment to act.
San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond | 06.08.2025
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