I am endorsing former Franklin-McKinley Superintendent Larry Aceves for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. I will explain my reasons later.
Max Rafferty, Wilson Riles, Bill Honig and Delaine Eastin have all served as California’s Superintendents of Public Instruction. Jack O’Connell is in the last 15 months of his reign as the current office holder. All were influential leaders in my career as a teacher and principal.
It is quite possible we might know O’Connell’s successor after the June 2010 primary—if one of the top three announced candidates receives one vote more than 50 percent in this non-partisan race. Otherwise there would be a runoff of the top two primary vote recipients in November’s general election.
As the state’s chief of K-12 education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction plays a major role in shaping educational policy and strives to provide equity for all public school students. As of today there are three candidates raising money to the levels necessary to compete statewide.
According to the educational services company School Innovations and Advocacy, Aceves since January has raised more than his two opponents, Assemblyman Tom Torlakson, D-Martinez and State Senator Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles. In addition, most of Larry’s campaign contributions are coming from education groups and educators, far exceeding what Torlakson and Romero are raising from the educational community.
SPI O’Connell has worked tirelessly toward the goal of closing the achievement gap. However, as the new data from this year’s STAR testing shows, the academic gap, sometimes referred to as a gulf, remains wide—separating black and Latino students from their white and Asian peers. This achievement gap is one of the most critical issues of our time, as California’s demographics change rapidly. We will have a significant shortage of qualified and skilled graduates for the information-based workforce if we do not raise the academic standards for all children while eliminating the achievement gap.
Here is the reasoning for my endorsement:
Larry Aceves can be superintendent not beholden to special interest groups, since he has not been a career politician. In fact, he has never before sought public office.
Larry understands, better than the other two top candidates, the importance of career technical and vocational training for those 60 percent-plus high school students not headed for college.
He is a very successful first generation American, born to working-class parents in Calexico, California. Larry, with personal knowledge and experience, can inform the legislature and governor about what works in closing the achievement gap. His voice will be strong and unwavering.
As a former teacher, principal, and superintendent, he is uniquely qualified to serve and comprehends the need to reduce federal and state mandates so the bureaucratic red-tape does not intrude on the goal of improving instruction.
Larry is local and knows Santa Clara County and San Jose, a huge benefit for our own children, teachers, and administrators.
You can review all top three candidates at their respective websites:
www.larryaceves2010.com
www.tomtorlakson.com
www.gloriaromero.org
Joseph,
It just amazes me how some folks feed at the public trough all of their lives. Torlakson and Romero, both State legislators, must be unemployable in the private sector!
Regarding the achievment gap, as we continue to welcome more and more illegal immigrant children into the schools, many of whom speak not a word of English, the gulf will widen yet more. It’s quite possible that someday the gap might be narrowed or closed on the backs of the higher achievers… bringing them down to the lowest common denominator.
You overlooked Aceves’ two-year stint as superintendent at the Alum Rock Union Elementary school district where he is fondly remembered as announcing on the TV community channel that he thought that there were too many “old Anglo white teachers” in the district. Perhaps you find his views acceptable, but a lot of former teachers at Alum Rock certainly do not.
Dale, uh-oh, trouble in River City!
Dale Warner’s message is absolutely correct. I attended
the special district meeting with probably 200 other teachers which was called by the Alum Rock Educators Association president after the televised remarks.
Mr. Aceves would not retract his words or apologize to us. The meeting was attended by a very diverse group who all felt very strongly about this inappropriate and divisive statement by Mr. Aceves.
After hearing about the unseemly behavior of Aceves, I’ll vote for one of the public trough feeders.
“Larry understands, better than the other two top candidates, the importance of career technical and vocational training for those 60 percent-plus high school students not headed for college.”
Career technical and vocational training I feel should go hand in hand with late high school/early college years of adolescent life. Not everyone has the drive, resources and skills needed to enter college at the age of 17/18 not do they possess the skills needed to jump into the work force. For someone to see that this area needs more focus in today’s society is a huge advantage against other candidates. Larry Aceves appears to be an ideal candidate and I look forward to reading more about this topic.