LA teachers union leader urges vote against superintendent candidate Sonja Shaw
A senior United Teachers Los Angeles official was recorded urging union members to back Richard Barrera and block Sonja Shaw, calling her a “real threat” and a “MAGA lady.”
In a leaked recording, Julie Van Winkle, the AFT vice president for United Teachers Los Angeles and head of AFT 1021, urged union members to turn out for Richard Barrera in the state superintendent of public instruction contest. She labeled Sonja Shaw as a “real threat” and warned that a “MAGA lady” would cause a “huge problem” for California schools. Shaw, who topped the primary with roughly 24.5% of the vote, used the audio to argue that the teachers union sees her as an adversary to their agenda.
She emphasized parental involvement and accountability, citing her record on the Chino Valley school board. The race, officially nonpartisan, occurs amid a statewide overhaul that will shift the superintendent’s role to an independent advocate while a governor-appointed director handles daily department operations starting in January 2027. UTLA represents about 35,000 educators in the Los Angeles area.
