Who passes kids to get money? That's not how we get paid (and I work in California). They actually banned the monetary rewards for high performing schools several years ago (8, if I remember correctly), and even those were based on standardized test scores, not grades.
There is social promotion because it's been deemed inappropriate to have 17 year olds in Middle Schools for what should be obvious reasons. Students can be held back in 3rd and 5th grade in many districts. It used to be 3rd, 5th and 8th. It varies district by district, of course, but I don't know of any who will hold a student back more than three years. In high school, if you don't get your credits, you don't graduate. Simple enough.
Because of this, I teach many tenth graders who read at a 5th grade level (and some below even that). That's a challenge, but I think it's way less of a challenge than teaching a 16 year-old in a 5th grade class.
I am careful not to make my own political opinions obvious. Instead, when the unit requires that we read editorials, political speeches, religious topics, etc., I play devil's advocate. One day I'll support one position, only to support the opposite the next day and let studenst know it's up to them to judge the evidence, decide if they trust the authors and come to their own conclusions. It's part of the standards to teach how to evaluate the validity of an argument, detect bias, etc. I ask them to evaluate and detect bias in my (often planned and sometimes totally against what I really believe) arguments, too. It's an invaluable skill for soon--to-be-voters to have.
It's my job to get my kids to be critical thinkers, critical readers, and effective writers, not to make them into little clones of me.
As far as the Bay Area... that's my dream gig. Seriously. I love that part of the state.
It doesn't sound like it's a perfect fit for you, though. We should trade spaces.
