I left California and I'm never going back — here's why no parent should raise kids there

Young professional argues California under Newsom creates horrific environment for families, citing policies on education and reproductive rights as reason for exodus.

As someone who wants a family one day, I can’t imagine raising kids in Newsom’s California.  At just 11 years old (or even younger), she could be secretly "gender transitioned" by her teachers without my knowledge (thanks to a 2024 law signed by Newsom).  Mary Mobley is a press specialist and online editor at Students for Life. She grew up in California, where she graduated from The Master's University before moving to Washington, D.C.

For some reason, the prospect of paying over $2,000 each month to live in a 500-square-foot studio apartment for the rest of one’s life isn't alluring to many. That’s especially true for a state like California, where it has become increasingly hard to find a job, any job, even as a college grad. California now suffers the nation’s highest unemployment rate — meaning it has the highest percentage of people who are looking for work but can’t find it.

As someone California-born and raised, those facts alone didn't drive me to leave. I’m confident I could have found an in-state job and, as sad as it is to say, resigned myself to a lifetime of apartment living.