Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/969549
A S H I S L O N G a n d i n n o v ativ e re c ord of public ser vice shows, Lt. Gov. Gavin New- som is a strong supporter of public schools, colleges, students and educators. In Sacramento and as mayor of San Francisco, he has always championed students and educators, w hich is w hy CTA recom- mends him for the next governor of California. His parents divorced when Newsom was 2, and he and his sister were mostly raised by his mother, who worked three jobs and waitressed at night to make ends meet. "My mom taught me ever ything I know about grit, hard work and determination," he says. His father, a judge, was well-known and socially and polit- ically connected in the Bay Area. Newsom struggled in school with a learning disabil- ity, but graduated from Santa Clara University. After a brief stint in real estate, he went into business with family friends Gordon Getty and his son Billy, starting their PlumpJack wine shop in San Francisco and other business ventures. At 34 he was the youngest mayor in San Francisco history, and became internationally famous for allow- ing gay marriages to be performed at City Hall. Just a few years later, in a historic decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage. California's primar y election is on June 5. If poll- sters are correct, Newsom will likely face a runoff with another Democrat, Antonio Villaraigosa, former mayor of Los Angeles. The two front-runners — mayors of the state's most prominent cities at the same time — couldn't be more different in their outlook on improving public education. Newsom recently sat down for an interview to discuss his vision for supporting and improving public schools if elected governor. Gavin Newsom CTA's choice for governor is a champion for public education By Sherry Posnick-Goodwin " Instead of sparring and scapegoating, it's time to elevate, celebrate and embrace the teaching profession." 42 cta.org