Letters

Dear Editor,

Assembly Bill 84 unfairly targets charter schools — and the families like mine who rely on them. We chose a charter because it offered the flexibility and personal support our child needed to thrive. Everything from the school’s budget to test scores is public — charter schools are already transparent.

Meanwhile, traditional districts that experienced massive fraud — like Magnolia, where $16.7 million was stolen, or Mt. Diablo, where $3.3 million disappeared — faced no state crackdown. So why punish charter schools that are doing things right?

Charters serve many students who need something different: those with learning disabilities, anxiety, health conditions, or challenges in traditional classrooms. AB 84 would strip those families of choice, replacing it with red tape and funding cuts.

Rather than pass AB 84, our lawmakers should support SB 414 — a more balanced approach that strengthens oversight without dismantling educational options. Accountability should be systemwide, not selective.

Shelly Thompson lives in Los Angeles, California.

Details: Written by: Shelly Thompson; Published: 22 July 2025

Thanks to TikTok, my business has taken off.

I started California-based Diggs Publishing after I faced the devastating news that my niece was being sexually abused.

As part of my healing process, I wrote a book to work towards child sexual abuse prevention.

In 2023, I joined TikTok to promote my books and post advocacy videos. From there, I went viral and sold out of all of my inventory in one day.

Now, because of TikTok Shop, we’ve sold over 113,000 products, most of which are children’s books and educational tools focused on body safety, consent, and emotional wellness.

These sales have allowed me to launch a nonprofit, Kids Again Foundation, to help children heal from trauma.

I hope other families can turn to TikTok to build community, share trauma experiences, and most importantly, spread prevention awareness.

I hope my federal lawmakers, including Rep. Mike Thompson, Sen. Alex Padilla, and Sen. Adam Schiff, will support a deal that keeps TikTok running to support my business and many others in California.

Krystaelynne Sanders Diggs is the chief executive officer of Diggs Publishing. She lives in Rohnert Park, California.