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  1. Guadalupe Garcia 5 years ago5 years ago

    What’s to say there wasn’t voter fraud since they found homeless being offered money and cigarettes to go vote?

  2. MARINA RAMOS 5 years ago5 years ago

    I am confident that Tony will be our new State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Many of the CSBA Board of Trustees met with him in Sacramento and presented our districts concerns, challenges and needs. He listen to all of us and he is humble, Intelligent and cares for changes to benefit our public schools.

  3. teacherhere 5 years ago5 years ago

    Thurmond is a much better candidate. The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools is a dismal failure. I know from working at one of the PLAS schools. Absolute nightmare for the students and the kids. All they care about are the scores. Meanwhile these poor kids from the lowest economic levels are just being bored to death by the curriculum that some non-profit has imposed on them. It's horrible AND boring for the students. There is … Read More

    Thurmond is a much better candidate. The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools is a dismal failure. I know from working at one of the PLAS schools. Absolute nightmare for the students and the kids. All they care about are the scores. Meanwhile these poor kids from the lowest economic levels are just being bored to death by the curriculum that some non-profit has imposed on them. It’s horrible AND boring for the students. There is not one teacher at my school that is happy. The turnover at these schools, which Tuck led, is huge. This is abysmal for the students.
    I am so happy that Thurmond is ahead now, we do not need any more charter schools, we need investment in our public schools. We do not need any more experimentation and excessive testing. We need smaller class sizes and competent administrators.

  4. Gerald Fleming 5 years ago5 years ago

    I did my research in this election and of course voted for Thurmond. But all I would have needed to put me over the top & vote for Thurmond would have been Tuck’s nasty & misleading ads vs. Thurmond. The icing on the cake, though, was receiving in the mail a slick cardboard flyer emblazoned “ACLU," implying strongly that the ACLU endorsed Tuck, which it most certainly did not. Anyone who would oversee such deception … Read More

    I did my research in this election and of course voted for Thurmond. But all I would have needed to put me over the top & vote for Thurmond would have been Tuck’s nasty & misleading ads vs. Thurmond. The icing on the cake, though, was receiving in the mail a slick cardboard flyer emblazoned “ACLU,” implying strongly that the ACLU endorsed Tuck, which it most certainly did not. Anyone who would oversee such deception is not trustworthy, and don’t we have enough experience on the national level to not trust the untrustworthy? Why in the world should we install someone like that to head our public school? Goodbye, Mr. Tuck. I’m certain you’ll find a nice job in some charter school corporation. Next time, though, would you mind donating the 30 million dollars you spent on your campaign to the California public schools? They can use the money.

    Replies

    • John Fensterwald 5 years ago5 years ago

      Gerald, Politifact and our analysis of the ad including references to the ACLU agreed with you — that ad and others were false and misleading. But to be clear, the independent expenditure campaign run by the nonprofit EdVoice, not Marshall Tuck and his campaign, approved and paid for the ads your were referring to attacking Tony Thurmond.

  5. Mrs. Furst. 5 years ago5 years ago

    Interesting how Tuck is being aligned with DeVos and Trump. Guess it's easier for people to jump to conclusions than research the facts. What's best for students & educators will have to take the back-burner for another term. Over half of CA students in public education can't read at grade level. Marshall knows how to make this change (real change) for the better in public schools. Sad that people feel … Read More

    Interesting how Tuck is being aligned with DeVos and Trump. Guess it’s easier for people to jump to conclusions than research the facts. What’s best for students & educators will have to take the back-burner for another term. Over half of CA students in public education can’t read at grade level. Marshall knows how to make this change (real change) for the better in public schools. Sad that people feel so threatened by this knowledge that there’s a knee-jerk reaction need to malign and attack character. With Thurmond in office, expect the same as we’ve seen. Bummer.

    Replies

    • Bill 5 years ago5 years ago

      Is anyone talking about making the school year more than 180 days of instruction? That’s barely half the year!

      • David desJardins 5 years ago5 years ago

        There are 250 weekdays per year, if you subtract major holidays. 180 days is 72%. There’s a whole lot for kids to do with those other 70 days per year other than school that contributes to their education. Many parents may not want the responsibility of dealing with their own kids, but for those who do, fewer school days per year so that there’s more time for other kinds of enrichment is better.

    • Jennifer 5 years ago5 years ago

      I’d like to see the evidence to back up your statement that over half of the students in public schools in California can’t read at grade level. Thurmond is the better choice for state super – he’s for public education while Tuck is all about privatization of education. What Tuck has done in the LA school system is nothing short of disaster for the kids and the teachers. Look forward to seeing what Thurmond can do.

  6. Jaycee 5 years ago5 years ago

    I am a teacher in the state and I am very glad that Tony Thurmond is pulling away from Tuck. My own child went to a billionaire-backed charter school with little to no protection of the teachers or even the school as a whole. Suddenly the principal of the school disappeared out of the country and so did the school funding. The school had a one week notice of closing and the teachers were left … Read More

    I am a teacher in the state and I am very glad that Tony Thurmond is pulling away from Tuck. My own child went to a billionaire-backed charter school with little to no protection of the teachers or even the school as a whole. Suddenly the principal of the school disappeared out of the country and so did the school funding. The school had a one week notice of closing and the teachers were left with no jobs. Mind you, this was one of the few charter schools that actually took students who had some behavioral issues, because they believed much of that came from boredom. So many of the students were left with only the same school they’d left as an option. It was an awful situation, and I do not support unregulated charter schools, no matter how rich the guy who runs it is!

  7. Anne E Partington 5 years ago5 years ago

    I’m so glad Tony Thurmond won the election. Marshall Tuck was a total fraud–his false ads didn’t fool me!

  8. Dan 5 years ago5 years ago

    This election is about protecting public education from those who want to enrich themselves on tax dollars that fund shady “charter schools.” Thurmond will protect taxpayers and children from the fraud and abuse that is all too common in the for-profit “charter” industry. Diane Ravitch is a valuable resource if you want to learn more about this stain on American education.

  9. Rich 5 years ago5 years ago

    The question is simple, is education about the students or protecting union jobs. California has been all about protecting union jobs for the last decade or more and we're now 44th in the nation. Maybe we should consider quality is about educating the kids and maybe we wouldn't have such lousy quality. Thurmond is status quo, unions. Tuck is about the kids. California you get what you deserve if you … Read More

    The question is simple, is education about the students or protecting union jobs. California has been all about protecting union jobs for the last decade or more and we’re now 44th in the nation. Maybe we should consider quality is about educating the kids and maybe we wouldn’t have such lousy quality. Thurmond is status quo, unions. Tuck is about the kids. California you get what you deserve if you vote for unions over your kids.

    Replies

    • Concerned too 5 years ago5 years ago

      Rich, I agree with you. Tuck is about the kids. I’ll be interested to see what, if any, positive incremental changes Thurmond can bring if he is elected. I suspect he won’t be strong enough to stand up for kids, if it gets in the way of the Union.

    • Gerry 5 years ago5 years ago

      44th at what? What does that number refer to? Funding? Math scores? Graduation?

  10. Jacqueline Pearsall 5 years ago5 years ago

    I pray, and am praying still that Tony Thurmond will hold this lead. He is by far the better candidate in my opinion. What makes me different than most people voting, is I work for one of the 18 schools that Tuck founded. I work for a Partnership of Los Angeles School. PLAS took over our school four years ago. Well, we are still low performing, yet there has been some … Read More

    I pray, and am praying still that Tony Thurmond will hold this lead. He is by far the better candidate in my opinion. What makes me different than most people voting, is I work for one of the 18 schools that Tuck founded. I work for a Partnership of Los Angeles School. PLAS took over our school four years ago.
    Well, we are still low performing, yet there has been some minimal growth. We have had at least a 50% educator turnover. PLAS loves the brand new teacher because they have to suffer through the abuse. They violate the teacher’s contract, especially with new teachers, who have to be silent. Get ready to have meetings during your lunch, and you better not complain. If you do, I promise you, something will be wrong with your math lesson, and you will not be signed for another year.
    For the first time in my career I realize that I mean nothing. PLAS schools come into the impoverished community and treat teachers like second-class citizens. If I didn’t work for one of Tuck’s schools I might have accidentally voted for him. I know what he is about. It’s all about get rid of the teacher, and then Johnny will learn to read. Give Johnny a new teacher, and make sure that children that are in poverty have more new inexperienced teachers, while privileged children have teachers that are seasoned.
    Marshall Tuck is against our teacher’s union. He doesn’t like it that teachers have protections and rights. He even suggested that it should take longer for teachers to make tenure (do your homework, and you will see that everything I am stating is true). Under Marshall Tuck a new teacher will be abused for a much longer period of time. A new teacher under Tuck has a greater chance of not making tenure. I have seen it happen personally, and I felt so bad. I have seen people in just my short time in a PLAS school attempt to be a teacher, and have their dreams shut down.
    You think we have a teacher shortage? Let Tuck win, then you will see what a real shortage looks like. Tony Thurmond believes that teachers should have more time to make tenure as well, but for a different reason. He believes it takes time to become a good teacher. I have listened to both gentlemen for several hours. God Please Let Tony Thurmond Win!

  11. Jerome 5 years ago5 years ago

    Looks like Tony Thurmond is going to win this election… I have been watching the ballots counts come in, with more than a million votes to go, Tony could win by 80,000 votes or more the way it has been going.

    Replies

    • John Fensterwald 5 years ago5 years ago

      May happen, Jerome, but with at least 3 million votes out, I would hold off making predictions.

  12. Joaquin 5 years ago5 years ago

    Race, class & ideology divide Calif. Tuck is for white wealthy interests, who don’t care about impoverishing public schools/sector serving a browner population. Like Malcolm said, the chickens will come home to roost. Hope Tony beats Tuck.

    Replies

    • Christina Fitzgibbons 5 years ago5 years ago

      Hmmm, check Marin #’s. We are the exact demographic you describe, yet have the opposite opinion. Who cares, Go Tony!

  13. SD Parent 5 years ago5 years ago

    Two things made the choice clear for me. First, Assembly Member Dr. Shirley Weber (Dem), who is the daughter of a sharecropper but became a university professor and also served two terms on the Board of San Diego Unified (the second largest school district in the state), endorsed Tuck over Thurmond, her colleague on the Assembly's Education Committee. Second, Torlakson, who was endorsed by CTA, threw the most disadvantaged students under the bus … Read More

    Two things made the choice clear for me. First, Assembly Member Dr. Shirley Weber (Dem), who is the daughter of a sharecropper but became a university professor and also served two terms on the Board of San Diego Unified (the second largest school district in the state), endorsed Tuck over Thurmond, her colleague on the Assembly’s Education Committee. Second, Torlakson, who was endorsed by CTA, threw the most disadvantaged students under the bus by allowing supplemental and concentration grant LCFF funds to be used for teacher raises. This makes Thurmond’s CTA endorsement a label that indicates that he will not put the needs of children before the needs of adults, either.
    So I really hope that Tuck can hold onto his lead and re-frame the education conversation in Sacramento about what is best for children.

  14. Stephanie 5 years ago5 years ago

    I believe in public education not privatization of education….companies taking over our educational institutions for profit. Marshall Tuck is not for public education. What we need is Tony Thurmond who will support public schools for all students!

  15. Jennie Cora 5 years ago5 years ago

    I'd much rather go with someone who is supported by self-made billionaires than union hacks. Billionaires, especially those who made their own money, are typically pretty smart individuals who were most likely shaped by their ability to take advantage of the educational opportunities presented to them and milk them for all their worth. There is no evidence any of the super-rich supporters of Marshall Tuck are tied to privatization of California schools … Read More

    I’d much rather go with someone who is supported by self-made billionaires than union hacks. Billionaires, especially those who made their own money, are typically pretty smart individuals who were most likely shaped by their ability to take advantage of the educational opportunities presented to them and milk them for all their worth. There is no evidence any of the super-rich supporters of Marshall Tuck are tied to privatization of California schools with the hope of personally benefiting from it.

  16. JudiAU 5 years ago5 years ago

    This is terrific news. His supporters? Parents who believe in strong education. He had my $25. I am a proud Democrat. My mother is a retired California teacher. And I have no respect for the current ongoing union leadership. They do not represent the interests of families or students. I truly think that a prolonged strike in LA with court intervention to break the current contract, particularly over health benefits, will result in improved schools. … Read More

    This is terrific news. His supporters? Parents who believe in strong education. He had my $25.

    I am a proud Democrat. My mother is a retired California teacher. And I have no respect for the current ongoing union leadership. They do not represent the interests of families or students. I truly think that a prolonged strike in LA with court intervention to break the current contract, particularly over health benefits, will result in improved schools. Our local schools absolutely stink. I want change. I will vote for anything and anybody who can improve our schools.

  17. Margaret 5 years ago5 years ago

    Fascinating to read these comments about change and quality and status quo ... and the assumption is that state superintedent actually has the power to fix California’s broken system. Speaks to the level of experience and actual knowledge our citizens have. California’s education problems stem from a broken funding allocation system that is unlike any other in our country. In every other state, local taxes fund local schools. In California we pool … Read More

    Fascinating to read these comments about change and quality and status quo … and the assumption is that state superintedent actually has the power to fix California’s broken system. Speaks to the level of experience and actual knowledge our citizens have. California’s education problems stem from a broken funding allocation system that is unlike any other in our country. In every other state, local taxes fund local schools. In California we pool our taxes (Serrano v Priest ‘71) and divide based on average daily attendance. That means when foreclosures are high, or property taxes are capped or limited (Prop 13), there’s a recession – now pension woes – every school gets a hit statewide.
    Ed Code includes unfunded and contradicting mandates … other states don’t have these issues because they work on local levels. If you’re someone who thinks every district problem is within a single board members ability to change. you clearly don’t know the issues and have little chance at successfully navigating California’s system. Claiming increases and successes with a controlled environment where you can pick and choose which students can and cannot attend your school is not evidence of a success rate. It’s fantasy land and delusion of grandeur.

  18. Ross M. 5 years ago5 years ago

    Marshall Tuck just pulled ahead by 1,500 votes. He is now has 87,502 more votes than his opponent. Charter school supporter Marshall Tuck is the next California state of public instruction.

  19. Mary 5 years ago5 years ago

    Call me crazy, but change shouldn’t mean that a corporation decides how my child is educated when they also could care less about the future of our state.

  20. Patrick J McNamara 5 years ago5 years ago

    Slowly, people are beginning to wake up to the fact that the CTA union machine does not represent parents' and students' (and teachers') best interests. They represent their own best interests of power and money, Their laughable "out of state billionaires" bogeyman scare ads are working on fewer and fewer useful idiots. School choice benefits all students. School choice benefits all great teachers with higher pay and security. School choice benefits society as students … Read More

    Slowly, people are beginning to wake up to the fact that the CTA union machine does not represent parents’ and students’ (and teachers’) best interests. They represent their own best interests of power and money, Their laughable “out of state billionaires” bogeyman scare ads are working on fewer and fewer useful idiots.

    School choice benefits all students. School choice benefits all great teachers with higher pay and security. School choice benefits society as students are able to discover not how smart they are, but also how they are smart. School choice threatens the union hegemony. Hence, bogeyman billionaire ads.

  21. Richard 5 years ago5 years ago

    I think it is very important that we all understand that there are still many thousands of votes not yet counted especially from areas of the state that are higher in population. The difference of 87,000 votes when over 6,000,000 were cast is not a very significant lead. No one should be counting their chickens just yet.

  22. Denise A. 5 years ago5 years ago

    I'm thankful to see a break--hopefully--in the status quo. As a person who has taught in both public and private schools, who has home-schooled her own children and who currently works for the home-school division of a public school, I know there is a need for variety and for choices when it comes to education. As the old adage says--and it is true--"One size does not fit all." Read More

    I’m thankful to see a break–hopefully–in the status quo. As a person who has taught in both public and private schools, who has home-schooled her own children and who currently works for the home-school division of a public school, I know there is a need for variety and for choices when it comes to education. As the old adage says–and it is true–“One size does not fit all.”

  23. Joan LP 5 years ago5 years ago

    What may seem like positive reform for some, does not necessarily mean positive reform for all. Electing someone that is funded and supported by big business and pro-privatization of public education is not very promising for improving the education system as a whole. There is a great risk of putting more money and focus on the privileged while letting the impoverished and special needs kids fall through the cracks. It’s scary. Improving education in California … Read More

    What may seem like positive reform for some, does not necessarily mean positive reform for all. Electing someone that is funded and supported by big business and pro-privatization of public education is not very promising for improving the education system as a whole. There is a great risk of putting more money and focus on the privileged while letting the impoverished and special needs kids fall through the cracks. It’s scary. Improving education in California involves serving all kids and all school districts and taking a global approach, not making more charter and private schools that cater only to the wealthy and more educated families.

  24. Brad Brennan 5 years ago5 years ago

    If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got. ie; a bad California public school system. It’s been decades of the same union officials running the show. Looking forward to Marshall Tuck in office! Let’s Go!

  25. Bonnie 5 years ago5 years ago

    How won

  26. Cathy Williams 5 years ago5 years ago

    You’ve got to be kidding. We just gave public education away.

  27. Robert 5 years ago5 years ago

    Mr. Tuck was the only person who has worked in education with a track record of tuning schools around and opposes for-profit charters. Change from the status quo can be tough especially when entrenched interests are involved. This is a break from politics as usual and an opportunity to improive our public education system which ranks 48th in our country.

  28. Yulia Rodriguez 5 years ago5 years ago

    I’m very disappointed. Let’s hope Marshall Tuck doesn’t follow Betsy DeVos’s agenda…

    Replies

    • Vicki Dickenson 5 years ago5 years ago

      I’m with you. Tuck is funded by big charter corporations, has no use for unions, is not student centered. Sad day fir California education.

      • CBClark 5 years ago5 years ago

        Tuck has got great results in inner city LA improving those students test scores and offering them a better education and he is not pro charter schools. Stop believing the smear campaign that Thurmond and his backers ran and lets get on board with a candidate that seems to get it and will do everything is his power to get results.

        • Cate Burkhart 5 years ago5 years ago

          I have heard that the school that Marshall Tuck was in charge of received a vote of no confidence in LA! If he is listening to Betsy and Trump, we are in trouble! I am also very disapointed and hope Tony pulls ahead.

  29. Shirley 5 years ago5 years ago

    Proof that every vote counts!

  30. M. Gaskins 5 years ago5 years ago

    The elections over the past several years leaves me feeling like someone has died. Special interest groups and big business investments overshadow the needs of the low income community and others who are underserved. Mixed emotions but mostly disappointing.

    Replies

    • Tina Jenkins 5 years ago5 years ago

      I couldn’t agree with you more. Going into this election I was really excited because I foolishly believed that Our voices had finally been heard!! It was so much enthusiasm for change, and righting wrongs, but it wasn’t meant to be, again. Very disappointed, and sad.

  31. LN 5 years ago5 years ago

    You just privatized public education some more.
    Thanks —- sarcasm

  32. LAUREEN RIDDICK 5 years ago5 years ago

    What happens if the race is to close to call?

  33. M. Elisarraraz 5 years ago5 years ago

    After working 30 years in a K-12 public school district and seeing the waste, mismanagement, lack of initiative, unqualified administrators and non-merit based pay system, it’s good to see hopeful change has finally come to California public education.

    Replies

    • Michael Segel 5 years ago5 years ago

      Bless you. As a product of K-12 LAUSD Schools with a 10!year old daughter that I’m desperately trying to get a quality public school education for and am personally working hard for reform, it’s heartening to hear from someone who has worked in the system who sees what I see. What should be obvious to all. Despite the efforts of some brilliant teachers and administrators the system is broken. All we have to do is … Read More

      Bless you. As a product of K-12 LAUSD Schools with a 10!year old daughter that I’m desperately trying to get a quality public school education for and am personally working hard for reform, it’s heartening to hear from someone who has worked in the system who sees what I see. What should be obvious to all. Despite the efforts of some brilliant teachers and administrators the system is broken. All we have to do is look at the nationwide numbers. Our children meaning ALL the children in CA deserve everything we can give them which means change needs to take place. No more hiding our heads in the sand. Here’s to positive change!!!

    • Vicki Dickenson 5 years ago5 years ago

      Hopeful change? It’s like Exon taking over the EPA if Tuck gets in.

      • D Santiago 5 years ago5 years ago

        AMEN!!!