State Treasurer Phil Angelides has won CTA's backing in his bid for the governor's office.
"Angelides has made a commitment to fully fund Proposition 98, which he sees as a floor, not a ceiling," says CTA President Barbara E. Kerr. "He believes getting to the national average in per-pupil funding is not enough and that California should once again be at the top in the resources we give our students."
Kerr praises Angelides' commitment to reestablishing the Quality Education Commission to determine what resources are needed to meet California's high education standards.
CTA's State Council has also taken positions on other constitutional races on the June primary ballot.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell won overwhelming support in his reelection effort.
"O'Connell has been a fierce advocate for public education, students and teachers for many years," says Kerr. "Not only did he stand side by side with us during the special election, he has fought for education funding, authoring the legislation that implemented Proposition 98 and class size reduction, and he has been at the forefront of ensuring that California schools have high standards and that our students meet them."
In other races, Council voted to support John Garamendi for lieutenant governor, Rocky Delgadillo for attorney general, Bill Lockyer for treasurer, Cruz Bustamante for insurance commissioner, and Betty Yee and Judy Chu for State Board of Equalization, Seats 1 and 4, respectively.
Because three friends of education are running in the controller's race, Council voted to remain neutral until after the primary. It postponed an endorsement in the secretary of state race until interviews can be conducted with all viable candidates.
Council also made recommendations for friendly incumbents running for 54 seats in Congress and the state Legislature in the June primary.
"California students deserve a state government that values education as much as its citizens do," says Kerr.
