Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/969549
Gavin Newsom for Governor Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has long been a strong supporter of public schools, colleges, students and edu- cators. He shares the core values of CTA members and educators across the Golden State who believe in the mission of providing a quality, well-rounded education to all students. Every student deserves the same opportunity to achieve success regardless of ZIP code, background, where they come from or who they love. Newsom supported CTA-backed state propositions that increased the state income tax on the wealthy to generate billions for public education. For more about Newsom's views and top priorities for the state, see our Q&A with him on page 42. Tony Thurmond for Superintendent of Public Instruction As a state Assembly member, school board trustee and city councilman, Tony Thurmond has served in elected office for more than 12 years. As a social worker, he is a respected leader of nonprofits for youth and a champion of disadvantaged students. At every step, he has kept California's kids as his top priority. He passed legislation to provide millions of dollars to school districts to keep kids in school and out of the criminal justice system. He's fought for money to ensure that California youth in foster care can go to college. He's an advocate for affordable housing for teachers and other incentives to attract and retain quality educators. He's fighting to shift $450 million from our criminal justice system to early education and after-school programs. He's working to expand school-based health, mental health and social service programs, and support students who are homeless or hungry, or have experienced trauma. Creative Commons C A L I F O R N I A ' S top-two primary system means that on June 5, the top two vote-getters in statewide constitutional, legislative and congressional races will advance to face off in November's general election. But in the race for state superintendent of public instruc- tion (SPI) only, a candidate who gets more than 50 percent of th e v ot e in th e primar y wins of f ice outright. In oth er words, it 's crucial to get out the vote for State Assembly Member Tony Thurmond , CTA's recommended candidate for SPI, in June. He's an extraordinary leader with a distin- guished record as a legislator, social worker and champion of California's kids (see below, and read our Q&A with him at californiaeducator.org/meet-tony-thurmond). Here are CTA-recommended candidates for state office — including Gavin Newsom, interviewed on the following pages. For your personalized recommendations in state and local races, go to CTA's Voter Guide at cta.yourvoter.guide and enter your address. Check campaign2018cta.org for ways to take action, volunteer and get links to voter information, resources and elec- tion data. Follow #VotePublicEd. Important dates: • May 21 – deadline to register to vote. • May 29 – deadline to request vote-by-mail ballot. • June 5 – primary election; vote-by-mail ballots must be post- marked on or before this date. Get Out and Vote The June 5 primary election is critical CTA's Primary Candidate Recommendations 39 A P R I L / M AY 2 018