Dems' clarion call:

Improve our schools

Public education's the theme in most state campaigns

John Wildermuth, San Francisco Chronicle Political Writer, April 29, 2006

Although they are campaigning for jobs ranging from assemblyman to governor, just about every Democratic politician in California this year sounds like he's running for school board.

While education has always been important in the state, now it's virtually the only issue in many campaigns.

That makes sense in the governor's race, where state Treasurer Phil Angelides and state Controller Steve Westly duel every day about who would spend more money on California schools. Education also can drive Assembly and state Senate races because the Legislature approves the money for any governor's school plans.

But this year, the education message is coming from some unusual spots.

In Los Angeles, for example, the mayor has virtually nothing to do with the Los Angeles Unified School District. But in his first "state of the city" address earlier this month, Democratic Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa proposed taking over responsibility for running the sprawling, 727,000-student district.

"I believe we need to wake up and shake up the bureaucracy," he said. "I've been fighting for public education my entire life."

In California, the lieutenant governor serves on plenty of boards but has no direct responsibility for much of anything, including education. But that hasn't stopped Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, a candidate for the job, from declaring that "I put the children first!"

"When a misguided governor refuses to fully fund public schools or attacks dedicated teachers, I'll fight your fight, not his," Garamendi says on his campaign Web site.

To Gale Kaufman, a Democratic consultant who has the California Teachers Association as a client, the only shock to the "all education, all the time" campaign theme is that not everyone is doing it.

"There are still a lot of Democrats not talking about education, and that surprises me," she said. "In a Democratic primary, why would anyone choose another issue?"

The importance of education to voters shows up everywhere, Kaufman added.

"When we do focus groups, regardless of the issue, we'll warm up the group by asking how they think it's going in California, what's important. The answer is always something about schools."

The numbers bear her out. In a poll released Thursday by the Public Policy Institute of California, more than half those surveyed called the quality of education in the state's public schools a big problem, and 85 percent believed it was at least somewhat of a problem.

More than 90 percent of likely voters said the candidates' position on education would be an important factor in their choice for governor.

"The public is frustrated and disappointed with what they see as a lack of progress in improving the quality of education," said Mark Baldassare, the poll's director. "Because the issue is so important to them, (voters) want to see officials at all levels engaged, even if they're not directly involved (in education)."

In the Democratic race for governor, Angelides and Westly are convinced education is the issue that will lead to victory on June 6.

Westly and Angelides agree on many of the major issues in California education. Both support the June ballot measure Proposition 82, which would provide universal preschool for 4-year-olds through a $2.4 billion income tax increase on wealthy residents. They also have pledged to boost school spending and repay $3.2 billion they argue the state owes to the education system.

But generalities won't be enough for California voters this year, Baldassare said.

"People are looking for more than 'I care about education,' " he said. "Now they're looking for a more sophisticated approach and details from the candidate."

Westly's latest television ad, for example, says that with his young children in public school, "he'll see education differently, not just as a governor but through the eyes of a parent." It also introduced "the Westly plan," which calls for fully funding education, increased spending on teacher training and after-school programs, and "reforming the lottery to get more money into the classroom."

"I've been an educator," Westly, a former instructor at Stanford University, said in an interview this week. "Who do you think can really fix this (education system)?"

For Angelides' part, his ads note that he is "endorsed by California's teachers" and stress that he "fought Gov. Schwarzenegger's cuts to education."

Angelides wants to put nearly $1 billion more into public schools and pay for it by increasing taxes on the wealthy and cutting corporate tax breaks. His plan got a boost from the new Public Policy Institute of California poll, which showed that 60 percent of likely voters and 79 percent of Democrats favored a tax increase on high-income residents if it would raise money for schools.

"The poll shows how important education is to voters, especially Democrats," said Dan Newman, a spokesman for Angelides. "Phil Angelides also has a clear plan for schools that is supported by 4 out of 5 Democrats."

With less than six weeks to go before the election, Angelides and Westly, along with other California politicians, will be spending even more time talking about schools, because the voters aren't giving them a choice.

"This is an issue that really matters to (voters)," Baldassare said. "They will make a decision about who to support based on what they hear."

As a voter how do tell if your candidate is truly for public education. This article gives ways to determine where the candidates stands on public education.

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