Race for California Governor Should Emphasize Education Reform
Race for California Governor Should Emphasize Education Reform
On Thursday, Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown will face off against Republican challenger Neel Kashkari in their only scheduled debate. Although Kashkari asked for 10 debates, Brown chose to do just one. Undoubtedly, a slew of issues will be discussed, from economic policy, including taxation and tax credits, to border security and immigration, earthquake preparedness, California’s...
By Gloria Romero
Being Open About Financial Support is the Smartest Policy
Being Open About Financial Support is the Smartest Policy
I recently admonished former U.S. Department of Education undersecretary Diane Ravitch for making what I considered sexist remarks seeking to discredit former CNN journalist Campbell Brown’s credibility on education issues. Brown founded New York’s Parent Transparency Project and is championing the newly formed Partnership for Educational Justice, dedicated to supporting the latest challenge to overturn...
By Gloria Romero
Shine Light On Low-Performing Schools
Shine Light On Low-Performing Schools
What do Barack Obama, William Jefferson Clinton, George Washington, Sonia Sotomayor, Cesar Chavez, Carlos Santana and John Muir have in common? Each has a chronically underperforming California school named for him or her. Sadly, following the celebratory ribbon-cuttings, these schools have been left to languish on state-identified “watch lists.” Disturbed by these lists and the...
By Gloria Romero
California's "Open Enrollment Act" Empowers Students to Transfer Out of Underperforming Schools
California's "Open Enrollment Act" Empowers Students to Transfer Out of Underperforming Schools
Have you ever wanted to know if your child is attending a chronically underperforming school? Well, start spreading the word: the list is out. Due to a law I wrote while serving in the California Senate, the 2010 Open Enrollment Act identifies the 1,000 chronically underperforming schools in California and empowers parents of kids enrolled...
By Gloria Romero
Momentum Shifts in Fight to Fire Bad Teachers
Momentum Shifts in Fight to Fire Bad Teachers
Thank you, Gov. Jerry Brown. The governor on Thursday sided with California parents seeking to protect their children from sexual predators in the classroom, over the interests of the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers seeking to protect their members by circumventing and defeating the most significant lawsuit – Vergara vs. California...
By Gloria Romero
Orwellian Reinterpretation of Desegregation Fuels Federal Attack on School Vouchers
Orwellian Reinterpretation of Desegregation Fuels Federal Attack on School Vouchers
Even as the attorney general of the United States, Eric Holder, commemorated the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s historic “I have a dream speech” in Washington, D.C., his Department of Justice petitioned a federal court to halt the use of Opportunity Scholarships enacted by the Louisiana Legislature on behalf of predominantly minority children....
By Gloria Romero
The Public Employee Union Chokehold on California
The Public Employee Union Chokehold on California
I created a stir last year when I — the former Democratic Senate majority leader — endorsed Proposition 32, the ballot initiative that would have reigned in special interests, including enabling union members to bypass their own union executive boards and make their own choices as to how to direct their own union dues for...
By Gloria Romero
Public pension data belongs to the public
Public pension data belongs to the public
What goes up must come down. That’s precisely what happened – in record-setting time – when the California Public Employees Retirement System, the state employees’ pension agency, attempted to provide to the public information about its retirees’ pensions and making it accessible to the public on the CalPERS’ website. The need for pension reform has...
By Gloria Romero
Union-backed teacher discipline bill inadequate
Union-backed teacher discipline bill inadequate
No one was surprised last week when the California Assembly passed Assembly Bill 375, which, allegedly, makes it easier to discipline and fire teachers accused of misconduct. The bill, which now is pending in the state Senate, is supported by the California Teachers Association, which was criticized for having defeated past efforts to streamline teacher...
By Gloria Romero
Union Refusal to Protect Students Costs LAUSD Millions
Union Refusal to Protect Students Costs LAUSD Millions
Los Angeles Unified School District, the state’s largest district and largest recipient of the Proposition 30 tax increases, figures to be writing a big check soon. Unfortunately, this check won’t be going to support math, reading or arts programs. Rather, the money, $30 million, would go to settle 58 legal claims filed against LAUSD related...
By Gloria Romero
Santa Ana Unified School District turns poor kids’ meal fund into cash cow
Santa Ana Unified School District turns poor kids’ meal fund into cash cow
Unmistakable signs of trouble existed in Santa Ana Unified School District’s food-service program long before they were cited. According to the state Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes, district officials had been warned – in writing and in person. The warnings were simply ignored, and had been for years. Now, SAUSD has been ordered to...
By Gloria Romero
Allegiance to Teachers Union Leads to Rare Defeat of Sacramento Incumbent
Allegiance to Teachers Union Leads to Rare Defeat of Sacramento Incumbent
Incumbent legislators are rarely voted out. That’s why the 1,705-vote defeat of Assemblywoman Betsy Butler by fellow Democrat Richard Bloom is noteworthy. This defeat of an entrenched politician with close ties to the Democratic Party machine should be seen as a victory for recent reforms enacted by the voters, including the Open Primary law –...
By Gloria Romero