IN the race for state superintendent of public instruction, challenger Gloria Matta Tuchman, a first-grade teacher in Santa Ana, has drawn close to incumbent Delaine Eastin — with a huge number of voters still undecided.

We recommend Eastin.

Tuchman would challenge the education establishment, but she lacks the leadership, management and negotiating experience needed to be effective as superintendent, and her back-to-basics vision of education is too narrow.

Eastin will fight for more money for public schools, raising California to the national average, and for a longer school year. Though she criticized the state’s new math standards, Eastin will continue the move to link academic standards to state tests, and to hold schools accountable for results.

Eastin opposes Gov. Pete Wilson’s Proposition 8, as do we, which would shift money and power from the Department of Education to a newly created chief inspector of schools, and would create parent-teacher governing councils at each school.

Tuchman backs Proposition 8.

Tuchman wants to try “opportunity scholarships” (that is, vouchers) to enable low-income students in failing schools to attend private schools.

Eastin is against any use of public funds for private education.

While the superintendent’s job is nonpartisan, Eastin was a Democratic legislator; Tuchman’s support comes primarily from conservative Republicans.

Bilingual education offers the sharpest contrast.

A longtime crusader against bilingual education, Tuchman co-authored the anti-bilingual Proposition 227, which voters passed in June. She’d push strongly for English instruction.

An opponent of Proposition 227, Eastin says she’ll enforce the law on educating students in English, but she’s done little so far except to appoint a task force, led by bilingual education advocates.

While Eastin dawdles, schools need help to develop effective English immersion classes, and to design support systems for mainstreamed students who aren’t fluent in English.

Los Angeles Unified needs to be told to start providing phonics and reading instruction to students in English immersion classes — without waiting two or three years for complete English fluency. The Los Angeles Times reported on the district’s orders to teachers: Don’t teach the English sounds of the alphabet or expose students to printed words until students achieve oral fluency in English. Or until their parents file waivers moving them to bilingual education classes.

In her first term, Eastin could have led the fight to correct the widely acknowledged shortcomings of bilingual education. She didn’t, opening the door for the draconian Proposition 227. She must lead the way now.

Gov. Wilson has stymied Eastin on many issues in her first term. She’ll do far better with Gray Davis as governor, or even with Dan Lungren. But conflict with the state board of education will continue, and if Proposition 8 passes, the chief schools inspector will become yet another player in public education’s fragmented power structure.

California needs to unify business, political and education leaders behind standards, testing and accountability, as Texas has done so successfully. We don’t think Tuchman can do it. We hope Eastin will try.



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