“The most important difference that separates me from the other candidates is my 12 years of education experience. I have run afterschool programs and taught life skills and career train- ing. I have served as an elected local school board member.”

Q&A Get to know Tony Thurmond

meet the cft-endorsed candidate for state superintendent of public instruction

n a race important to all educators, the CFT has endorsed and now in the Assembly. It’s time to make our public Assemblymember Tony Thurmond for state Superintendent of education system among the greatest in the nation, and I won’t IPublic Instruction. CFT President Josh Pechthalt said Thurmond, stop until we get there. a former social worker, has demonstrated “time and again he is a champion of public education. His policy positions solidly align What would be your top three priorities as SPI? him with the needs of students, parents and educators.” 1) Opposing and Betsy DeVos’s anti-public California Teacher asked Thurmond about his positions on edu- education policies and creating an education rainy day fund to cation issues ranging from early childhood to higher education. protect against any future Trump cuts; 2) Attracting and retaining qualified teachers by providing them Why are you running for Superintendent of Public Instruction? with affordable housing, recruitment bonuses, scholarships, and I am passionate about improving public schools because it was higher wages; my public school education that prepared me for a 20-year career 3) Preparing California students for the jobs being created by as a social worker and inspired me to serve on the West Contra our fast-growing 21st century economy. Costa Unified School District Board, the Richmond City Council,

6 California teacher february–march 2018 Steve Yeater money is being spent. isbeing money In the Assembly, Ico-authored legislation same guidelines asother for public entities disclosing how public What isyourpositiononcharter schools? and that’s why I’ve inthe made itmyAssembly. priority showed education thatearly hason ourkids, metheimpact services childhood early education.quality My work ineducation andsocial services. critical andcare,learning receive guaranteeingthatfamiliesinneed these counties to state useall for fundsallocated early programs. Ialsoauthored AB 435, which allows system to education early andafter-school justiceour criminal from$450 million that would shift on private prisons duced AB 43, atax education? early childhood crease fundingfor proposal toin- Do youhavea cation asSPI. ment edu- inearly investprioritizing - continue and Iwill Assemblymember education asan funding for early able. I’ve increased isunacceptThis - preschool suffer lastyeartheassociated consequences. andwill However, asmany as170,000California children didnotattend inmakingsurecritical ourchildren reach potential. their full Do yousupportexpandingearlychildhoodeducation?

I believe that charter schools required shouldbe to follow the As SPI, work tirelessly to Iwill make sure children all receive high- year,This Iintro- researchThe clearly shows thatthefirst fiveof life are years Who isthebillionaires’ choice? is todemonizeteachersandinvest intechnology.” She rhetoric about ‘it’s allforthekids,’ whentheirrealgoal the powerelite, thebillionaireswhocynicallyemploy fake . voters rejectedfouryearsagoinfavor offormerteacher opposition comesfromMarshall Tuck —thecandidate Superintendent ofPublicInstruction, but Thurmond’s main Five peoplearevying In 2014, DianeRavitchcalled Tuck “the candidateof

Steve Yeater

for the position of State for thepositionofState who are his constituents who arehisconstituents Tony meets Thurmond with CFT members with CFTmembers Assemblymember Assemblymember during Lobby Day during LobbyDay last year. flood thestatewithads. and heisbacked byanti-unionbillionaires whowilllikely agenda thatsaysschoolsshouldbe runlike businesses, classroom. Hesupportstheso-called “education reform” economic inequalityandpoverty, andtheirimpactonthe Green DotCharterSchools, largelyignoresissuesof as acivicresponsibility.” added, “They havezero commitmenttopubliceducation Tuck, aformer Wall Streetbanker andpresidentof

students and the charter will need — they are —they need muchstudents better andthechartersuited will havethey to thatthe hostthecharter andprovide theservices charter schools.increases accountability of that bansfor-profit schools andI charter that voted for legislation schools? Do youopposevouchers forsendingchildren toprivate publicly accountable. lens aspublic schools, follow thesameguidelines, held andbe I believe thatcharter schools must measured be through thesame preferenceeliminate discriminatory in charter school admissions. tive into California thelives youth. of Iunderstand thehardships teachers? What isyourpositiononusing studenttestscores toevaluate credentialing standards for charter school teachers. Ivoted to Charter schoolsCharter by authorized shouldbe districts, local because Yes. My career worker asasocial hasprovided- meaunique perspec

february–march 2018 California tea

tuck all h mars the upholding of the upholding of school boards and on public charter theBrown of Act the enforcement schools, including ency for charter and transpar accountability thatincreasebills severalsupported Assembly, I’ve accountable? transparent and should bemore charter schools Do youbelieve orcounty state. for thisthanthe Yes. In the - cher 7

marshalltuck.com Steve Yeater 8 ing wages, fairwork rules, andfamily leave for workers. all My As SPI, whatwouldyoudotosupportclassifiedemployees? students to learn. our manyremove of of theability that impede thebarriers health, mental health, to programs service andsocial professionals backintoourschools? Do yousupportbringingnurses andmentalhealth teachersole basisfor judging performance. continuous improvement systems, but the shouldnotbe Student state test andlocal scores of avaluable can be part hensive approaches to teacher evaluating performance. need.education they That’s why more Isupport compre - must go beyond teaching to thetest to give thesekidsthe lenges canfollow them into theclassroom. youth face athome andinlife, andhow thosechal- Education. One of my highest priorities will be to be modernize our will Education. my priorities highest Oneof Education andchair the Assembly Committee Select on STEM on the Assembly Committee Select on Career andTechnical How haveyousupportedcareer andtechnicaleducation? rata payandbenefits? Do yousupportgivingpart-timecommunitycollegefaculty pro make college more affordable. I’m interested incontinuing to to work on thisandother strategies repay according after graduation to to their job pay. andability Thurmond. Elaine Merriweatherwith Former CFT Vice President As chair of the AsAssembly chair of LaborCommittee, I’ve for liv fought - In the Assembly, I’m working to expand school-based Teachers can’t control often thesefactors andvery In 2015, Ico-authored to abill expand CTE. Icurrently serve Yes. California tea to leadtheresistance againsttrumpanddevos cher february–march 2018 bill bill AB 670hasextended classified employee all whowishtoattend? to attend to atnocost andthen begin forward system, college allowing students status to part-time playgroundstatus to part-time workers. Should communitycollegebefree to As superintendent, keep so I’ll fighting Yes. In 2015, Iworked to create apay-it- no othercandidate isbetterequipped that classified employees safe can feel decision-making processes. doing their jobs andproviding for sified sified voice is present inall relevant their families. ensure theclas Iwill - and defund our public education system. Trumpagainst andDeVos, isto undermine solepurpose whose more teachers. teacher bywide providing shortage incentives andretain to attract or preschool andafterschool programs, andto reduce ourstate- tate restorative justice programs. I’m to provide fighting f money tomillion reduce truancy, expand community schools,- and facili charter schools andbanfor-profit schools,charter to provide $38 ing for education. early laws Ipassed to increase accountability for care have to go to theopportunity college, andto increase fund- have school local board asanelected member. served andcareerafterschool life skills training. andtaught I programs candidates ismy education experience. 12years of Ihave run candidates? How doyoucompare yourqualificationstothoseoftheother collaborativehighly working relationships. a great education, ensure thatwe andIwill atthestate model level havegive need to ers they andclassified staff the ourkids support our public education system thatteach isincumbenton ensuring - to havewiththeCFT? As theSPI, whatkindofworkingrelationship wouldyouseek have increasing supported fundingfor adult education. theirpersonal own development.also supporting Over theyears, I ents to intheir children’s engaged be experience learning while resources to succeed inoureconomy. Adult par education helps What doyouseeastherole ofadulteducation? No other candidate isbetter to equipped theresistance lead In the Assembly, for to money Ifought ensure youth infoster difference mostimportant The thatseparates mefrom the other theCFT, work closely with I will Iknow because thatimproving We to need ensure student, every age, regardless of hasthe congratulates Thurmond from the Democrats from theDemocrats Treasurer JeffFreitas on his endorsement on hisendorsement State Convention State Convention CFT Secretary CFT Secretary in February.

for the jobs of the for thejobs of prepare ourstudents education system to include tech.

izing curricula to izing curricula future by creating

- and modern internship pro- in schools, grams with with grams tech mentors nies, placing tech compa- -

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