Foe of Bilingual Education Considers Superintendent Bid

Elections: Gloria Matta Tuchman, who has teamed with Ron Unz on ballot measure, registers intent.

SANTA ANA–Gloria Matta Tuchman, the Santa Ana schoolteacher co-sponsoring a statewide ballot initiative against bilingual education, said Tuesday she is considering a run for state superintendent of public instruction.

If she runs, Matta Tuchman, 56, a Republican who lives in Lemon Heights, would oppose the incumbent, Delaine Eastin, a Democrat.

Matta Tuchman said she had registered her preliminary intent to become a candidate Tuesday with the Orange County registrar of voters, a necessary step to qualify for the June 2 ballot. Her deadline to decide is March 6.

“It’s still in the decision-making stage now,” Matta Tuchman said. “I’ve been prompted by quite a few people to think seriously about it, so that’s where we’re at right now.” She declined to elaborate on her sponsors.

Matta Tuchman ran for the position in 1994, finishing fifth in a field of 12 candidates.

She is a former trustee of the Tustin Unified School District and is in her 33rd year as a schoolteacher. She teaches first grade at Taft Elementary School in Santa Ana.

Asked about the prospect of a Matta Tuchman candidacy, the chief consultant for the Eastin campaign, Cliff Staton, said: “We’re running the campaign we’re going to run. Delaine has a good record. We have smaller classes, higher standards and more technology than we had three years ago.”

Matta Tuchman is one of California’s foremost critics of bilingual education. The ballot measure she and Silicon Valley businessman Ron K. Unz are sponsoring would mandate all-English instruction in most public schools for children who have limited English skills.

A spokesman for Eastin, Doug Stone, has said the superintendent is opposed to the measure.



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