Angelides sees educators as part of the solution

"Gov. Schwarzenegger has taken California in the wrong direction," said gubernatorial hopeful Phil Angelides in an appearance at CTA's State Council of Education.

"Cutting back on education, pulling money out of the classroom and turning our backs on the next generation of Californians" is not the way to restore the state to its former glory or secure its future.

After all, he said, "California became the wealthiest state in the history of humankind because we gave more chances, not fewer."

Angelides, who has won CTA's recommendation for governor, reminded Council that he "stood up to this governor when his polls were as big as his box office receipts." He promised to stand shoulder to shoulder with educators to make sure that "education is put first in California and not last."

His plan for strengthening schools — the Angelides Teachers for Our Future plan — includes ensuring that every child has a highly skilled teacher in the classroom, rolling back Schwarzenegger's college fee increases for teacher preparation programs, addressing the need for fair compensation and incentives for teachers, restoring funding for teacher support and professional development, doubling the number of counselors to support classroom teachers, and expanding home ownership assistance for teachers. In his current role as state treasurer, he created the Extra Credit Teacher Home Purchase Program to provide low-interest home loans and down-payment assistance to teachers making a commitment to work in schools considered the toughest places to teach.

Confessing that he does not have all the answers, he said he knows who to consult when it comes to improving public education. "We're going to do great things together," he told Council. "I want to learn from you, I want to work with you, I want to be your partner and I want to be your leader."