Episode 239 - Convo with Sonja Shaw President of Chino Valley Unified

[00:00:00] If you're a California conservative, a libertarian, a moderate Democrat, believe in common

[00:00:11] sense, or just the same person.

[00:00:13] This is the political podcast for you.

[00:00:15] It's the California Underground Podcast.

[00:00:18] What's going on, everybody?

[00:00:28] Thanks for tuning into another episode of the California Underground Podcast.

[00:00:31] I'm your host, Phil.

[00:00:32] And as always with me, my trustee co-host the best and fastest researcher in the West

[00:00:36] Camille.

[00:00:37] And tonight we have a very special guest, Sonya Shaw, who is the president of the Chino

[00:00:42] Valley Unified School Board.

[00:00:44] Did I get that correct, Sonya?

[00:00:46] Absolutely.

[00:00:47] Got it.

[00:00:48] Sonya, welcome to the show tonight.

[00:00:50] Why don't you take a minute and introduce yourself and tell everybody who you are and

[00:00:54] what you're doing?

[00:00:55] Yeah.

[00:00:56] Thank you for having me first of all.

[00:00:58] I appreciate you guys.

[00:01:00] And me, I'm a mom who saw our kids in direct harm and I decided to do something that I

[00:01:07] never even imagined because I didn't know what school board was and I kind of threw

[00:01:11] myself in the fight alongside some parents.

[00:01:13] And now I am the school board president at Chino Valley and we are definitely trying

[00:01:20] to make sure we push back on what I call them the political cartel and Sacramento is doing

[00:01:25] and what they have been doing to our children.

[00:01:28] So yeah, I have two beautiful teenage daughters who sometimes challenge me more than the

[00:01:32] school board just kidding.

[00:01:34] They're great.

[00:01:35] And then two dogs and an amazing husband.

[00:01:37] So it's kind of me and a nutshell.

[00:01:41] So let's just jump right into it because we were talking about a pre show about this

[00:01:47] LA Times profile.

[00:01:49] So real quick, which one are you?

[00:01:52] Are you as the LA Times put it a devoted mother or a small town bigot?

[00:01:56] Because that's what they said in the LA Times.

[00:01:59] Which one would you go with?

[00:02:00] Absolutely devoted mother and nothing but a devoted mother.

[00:02:05] Small town bigot.

[00:02:06] I honestly had to look up what a bigot was when people started calling me that long

[00:02:11] side of a bunch of other names.

[00:02:13] So definitely just a devoted mother with a lot of heart to do what's right for her children.

[00:02:18] Tell us, you said you had a story.

[00:02:21] Say for yourself.

[00:02:22] Kind of interesting.

[00:02:23] Yeah, he'll come back.

[00:02:25] Okay, I'm all you and I are moving.

[00:02:28] Yeah.

[00:02:29] Did I come back?

[00:02:30] Yeah, you're back.

[00:02:32] Okay, I was going to say you told us you had an interesting story about the other.

[00:02:39] I know it's not my internet.

[00:02:41] It's only happened at the beginning.

[00:02:43] So did I come back?

[00:02:46] We lost you again.

[00:02:49] Why is it doing this now?

[00:02:52] Tell me when I come back.

[00:02:53] Am I back?

[00:02:54] Hello?

[00:02:55] Okay, I'll get this question off so you can answer and hopefully I can figure it out.

[00:02:59] You said you had a funny story about this LA Times article.

[00:03:02] Go.

[00:03:03] So a few months ago, I was approached by the person who wrote it and she said,

[00:03:10] I would like to do a profile on you.

[00:03:12] And first I wanted to make sure it was like legit, you know, she wasn't absolute writer for LA Times.

[00:03:17] Second, when I did tell some close friends are like, what the heck?

[00:03:22] Why are you doing anything with LA Times when I said, yeah, I'll do it.

[00:03:25] I don't care, you know, because my thing is as like regardless of the way the media tries to spin us moms and dads in the fight.

[00:03:32] I was like, as long as our voices in there and we get a fair chance who cares, right?

[00:03:36] No idea what a profile was.

[00:03:39] No idea what was going to be made.

[00:03:42] She gave me a couple of examples which were nowhere near my defense.

[00:03:46] What she wrote about me but I already knew what I was getting myself into.

[00:03:49] Let's be real.

[00:03:50] Did I know it was going to be like that?

[00:03:52] No.

[00:03:53] But the funny part is after she kind of spent a lot of time with me coming to born meetings following me to different things

[00:03:59] that I've been doing with our school district.

[00:04:03] I actually saw her on social media take a huge hit from people who are, you know, the lovers of LA Times and the followers and the supporters.

[00:04:12] And new republic or something came back with an article and pretty much said we did what you should have done to the person who wrote it because they were pissed off that she supposedly let me off too easily.

[00:04:26] And if you actually dig into it, it's really sad. You have to be even portrayed as two different, you know, major differently things in an article and I don't even think what we're doing is controversial or should be with that's just my opinion.

[00:04:38] But the very fact that she got heat from the left and the left is the one that supports the LA Times actually made my heart kind of hurt for her because I'm like, well, maybe she was really nice because she fat.

[00:04:50] I don't know. I'm trying to give the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she found we're not these big bad wolves that everyone's making us out to be. That's where my heart's coming from, you know, and I'm like, I feel bad because they're out to do a job and their job can be dirty.

[00:05:04] And I'm not supporting any of them by any means. But I always try to get people to benefit of the doubt, you know.

[00:05:09] At the end of the day, it is what it is. It brought a lot of people I think on both sides awareness to some things that were going on. And if I have to be the villain to do the right thing for the kids, oh well, call me whatever you want. I've been called worse, right?

[00:05:24] Do you feel what?

[00:05:26] I'm not trying to go over it. So I have to say because obviously I've met you in person, you're really nice. You're like a very friendly down earth person, but I love no I love that because I've watched several of the school board meetings.

[00:05:41] You're like to everybody. You're like, or the room or I will clear the room and I've done it before so you know I'll do it again. And you're like out out like a ten anybody like you're not size. It's like you're being disrespectful. You're being disorderly out.

[00:05:58] So Ed, you know, it's funny. You bring that up because one of our heated board meetings, the people that supported the policy I was bringing forward, there was some of them, I literally gave the eyeball like I was about to say something they're like, I'm out, I'm out sorry and they would remove themselves that I'd be like, well, you know, I'm running a public meeting.

[00:06:17] I'm very fair when it comes to these things, right? And I call order and we have to have order to make hard decisions, right? I get it. Everybody gets emotional. I was the parent that stood up and probably wasn't ordeful, but I was allowed to do that. I make a words by the way. So sorry when I say order fuller.

[00:06:36] It's something they like to make fun of me too because they say I'm on educated and I'm like, okay, cool. I mean, maybe I'm hope for other kids to know that one day they can grow up and supposedly make a difference for our kids who knows I don't know. But yeah.

[00:06:50] I do try to make it fair and run an orderly meeting. I've been to meetings that you know, like I have supported the board members of and I look at the people fighting alongside me who have become really close friends and I'm like, you know, you'd be kicked out for meeting and they're like, yes we would.

[00:07:07] I'm all quiet while they do their business. But I guess that's just the mom and me, I don't know which I want to bring up sorry, so I'm just like taking over.

[00:07:18] Just go go for it. I guess I lost my host privileges because I froze too many times. So I'm just along for the right now.

[00:07:27] The girl for the superintendent of public education. So the correct title Tony Thurmond came to your meeting. Yes, he did.

[00:07:36] Tell us about that. We finally got his attention. We've been begging him for what three years prior help us with this. Hey, can we help you with this? Can we provide solutions and then bam, we do something it doesn't like and the king comes off of his throne to come try to tell us what to do and

[00:07:52] oh, I want to work with you. Oh, you do then why didn't you use the last four weeks to approach me and try to work on something right.

[00:07:58] You came to do something and we all know what you were going to do and I'm sorry like I gave him just like anybody else while he used our taxpayer dollars.

[00:08:08] I'm sure I gave him the same opportunity. He got one minute he tried to speak over. I actually to be quite fair.

[00:08:15] I did allow him front row seating because you know he's a dignitary or whatever which they don't do that when we go to Sacramento and testify for a bill actually they treat us more like crap than anything.

[00:08:25] But I also gave him the first speaker card, which you don't have to do. So in all fairness, I gave him a lot and he sat on a seat disrupting the meeting multiple times before.

[00:08:36] I said what I said and I'm like, dude, you just can't handle yourself. So I'm going to make it known that you are who you are and people are going to realize what you are.

[00:08:46] So yeah, that was interesting. Did you kick him out? I didn't kick him out. Okay. In all fairness the way he lied about what happened actually in my defense and everybody else's defense that or that he tried to spin and say we're some crazy people.

[00:09:03] It worked against him because people were like praising me for kicking him out. And I'm like, hold on, I didn't actually kick him out. What I said is you need to have a seat after I told him the reason I thanked him for being there because let's be real.

[00:09:15] We've been trying to get his attention for many years as parents right and then he comes and tries to throw his little you know political parts so they swavvy moves in there.

[00:09:24] And I'm like, but you are the reason why we're in these positions. He is and I won't back down from that.

[00:09:30] And I did tell him that in front of everybody and he tried to demand a point of order and I said you're not going to get a point of order in here and you may have a seat.

[00:09:39] You didn't want to take a seat, the security guards which he called armed police officers or whatever you did on TV.

[00:09:46] I'm glad that he looks at our security guards without authority because we do have great security mind you and they're very professional.

[00:09:53] But they approached him and said you have to have a seat little back and forth went between them and instead of having a seat, he decided to leave and go into one of our classrooms to go spin his media and do his press release.

[00:10:05] So in all fairness, I technically never kicked him out.

[00:10:09] But I also wasn't going to sit there and let him dictate our meeting and try to take over and bullies. I mean, how many times have we seen in this past, you know, many years of all of us fighting these people try to dictate and scare and bullies just a few weeks prior, we got a threatening letter from him about removing materials from the classroom or the books or whatever you're going to be fine and this and that and the other.

[00:10:33] And I'm like, I'm sorry your tactics are not going to work on everybody. They may have worked in the past, but they're not going to work on us.

[00:10:40] So yeah, so I want to back up a little bit. So we're talking a lot about the LA times Tony Thurman comes down. Well let's talk about the meat of like why you're sort of at the center of all this controversy which is this parental notification policy that is making its way through school boards.

[00:11:00] And what your role was that, were you the first one to do this and put this forward or did you follow somebody or when how did that start.

[00:11:10] So very interesting as a parent when I actually started getting involved was during the shutdown right.

[00:11:17] And it was when the kids were, you know, being mass longer than the whole world and the possibility of COVID max COVID vaccines.

[00:11:25] I can't even talk the COVID vaccine mandates were coming and they were talking about those.

[00:11:31] And that's kind of when I started to get involved.

[00:11:34] I started to as other parents follow these bills and Sacramento which I come to find out later when I met Camille she was already involved in a lot of following those bills and Sacramento but let's be real.

[00:11:45] And a lot of us parents had no clue we started following those things we started attending school board meetings which in my defense.

[00:11:51] I didn't even know what a school well I wouldn't say defense but I don't even know what a school board meeting was back then people said oh you should go talk to the school board they'll listen or they should listen and we went and then we found out we actually elect them which I wasn't really involved at that you know level.

[00:12:07] But then we realized quickly they would blame Sacramento or they would be part of working with Sacramento and with following the bills a B 13 14 when I became a school board member and I became the president in January.

[00:12:22] I was still following bills and I saw a B 13 14 from assembly men bill a cell.

[00:12:27] And I said as a school district because we used to ask our school board please write a resolution and it was usually always against some of these bad disgusting horrible awful bills that we viewed you know that were coming down from Sacramento.

[00:12:42] I decided I wanted to bring a resolution saying we support a B 13 14 because this is one we can be an offense with and I believe in it because I did see parents being pushed out I did see that agenda being pushed by I call on the political cartel in Sacramento.

[00:12:57] And I brought it forward and it passed for us to support it as a school district so we would make a stand and follow it through the bill process in Sacramento we would write support letters for a B 13 14 we can attend hearings we would we made that that agreement as a school board right.

[00:13:15] Well bill a cell he came to our meeting and he said I have good news bad news bad news is didn't get it hearing and a died good news is guess what you can make a policy and I'm like wait we are school board members why wouldn't we make the policy this is the blessing right so quickly a coalition was formed.

[00:13:31] And different leaders throughout you know in different groups and through that coalition come to find out Aaron Friday is the one that proposed a similar bill to bill a cell and he's the one that picked it up.

[00:13:44] And with that said the coalition I have this deal with our superintendent still that we had no quote on quote look at how funny this is a no secrets policy I'm a parent he's a superintendent I would never spring anything upon him without him being aware of it so he can prepare our staff and I said Dr. Anfield I'm working on a policy with the coalition to actually remember the A B 13 14 well we're going to make it a policy.

[00:14:10] And quickly I was really you know he responded with oh that's against the law while blah blah long story short told me to give me the law and after weeks and weeks of him saying from legal he's still waiting for the law to be supplied he finally came back and said Mrs. Shaw there is no law that it would be breaking and I'm like ding ding ding good job because guess what we're ready to bring the policy forward because I wanted to wait till school was over in all fairness so that way we can bring it forward hopefully would pass trainer staff.

[00:14:40] And then implement it in the new school year and that's kind of how it went we were the first ones but it was honestly with good intent to bring awareness to something that was happening.

[00:14:50] And I don't know if you guys followed like Jessica tapia and all those things those force pronoun policies our school district still had never adopted and when I became we were fighting against our last school board our previous I know I'm talking a lot but our previous majority to not adopt those policies because we're like you're going to get a lot more.

[00:15:09] We're going to get a lot more policy because we're like you're going to get us into legal trouble and this is considered or could be considered compelled speech to some people who don't believe.

[00:15:19] You know in this religiously or for whatever reason well apparently the school board president at that time pulled it with the with supposedly the knowledge of knowing when she retained her seat after the election she was going to bring it back.

[00:15:31] And our superintendent was telling me he needed to bring that back because it was a law again I went through the same circle with him before the policy and finally he told me he couldn't supply a law that this we had to bring that policy forward so we continue to see a trend in Sacramento in regards to these things it wasn't like you just made up these issues these are actually current issues that are happening and there.

[00:15:54] Things that you see happening in school districts right and the fact that we're being sued by Bonta and we're being like tortured and with all these investigations.

[00:16:05] You know from the Department of Ed and Bonta and you know everybody else you can think of just goes to show you how much they want to exit parents out and I think the great thing about some people who are new in this fight is and I could speak for myself.

[00:16:23] I'm not here for any other reason to make a difference and I'm not here to make friends i'm here to protect what I know the children are up against and that's I mean if you can't be anymore clear a day we have criminals walking free but you have Bonta suing a school district for wanting to tell parents something so important about their child what does that tell anybody.

[00:16:42] I just find it mind blowing that i'm some crazy.

[00:16:46] Big it white Christian national list extremist what did Bonta call us like dangerous parents or something for wanting to inform parents of something so so needed to be able to tell the parents how much stuff does the school find out that we tell parents about but we pick and choose it's just weird.

[00:17:05] Yeah we actually had just got to be on so we're looking up to have her on and talk about it and again I went the pre show I was talking about how this is becoming a trend and I think this is is a red line in the sand for a lot of parents I think it's an issue that you know you're doing a great job raising a lot the alarm bells you're doing a great job raising noise and getting people to pay attention to this because I think deep down when it comes down to it.

[00:17:34] Yeah California skews very, very left and very blue.

[00:17:39] But I think when it comes down to it you can ask some dieted diet in the wall blue Democrats and ask them these issues of hey do you want your public school to keep secrets from you about your children I bet nine times out of ten a lot of those people would say no I want to know what's going on with my kids at school so I think this is an interesting issue that's happening in California or you want to go to school and get a little bit more.

[00:18:04] You seeing that that this kind of reaches farther to other people not just the right or in the middle.

[00:18:12] So Phil it's very I'm very glad you brought that up first of all because I really think they want to label us as Christian nationalist or you know maga or whatever extremist right wing all these names I've been called because then that silences our voice to the common sense to everyone.

[00:18:30] I could tell you even through the Rasmussen poll which usually pulls more Democrats into their polls it was overwhelming response that parents want to be notified but they want to divide us it's clear they want to label us and divide us look at the L.A. Times thing look at any other big old article that have come after moms and parents like myself they're putting labels on you why to silence you to shut you up.

[00:18:53] But I will tell you this there is hope because I work alongside many different parents parents who have no faith parents of different faith parents that you know go affiliate with one you know what you call it party and parents who have no party affiliation that's the thing we all find common ground in every single policy that I've been doing and every and most of everything that I've been doing we have found common ground that this is a bigger fight.

[00:19:19] I think the more we unite in California and the more just normal day to day people become aware we definitely have a chance to win this fight we just have to ignore what they're trying to do which is clearly divided.

[00:19:34] I will tell you as a mom, as a parent and as somebody newly who ran a campaign you get these sheets and it tells you how people vote mind you school board is supposed to be nonpartisan but we know that people try to divide you right for a reason but you will see lib it's called lib lib or Democrat those were honestly some of the most welcoming homes I knocked doors on giving me hugs telling me thank you for fighting for our kids for this many years and that's what I'm going to do.

[00:20:04] That was refreshing and that gave me hope to know regardless of what they label you as we all have common ground when it comes to our children I got into the political fight or whatever people want to call it because of our children because it stuff started hitting in our own living room and it slapped me in the face and I was like what the heck is going on I can either complain about it or I could try to do something about it right.

[00:20:26] And that's exactly what you're seeing and I love the fact that despite the big media you can see on the ground and in my position that people are uniting despite it and that will seriously spiel me every single day to give me the hope that our kids have hope there is hope label us we're blue but when it comes to our kids we are very, very protective over our kids no matter what party line and I think that's amazing.

[00:20:54] I mean we just had a bill silly on couple weeks ago and it's his belief that he doesn't understand why Republicans aren't pushing this parental rights issue more because I think if you're going to make any sort of headway in California politically.

[00:21:10] I mean again this is just sort of a broad like we're just saying this is a commonality people it doesn't really matter Democrat Republican or independent.

[00:21:19] People are protective of their kids parents were protective of their kids but it is something that I think if you're going to make a dent in California politics which looks like people think you can never make a dent in California politics this might be the issue this might be the issue that kind of starts to wake some people up like what is Sacramento doing why is rock.

[00:21:40] I'm not going to be talking about Bonta suing this school district why does Tony Thurman care about the school district why is Gavin Newsom stomping his feet over this like so you know I think it does have that also that bigger ability to kind of maybe get some people thinking maybe get the juices flowing in their brain of like is Sacramento really looking out for my best interest and for my kids best interest what do you think.

[00:22:06] Well he obviously sees and he's in a different this is what I found in my position to like as a parent you see a certain amount of things on the surface when you get into the fight when you're inside you know as even as a board member I could speak to you this way you see a whole different world so if he's saying that because he's seeing some stuff on the inside.

[00:22:28] And he's probably trying to release some frustration that hey white isn't our own my own brothers up there are sisters up there fighting the good fight for our kids I don't know I can't can't tell you because I'm not up there but I could say internally I see the same thing I mean I've seen people who are Republicans are conservatives and they come in and attacked me I mean and it's like okay you attack me from wanting parental rights why aren't we standing up together this is weird.

[00:22:55] But I do think here's what I will say especially with some races up in our own community who I think the the Dems always labeled as a Dem seat the biggest threat to them right now is somebody who is a Republican running on parental rights so what you said clearly gives them the the shivers right because I even heard about the about school board.

[00:23:24] People like me were being talked about up in DC and big thing think things we need to make sure that those parents don't get it well the same thing as them we need to make sure those parental right parents are running for assembly and senate don't get in they're not worried about the other Dem or the other you know liberal person they're worried about the conservative because they're running on parental rights I do say that is a to me as a parent if I knew.

[00:23:51] That that Republican is now running and he's running on parental rights he's got my vote over the one that has been a rebel Republican over for the last 30 years and I haven't seen him do anything for our kids now I will say there is some great Republican representative that I've seen fight the good fight up there they just didn't have the majority right.

[00:24:10] But I think in all honesty what we need is a balance you need a balance up there there is no balance there's a super freak majority so there is no good conversations there's just people who.

[00:24:19] Have the power and they've been doing what they want to do and I think people like us as normal day to day people who are rising up and running for these seats who we never thought we were because we were not.

[00:24:31] You know going to school to be you know political activists or anything or just not in the fight as long I think we do pose the biggest threat and I think if people start to realize that we will win more seats in this next election.

[00:24:44] But they need to make sure that they stay with it and they do the right thing when you get in that seat because it is very easy to back off the fire because it does get hot and it gets pretty tense and you have to have people right now these are not.

[00:25:02] The Kumbai y'all call them like let's make friends buddy buddy with this person know you need people who are going to go in there and what I've seen bill a sell you do and shake things up and bring awareness you have to.

[00:25:14] And all the same token you do have to have a balance of thing I don't know i'm really i'm always maybe it's my health background and being a trainer and you just need to have a balance of things right.

[00:25:27] And healthy balance but yeah.

[00:25:30] Yeah it's that's interesting that you say it sends shivers up their spines it's going all the way up the ladder and it i'm not someone who's very big into conspiracies and whatever I you know i'm not someone who pushes like pizza gate or whatever.

[00:25:48] That's not our show cameo will back me up on that we're very skeptical about a lot of things and we kind of try and think through through things logically.

[00:25:56] Inkers like that being a critical thinker that's what we know that's what I was taught in school I think that's the biggest skill I acquired in school is critical thinking.

[00:26:08] And that's what we try and do is we try and tell people and sometimes we get backlash sometimes we try and tell people like yeah maybe you want to think this thing through that's not exactly how you see it.

[00:26:17] But when you kind of think about this way and you go why why are they scared of politicians or school board members who want to protect the parental rights.

[00:26:32] Can you keep rockin your head okay well there's got maybe there's a logical solution or maybe there's an argument maybe they have some good reason and then you just kind of keep going through it over in your head and you go.

[00:26:41] I can't think of one like why what is it that why are you so obsessed with getting the state via public schools to step in and drive a wedge between parents and kids.

[00:26:53] And I think that that might be the most telling thing and terrifying thing is wondering why do politicians in Sacramento just care about putting this wedge between parents and children.

[00:27:03] I agree but I also think if you make people dependent on the system and just trusting on the system without challenging it. I think you have control.

[00:27:13] And honestly coming from the outside in with somebody who hasn't been in politics a long time. I think it's a control thing they want control.

[00:27:20] And I really truly think if they get control the youth they have control the future right and we see a lot of things.

[00:27:28] A lot of things that when the shutdown happened were revealed that's when people like myself had gotten involved because we were revealed to certain things conspiracy or not you can call it what it was.

[00:27:39] But certain things are right there in front of us and we had an option we either could see what's in front of us or we can turn our eye and pretend like we didn't.

[00:27:46] But I really think it comes down to control if they have our youth they have control think about it.

[00:27:53] And we see it the same thing with our system if you have control and you have people dependent on the system without giving them the tools to become productive adults it goes with anything right.

[00:28:03] Down to anything on any surface. I mean if you don't give them the tools to start doing things for themselves but you just keep feeding that's control.

[00:28:11] They're not going to bite the hand right like I can't I could tell you one thing my dad comes from another country.

[00:28:19] And his family was in a genocide they were being killed they fought back his his brother was a assassin my my and I'm maybe I'm saying too much but my uncle and my dad join the military for the US came over the family came over now here's people who fought right but then they come over to the youth.

[00:28:41] And the US and their my dad is hush hush don't say anything Sonya right you don't want to cause noise you don't want them to do this.

[00:28:51] We don't need to give him control you're coming from another situation which I'm very proud of you but at the same token we don't need to give him that kind of control you should say something and I'm not saying my dad was wrong I mean obviously he came from a very you know.

[00:29:05] Traumatic experience but what I'm saying is it does show me you have control of people by certain things they're scared fear.

[00:29:15] That that's where they win they could do whatever the heck they want and our youth is the target whether it's conspiracy or not I see it why is it you see school boards challenging more than anybody anything right now that's local control but you see Sacramento dump a big focus on stopping local control why.

[00:29:35] They never did that before because they had control of them they had people invested in these positions so they can have control and I i'm not a conspiracy theorist or whatever you want to call it i'm a realist i really think i'm a realist at least that's what I consider myself but when you see.

[00:29:53] Like in my case the campaign that the person I ran against 30,000 or 26,000 or whatever the exact number somewhere in between 26 and 30 from a union local union dump that money into it then their own this is all campaign visible funds to the public and then you see white house employees you see Washington you see attorney generals from you around the United States dump money into a school board members campaign.

[00:30:18] And you see thermon talk about it to the unions that we know this election here in Chino is important and he comes in door knocks against the parents who've been asking him for help what does that tell you you don't need no conspiracy to theory to think that they have a grasp and they didn't want to lose control right I mean how else do you explain that why in the world with white house employees and attorney generals from around the United States dump money into a school board member.

[00:30:48] Money into someone school board campaign unless you want control that's just the way I saw.

[00:30:57] I mean Mary Rothbard talked about an anatomy of the state shout out Murray Rothbard and I may stay everyone should read it.

[00:31:03] He had a whole chapter on why is public education, why is the state obsessed with public education and you nailed it which is it controls the youth it controls them in the sense that the state can give them their lesson plans they can give them the answer.

[00:31:18] So I think that's the reason why they want to be a good education that they want you to know and you can grow up to be good little state, state loyal citizens that you'll just salute the state.

[00:31:31] And I think you're right on that this freaks out the powers that be because if things start cracking in public schools and there's already a wave of school choice going on across the country they if they lose the youth in public schools.

[00:31:48] And I think it does because then they can't push their own agendas. They can't push what they want them to think they can't turn them into obedient little citizens.

[00:31:57] So I think you you nail down the fact of control one thing that I find interesting about this as well is California is such a big state it's 40 million people 58 counties.

[00:32:11] They're a dual elected school board member people showed up they pulled the lever for your name they said I want so need to be on the school board.

[00:32:21] You got on the school board and you started to enact policies that your voters ideally said this is what I want you to go and do.

[00:32:29] So you did it along with your other school board members.

[00:32:33] And now you have Sacramento coming down and say no you can't do that we're going to step all over you we're going to sue you we're going to use the entire power of the school board.

[00:32:41] Sacramento and the attorney general's office. We're just going to try and smother you to me that's terrifying because then what's the point why do we have a representative local government why why do any of this why have school boards in the first place why have city councils.

[00:32:57] If Sacramento wants to control everything then they're just going to control everything so I think that's more of a knock on representative government and that's scary to me that it.

[00:33:06] Do we does anybody really have power to kind of step up in local politics right.

[00:33:12] I think when they do this though right now in the time that we're in it's giving people an option you either again see what it is and make sure that when we get to the polls or if you never been to the polls before you get there because it does make a difference.

[00:33:26] But they're used to having this control on this power and their relentless I could tell you what you see on the surface is nothing compared to what's behind the scenes Friday we got another letter saying we're under an active investigation with the CDE California Department of Ed Tony Thurman's thing right there citing an ed code a couple of codes that literally if you look them up they say they have a word.

[00:33:56] They're right to investigate us right well why you investigating us because we enforce the policy that we pass back in June that wasn't this policy was another policy and they're upset about it.

[00:34:09] Okay but what are you claiming are you claiming like we're discriminating hate what so technically the letter if you look at it to it just looks like it's going to be a long process is going to be a long investigation and again what are they doing what are they doing trying to scare us.

[00:34:26] Trying to tie us up and honestly I think they have been used to becoming this political machine pushing you know a leftist agenda and their pissed that someone's challenging it and we have a majority of our school board that is going along with challenging it and standing strong.

[00:34:44] But I will tell you it is not easy to stand in the cap when it comes to this but I also again we'll find hope because when they do these kinds of things it's up to us to be transparent and give exposure to the community.

[00:34:59] And I think that's where people have an opportunity right because if you really truly saw all the investigations the audits that were being put through no district wants that.

[00:35:09] But also why because we put through common sense policies we didn't do anything I don't think what we done is really controversial the fact that it's controversial is because the way they're reacting to us I think we're not doing anything illegal.

[00:35:25] But here you go again they want to behind the scenes torture you so you go just kidding it's hot i'm done you know this is too much energy this is too much time and then guess what they do they win right they're used to that.

[00:35:41] But I think for the first time they have seen there's not there's there's people all over California uniting and they're not going to back down so whether on the surface it looks like chino.

[00:35:53] Us parents for the last few years have decided it was going to be a big fight we knew but we were going to link up together and that's what we did.

[00:36:01] It was beautiful the way it happened but I also now see it was necessary right we knew as parents before I became an elective official and the leader of a local you know grassroots organization we weren't going to be anything if it was just chino we were going to be something if we were linking up all throughout California and bringing common sense knowledge and awareness to what we were fighting against.

[00:36:25] Can you just say that one part again that going to the polls does matter in local elections because I feel like we have a lot of followers who will tell us that that doesn't matter.

[00:36:36] We does look I told you if you put money together they spent over 150,000 they were running Fox 11 news commercials mailers every single day they were in a comment they were the president of the board most people still did not know on the surface what we were fighting for because most people let's be real did not totally get it.

[00:36:55] And I understand that people are busy they have a life they're trying to make sure they get food on the table with the rising cost of food and stuff and you know balancing if you're going to have a job today or tomorrow or their economy economy is going to shut down I totally understand that but I think in elections especially locally you can make a difference and I get.

[00:37:15] People say and you've seen nasty things happen and cheating happening but if we just lay down and do nothing and not even try you just pretty much surrendered you gave the need but if you at least try guess what you can also bring awareness to the cheating right get involved have another parent go watch them count the votes like we have to get involved.

[00:37:35] You hear all the time our party lines broken our parties this our parties doing that well then you know what go run for those positions go be a delegate go be this to me i'm like put yourself in there or don't say anything or support the ones that are willing to go do the work right because definitely you have your fighters and you have your supporters and you definitely need both to win the fight you do.

[00:37:58] Good boxers i'm going to get in the ring without being trained having people who are going to clean up the wounds you have everything in place support the people willing to fight get to the polls go vote at least you could say at the end of the day we tried everything they cheat then you expose it be part of it right.

[00:38:19] You cannot let them win that's what they want they want us to be and feel defeated with their doing to us locally they want us to feel defeated they want us to say psych just kidding we're done no fight them.

[00:38:33] And especially with local politics I say this a lot and i'll say it forever it matters local politics matters especially after covid everyone should realize local politics matters it probably inspired a lot of people to get involved in school board but look at.

[00:38:49] Look at the impact you have had as a school board member do people realize that just as a school board member you've made this huge impact you've started this conversation you've started this debate over what what.

[00:39:02] What what parental rights should be in schools so just getting that one person elected office in local politics can change so much stuff so I think that that message and that lesson needs to be.

[00:39:17] Screams from the top of rooftops to be like yeah get local politicians get the grassroots in there you can start changing things at the grassroots in the local level right.

[00:39:27] I absolutely agree with you and i really think in my heart a hard seeing especially with all the amazing parents grandparents people who have no kids that just believe.

[00:39:36] And supporting our family and the family unit you see people who may not be the voice but they're great emails they're great at editing the great social media.

[00:39:46] I really in my heart feel and come ill it sounds actually really good to go and come ill i don't know if you guys did not purpose but.

[00:39:51] I really feel in my heart.

[00:39:53] My heart.

[00:39:55] I really feel in my heart everybody can help you may have your loud voice or you may have your good people that strategy you know strategic and we smart behind the scenes but you everybody can do something and like you just said to if it's just showing up to the polls and making sure that you voted for the person that you think is the right person for the local elections.

[00:40:19] I really in my heart think that's where we're going to win things and then we move up from there with our assembly as Senate seats we're just going to have to find some really good.

[00:40:28] People that are day-to-day people willing to fight the good fight to get into those and i'm not saying some of our great elective officials that are conservative and republican have fought the good fight they need help right.

[00:40:41] Some of them just need some help up there and we need to be able to make sure we do our part to get them get the people up there.

[00:40:47] I do have to say this we have to stop the in fighting it's good to have healthy conversations but to destroy and pull down your own.

[00:40:56] I think unless you're going to throw yourself in the fight you're not you're never ever going to see everything the person in that position is is up against.

[00:41:04] And I think that's where the other side will always win because they're willing to back up a darn cockroach and get behind that person but we're all worried about oh Sony were the wrong clothes today and i'm just using as an example on the surface but it's like no stop guys.

[00:41:19] Like get in there let's let's work together and let's not take our focus off the bigger picture in this case I think parental rights and our children is somewhere we can win.

[00:41:31] And and get some people up in Sacramento to balance things out right let's do it.

[00:41:37] Let's get the get the help up there let's start having people bring common sense policies instead of always being in defense because I think we're at that point where we definitely are in the start of offense I really believe in my heart is just we have to get past that point and know that we can win.

[00:41:53] And I think once we do that and we empower the day to day people who just care and they they're going to sit here in California and fight the good fight i don't know i i still am very hopeful my family still here obviously.

[00:42:09] And it's not saying it's not easy I mean we all see what happens I will tell you this two days ago my kids are being videotaped and recorded at the supermarket now if anybody have seen me in action i'm a mom of air i'm very protective of not just my children but other children.

[00:42:24] It took everything in me to do the right thing and just first of all I told my kids turn around so she could just get your back in second of all i'm like the cashier is looking at me like am I just seeing this and I said yeah.

[00:42:37] And I said it very loudly as i'm waiting for something to be priced right it was a thing of chicken and she's zero taking pictures of my kids not even me.

[00:42:47] And i'm over here like what the freak is wrong with people like now you're coming after my kids weird it also is a reminder of who they want.

[00:42:56] They don't want me they just want to take me down because what do they want the freaking kids to begin with i'm like hello but but like I said it's not easy but if you have the same.

[00:43:06] It's easy but if you have the support it's definitely doable and I think we we definitely can win this as long as we keep banning together and and like I said keep our eyes on on what is really truly important which is our children.

[00:43:21] And I think keeping families together whatever that may be if it's a single mom single dad would you know whatever it may be a full family with a mom and a father or a grandparents taking care of the kids i also see an attack on the family unit.

[00:43:35] And I see that from Sacramento I mean look at a b 665 they're trying to tear apart families there right and it's just absolutely insane with all these bills being brought down there are tax on children there are tax on family and they're starting and they're implementing them at the educational level what does that tell us.

[00:43:51] We either can sit there and fight or we can turn around and just say oh whatever here's my kids I surrender right.

[00:43:59] Yeah i'm an other important point to take away from this is local politics build the bench that then goes to Sacramento so everyone should keep that in mind that you know when people are like where are all the good politicians it's like well.

[00:44:14] They have to start somewhere so whether it's city council or school board or somewhere they start somewhere speaking of voters and elections protected kids California has some initiatives going to the ballot in 2024.

[00:44:28] Any thoughts on that or support or what you're going to take on that.

[00:44:36] We look at support that Aaron Friday has poured her heart into this fight she's she's out there working hard with this we all need to get behind this if this is going to truly happen it's going to take the village the village I was taught not just everybody involved that cares right because you can solve a lot of these issues by showing them okay silence us locally but we the party.

[00:44:58] We're going to take away the people in California are going to lean together we're going to stand out there and put signatures we're going to take some sacrifices and put some money towards this good fight right.

[00:45:08] And we're going to protect our children these three initiatives are things that you know I ended up running on in my campaign with protecting the kids I ended up facing some of these things here in the last few months our school board is faced it our school district is faced it are at the school board members I am are facing the heat.

[00:45:26] Other school board members across California that past this are facing but once and for all if they want to tie us up and take us to court and Bonto wants to sue us let it be loud and clear that we're going to get behind these initiatives put them on the ballot and

[00:45:40] they're going to be able to safely pass them and put them into law ourselves and show Sacramento you want to shut us up then we're going to continue to find a way because that's what I always say find a way right you know working with law and I've only been you know working in situations where there's law and in regards to the policy lately I've seen what they do they find the gray they work with the gray and they push it okay let's beat him at their own game they've already told us we've watched what they've done and if we

[00:46:09] we can't like ballot harvesting right I'm not in favor of it but because it's a law let's take it and beat them at their own game why not until they make it illegal because we beat them and their pissed I really think we have an opportunity to show them we're going to beat you at your own game and protect kids California is absolutely people with heart in this fight who fought the good fight and are continuing to fight the good fight that we need to support we need to get out there we need to have all these parents that are going to be on the ground there.

[00:46:39] have been involved in the last few years, gather the signatures and get what we need to

[00:46:43] get done and send Sacramento message. Do you want to silence us? Try it. But not on our

[00:46:48] watch for our children. And just for clarification, what are those initiatives addressing?

[00:46:56] So parental notification is one. Protecting girls sports is another. And the third one,

[00:47:03] I don't know why I just drew a blank but it was pretty much with whatever aligned with

[00:47:07] the policy like when it comes to, oh, mutilation. Sorry, I don't know why I drew a blank.

[00:47:12] Making sure because new sim declared us as sanctuary state and we're going to say until the child

[00:47:18] is now adult at 18, we will not allow all these surgeries and medications to be allowed near

[00:47:25] the child. So it's those three things. I don't think that those should be controversial.

[00:47:30] Letting parents know making sure kids are not having nasty surgeries that are life

[00:47:36] altering performed on them when they are children and they can't make that decision done or

[00:47:40] taking medication. I think that's common sense and protecting girls in sports. I mean, we see

[00:47:46] with Riley Gaines and we see with Sophia Laurie, her story. We see how they want to silence all

[00:47:51] these female athletes. I'm a mother of two female athletes. I've told my kids if you are on the

[00:47:58] field and you're supposed to be playing girls and a guy gets on the field, you take a stand.

[00:48:03] I know you work hard. I see the blood, sweat and tears but you also stand up for weight you believe

[00:48:07] in and it's really sad that our females are facing this and the way that they're spinning it is

[00:48:13] hate, hate, hate. Well, I think you're hating on our female athletes. Where's the protection

[00:48:18] for them? You see girls getting knocked out, concussions, their college opportunities being

[00:48:24] robbed from them. I'm sorry. I've stood firm on that that fight even when I was a school board member

[00:48:30] and the title nine stuff came up. I think about a year ago when Biden was proposing the changes

[00:48:35] back, I think it was a year ago. And I will tell you, it got ugly. People came after me for what?

[00:48:41] For standing up for our children. I absolutely believe we have a moral duty to stand up for our

[00:48:47] females. How long did our females fight for their rights and we're going to sit here and just give

[00:48:52] it up and let our girls be exposed to danger and dangerous situations? So those are the three things

[00:48:59] that they have made part of the initiative. Lastly before we wrap up, there was another policy

[00:49:09] that you enacted which involved school materials correct in the library. Yeah. Tell us a little bit

[00:49:18] about that. We saw what Newsom did to 1078 trying again to take local school board authority away

[00:49:24] and put it into the hands of the state. But I think sexually explicit material is nonnegotiable.

[00:49:31] I don't care what part you stand on, what you think is right and wrong for kids when it comes to

[00:49:35] sexually explicit and obscene material. We have a duty to make sure that that is not accessible

[00:49:43] to children. And if there's something we can do to put safeguards in place, I feel that's what we

[00:49:48] need to do. You see these books and honestly you see them being read all over school boards,

[00:49:54] all over California and you see nobody do anything about it. And then you see people like Karen

[00:49:58] England who I have followed and seen what she has been doing in regards to bringing light to it

[00:50:04] and then propose a common sense policy. They tell you they show you what's in your own libraries

[00:50:10] and yet we have school board members that say, oh, I'll take them out behind the scenes or I'll do

[00:50:14] this or I'll do that. Okay. What if someone plucked Sonya's shot out or the other school board member

[00:50:19] out and I'm no longer there. What did you do to protect any kids in the future? You didn't

[00:50:24] act any policy. You just thought you were going to go behind the scenes and do something. So when

[00:50:28] she proposed that to me showed me the proof, showed all of our school board members what we had,

[00:50:32] people came and showed it, read it. I'm telling you, freaking the adults were like this cringing.

[00:50:38] I was like, we got to do something. And so I took her model policy. I brought it to our super

[00:50:44] intended and I said, do you think that this would help alleviate and get rid of some of the stuff?

[00:50:50] I gave them full range to give me his recommendations because that's what you do when you have a

[00:50:54] super intended. Although the board is supervising over the super intended, the super intended

[00:51:00] directs and tells the staff what the direction is of the board. And I'm wholeheartedly believing

[00:51:06] that you need to be a team to make anything work, right? And you also need to bring awareness.

[00:51:11] So I brought that forward. He made some recommendations. We previously had another policy in place for

[00:51:16] like material of people found stuff. And because I feel like, again, sexually obscene material is

[00:51:22] non-negotiable, this was a common sense policy that allowed it not to go through a lengthy process

[00:51:29] of being challenged. It was very clear on what is appropriate, what is not. And thankfully our

[00:51:35] school board passed it three to two and sent the message. And I can tell you right now, people inside

[00:51:41] our own district, our own staff was very grateful for this because they were now aware that some of

[00:51:46] the stuff had come in. A lot of them were embarrassed that it came in or just felt bad. Like, why is

[00:51:52] this here? Right? But you again, we got a threatening letter from our local union. You get stuff

[00:51:59] being said by CTA and you get legal letters asking to cease and to cease from various groups. And

[00:52:05] then now, you have freedom from religion challenging us and telling me that I need to remove the

[00:52:10] Bible. But I was warned prior when I brought this policy for the first reading. People in our community

[00:52:16] said, Shaw, we're going to make you ban the Bible. And I'm like, challenge it. Why not? Go ahead,

[00:52:19] you have every right. I'm not going to stop you from challenging it, but you have to prove that

[00:52:23] it's actually obscene. And it has to go through the same process so fall the procedure, right?

[00:52:29] But again, it shows you that they want control. They want to bully you and they want this freaking

[00:52:36] crap in the hands of kids. People used to be arrested for having these things in front of children.

[00:52:42] We used to find this a big deal. Where have we lost our minds that we think that, oh,

[00:52:48] let me just go do it behind the scenes if it's exposed. Okay, what is that doing? Like get the crap

[00:52:54] out of there now, right? Send the message and say, we're not going to allow that here. So that way,

[00:53:00] when I leave this district or I'm voted out or maybe I decide not to run in three more years,

[00:53:05] there's policies in place. And if the new school board comes in and they don't have any good intentions

[00:53:10] and they want to remove this, guess what they have to do in the public? Remove it in the public. Let

[00:53:15] them. That's what I say, act policy. They enact law, right? Against us will enact policy

[00:53:22] that is legal to fight against what they're doing. And they're mad. What does that show the public?

[00:53:28] They're okay with this. Yeah. And again, it was a gift because it brought awareness

[00:53:34] to a bigger fight that we're all facing in regards to our children.

[00:53:37] It's a conversation that probably long overdue and it's good that I think it's happening in

[00:53:44] California because I think it's it's a good way to gauge people the seriousness of how much they

[00:53:50] want to protect their kids. So in wrapping up, this has been an incredible conversation.

[00:53:57] I don't know. I can't wrap up. Camille's got another question.

[00:54:00] It's funny, not funny. Scott Weiner actually,

[00:54:04] see, our favorite Scott Weiner tweeted I think last week. So there is, I'm unclear of the circumstances

[00:54:09] a teach-in in Oakland. They had some sort of something going on and it turned out the curriculum

[00:54:16] was like encouraging violence on Jews. And Scott Weiner was posting about it bringing awareness

[00:54:22] to the issue and he didn't outright say book banning but he was very against this particular

[00:54:28] curriculum. And I was like, oh, isn't this interesting? Suddenly you don't want this

[00:54:36] something that personally offends you being taught in public schools. See how that works.

[00:54:43] I can't wait to see how that turns out. Yeah, no and maybe that's an opportunity. I don't

[00:54:49] honestly if you want to ask me, I don't find any hope in that dude but maybe it's an opportunity.

[00:54:54] I'm just going to be real. I don't really think we're going to be able to argue like he's

[00:54:58] a big snuff at least. We're fighting against up in there. He's like, you know,

[00:55:04] one of their favorites in that but yeah, it's funny how when the tables turn right and they're

[00:55:12] like, yeah, I don't know. I just think it's absolutely insanity that I don't even think honestly,

[00:55:19] I know we're wrapping up but at the end of the day, I in my heart don't believe anything that has

[00:55:26] made a headline should have ever made a headline is should have been common sense. Let's work

[00:55:30] together, brought awareness. Let's get this crap out. Let's do the right thing for our children.

[00:55:35] Let's protect the kids. But again, I think you guys maybe saw on social media floating around

[00:55:41] today that G K Charleston, Charleston quote, have you seen it?

[00:55:47] Let's see that.

[00:55:48] True soldier does not fight because he hates what is in front of him. He fights because he loves

[00:55:55] what's behind him and to me our children are worth the fight and that's why we fight. We don't fight

[00:56:02] because we hate the Scott weeners or we dislike the Scott weeners or we dislike Thurman's or

[00:56:06] the political cartel. Are they gross? Did they bring awareness absolutely but we fight because

[00:56:11] we love those kids. We absolutely believe in protecting them and we will give up everything to

[00:56:17] make sure they have a future and their innocence is protected and we're doing the right thing for

[00:56:21] them and I think at the end of the day if we all can just keep that focus our kids are not going to

[00:56:26] lose 100% they will not lose. So yeah, this has been an amazing conversation. I love your passion

[00:56:35] and I'm glad there's a fighter like you out there who has taken this fight and bringing this

[00:56:39] awareness to people. So where can people find and follow you support you all that stuff?

[00:56:47] Well, I will have to admit I'm very bad at social media and my time is mostly spent on the ground

[00:56:52] and with my beautiful children but I do have a social media account and it's Sonia Shaw and I think

[00:56:59] it's now changed to 2026 because I opened up my campaign for the next round for 2026 but it's on

[00:57:07] Instagram that's where I'm most active. I kind of shut down most of my other ones only because

[00:57:12] of the threats that I was going through and all the things going through they attack so my family

[00:57:16] were facing but my Instagram is probably the easiest way to follow me. Right, so 2026 another round

[00:57:26] you're going back into it. I plan on doing whatever's right and I will say this wherever God calls me

[00:57:32] I'll go for the fight. I mean, I've always since I've gotten into this been willing to take the

[00:57:38] blows that they throw and fight back so I don't know where God has me in 2026. I will put my hat

[00:57:44] in the bin if that's where he wants. I have heard that they're going to try to recall me but most

[00:57:49] importantly we have three seats up this next election in 2024 and they're going to focus on dumping

[00:57:53] some big money into this to switch the majority and stop us in silence. So I don't know where

[00:58:00] God has me. He can pluck me right out tomorrow but I will stay here and fight the good fight as

[00:58:07] long as he allows me to. Great, so thank you for coming on again Sonia we'll end this show as

[00:58:16] I end every single show which is if you like this episode make sure you like share subscribe review

[00:58:21] add a comment helps with the algorithm and the best way to support this show is to end in the

[00:58:27] best way that's free is to share it with a friend in this case share it with parents who have

[00:58:32] kids in public schools is probably the most important so they know about this and yeah that's

[00:58:37] basically it so we'll see you on the next one. Have a good night everybody. Thank you for having me.

[00:58:46] Thank you for listening to another episode of California Underground. If you like what you heard

[00:58:59] remember to subscribe, like and review it and follow California Underground on social media

[00:59:04] for updates as to when new episodes are available.