Lungren Joins Call for More Charter Schools

Politics: Poor quality public education is a threat to the state's prosperity, gubernatorial candidate says.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.–If state Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren gets his way, California
will have more charter schools. Parents will be able to use vouchers to
send their children to the campus of their choice–public or private.

Students’ skills should be tested every year, Lungren says, and “educational
fads” such as new math and teaching reading using the “whole language”
method instead of phonics should disappear from the curriculum.

“We need to fundamentally rethink how we deliver education in California
and discard some reforms in K-12 that have not and will not work,”
the Republican candidate for governor said Thursday, adding his voice to
the growing chorus of office-seekers taking aim at public education.

Speaking at a computer manufacturing company here in the high-tech heartland,
Lungren decried what he views as the twin threats to technological enterprise:
expanding government intervention and failing public schools.

The former is bad enough, he said, because it stifles creativity. Instead,
government should create laws to protect intellectual property and “prevent
parasite-like lawsuits.”

The latter “is a clear and present danger” to the economic
engine that drives the biggest and most prosperous state in the nation,
he said.

“Silicon Valley rises and falls on the ability of its educated work
force,” Lungren said. “Well-trained immigrants are remarkably
valuable assets, but they’ll never furnish more than a fraction of your
growing personnel needs.”

Lungren used his education address to endorse a nascent effort to put
a charter schools initiative on the November ballot. Just this week, backers
have begun to collect signatures in an effort to qualify the Charter Public
Schools Initiative for a public vote.

If passed, the initiative would loosen legal restrictions on the number
of charters the state can issue. It would also guarantee equitable funding
for charter schools, encourage schools in low-performing districts to reorganize
under charters and set standards for revoking charters that fail to work.

“I believe this initiative offers a literal lifeline to parents
whose children are trapped in bad schools,” Lungren said. “If
there’s anybody out there who believes we don’t have bad schools, join me
on a trip around the 58 counties of California.”

Charter schools have been championed by politicians of both major parties,
including President Clinton, as an answer to voters who demand school improvement.
Such schools enjoy a degree of autonomy from school districts but are funded
by tax dollars and subject to some state education laws. California has
granted more than 100 charters.

Critics argue that charter schools lack accountability and can hamper
efforts to improve all public schools.

The proposed initiative is being promoted by Reed Hastings, 37, a wealthy
Silicon Valley businessman, who says he wants to give parents and educators
more freedom to create schools unfettered by bureaucracy.

Hastings said Thursday that he was “thrilled–absolutely” but
not surprised by Lungren’s announcement. He said he had briefed the candidate
about a month ago on his plan.

“Those early endorsements help build credibility that this is going
to be a major campaign,” said Hastings, who hopes to raise $15 million
to promote his initiative.

In addition to pushing charter schools and vouchers, Lungren–a product
of private Catholic institutions from the primary grades through law school–said
he opposes bilingual education.

But he also said that he has grave concerns about Proposition 227 on
the June ballot. The so-called Unz initiative would require all-English
teaching in public schools for children who are not fluent in the language–with
certain exceptions.

Lungren said that he believes the Unz initiative–named for its author
Ron K. Unz, himself a 1994 candidate for governor–would diminish local
control of schools.

After his education speech, Lungren was asked by reporters about his
stand on prayer in the schools, which the candidate said he supports.

Then he was asked his views on sex education. A brief pause, a quick
smile, and an answer: “I think kids ought to be allowed to say a prayer
before putting a condom on.”

Meanwhile in Los Angeles on Thursday, Democratic rival Al Checchi unveiled
a pair of proposals dealing with two consumer-related concerns: auto insurance
and health care.

At a breakfast meeting with political writers, Checchi called for a 10%
cut in auto insurance rates, saying the reduction would be fairer to consumers
while still allowing the industry to reap a generous return on its risk.

On health care, Checchi called for a broadly defined “patient bill
of rights” that would include provisions allowing consumers to sue
their HMO for malpractice and ensuring patients the right to choose their
own doctor.

Checchi conceded that both proposals would require approval from the
state Legislature and that the governor’s primary role, until given a bill
to sign, would be to lobby for their passage.

Times staff writer Mark Z. Barabak contributed to this story.



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