By Marshall Tuck campaign
Several student plaintiffs from the landmark education lawsuit, Vergara v. California, joined with family members and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to endorse Marshall Tuck for State Superintendent of Public Instruction yesterday.
The event, part of the Tuck Campaign’s statewide “ School Turnaround Tour,” is the first public with the Vergara Plaintiffs since a Los Angeles County Superior Court found the statutes in California’s education code dealing with teacher tenure, dismissal, and layoffs—laws that handcuff schools from giving every student an equal opportunity to learn from effective teachers—unconstitutional.
“I’m thrilled to have the support of the courageous student Plaintiffs in Vergara, who bravely stood up for all kids in California and challenged the status quo in our education system,” said Marshall Tuck, Candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
“For too long, we have defended a broken system that fails to put the needs of our kids first. As State Superintendent, I will be an advocate for our students in Sacramento. I will immediately push to stop the defense of the onerous laws challenged by Vergara and will work with any and all stakeholders who are interested in building a better education future for our state. We owe it to our kids, and they deserve nothing less.”
Earlier this summer, Tuck outlined a plan to address the Vergara ruling based on his experience working to turn around failing schools. Read the whole plan here.
During the press conference, Joe Macias, the father of Plaintiff Julia Macias, delivered the following statement on behalf of the Los Angeles-based Plaintiffs and family members present at the event:
“As a parent, my top priority is to make sure my children get the education they need to thrive in the future – to go to college and to have a successful, rewarding career. But for thousands of families across California, getting their children a good education from our public schools just isn’t an option,” Macias said.
“Vergara v. California achieved a tremendous victory this past summer, breaking down significant barriers to improving our public schools, but the problems and inequality challenged by the case still persist. Kids in California are still trapped in classrooms with highly ineffective teachers. And great teachers are still being demoralized by a system that serves the special interests in Sacramento, instead of the needs of real communities. We are very optimistic that we, the plaintiffs, will prevail on appeal.
“But we need leaders that will start working toward solutions today, instead of just denying that there are even problems. That’s why we’re giving our full support to Marshall Tuck for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. We’ve met with Marshall, and he not only understands the challenges facing our schools, he knows first hand how to overcome these challenges and turn struggling schools into hubs of learning.
“As Superintendent, Marshall Tuck will be the advocate that parents and students need in Sacramento. Marshall knows that there’s no time to waste and that there’s nothing more important than our children’s education.”
The race for Superintendent is quickly shaping up to be one of the most contested on the ballot as both private and public polling indicate voters are ready for change for California’s failing schools. Currently, California schools rank 45th in the nation.
