Earlier today, David Garcia announced on Facebook that he’s launched an exploratory committee for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. And as crazy as it seems in Arizona, the ASU associate professor is kinda qualified for the job.
With that, let’s wish Garcia luck and acknowledge he’ll probably lose, but hey, welcome to the fray. From his Facebook candidate page:
Phoenix, Ariz. — June 3, 2013 — Dr. David Garcia, an Associate Professor at Arizona State University, announced the formation of an exploratory committee, Garcia 2014, for Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction.
A nationally recognized expert in education policy and research, Dr. Garcia served as the state Associate Superintendent of Public Instruction for Standards and Accountability, Director of Research and Policy for the Arizona Department of Education, research analyst for the Arizona State Senate Education Committee, and peer consultant for the U.S. Department of Education. He is the current director of the Arizona Education Policy Initiative.
“The very sustainability of Arizona public education is at risk,” declared Dr. Garcia. “Our current officials have fallen in the trap of nationalization, seeking permission from D.C. to make decisions for Arizona schools and creating a public education system that is big, slow and monolithic. Void of ideas, they are more concerned about complying with federal regulations than preparing our students our way.
As a parent and an educator, I can no longer watch Arizona travel down the path of mediocrity. It’s time we chart our own course in public education. We have the raw talent in this state to lead the next generation economy; what we lack is bold leadership.
I have both the vision and expertise to forge Arizona’s path to educational greatness. It has been more than 20 years since an educator led public education. No more. It’s time for education to lead the way.”
Born and raised in Mesa, Arizona, Garcia received his B.A. from ASU and a Masters of Arts and Ph.D. in Education Policy, Research and Institutional Studies from the University of Chicago. He proudly served in the U.S. Army Infantry where he trained as a Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare Specialist. He and his wife Lori Higuera, a Director at Fennemore Craig, P.C., have two young daughters that attend an Arizona public school.
This article appears in May 30 – Jun 5, 2013.
A real educator for Supt of Public Instruction? What a novel idea!
The current occupant of the office spent his school days in parochial schools. That particular fact has been omitted from his bio. He (Huppentahl) is an ignorant tea bagger who, like his tea bagger soul mates, lives in an alternate universe. Taking over school boards and state education offices was part of the tea-bagger master plan to “take back America.” It is high time to wake up and make sure scoundrels like Tom Horne and cretins like Huppenthal – and dolts like Michael Hicks – don’t have the continued opportunity to turn their political wet dreams into a nightmare for Arizona.
So why is this guy willing to take a pay cut? Is he martyr?
Actually we have had good, qualified candidates in recent past elections. Penny Kotterman was described as the best and most knowledgable candidate for the job in the last election, even by the Arizona Republic. But as the election neared, the corporate Arizona Republic just had to endorse the current Republican who holds the job.
In the election before that, another highly qualified candidate, ASU professor, Jay Blanchard, was the Democratic candidate.
I hope this time voters will go with the best candidate and not the corporate newspaper endorsed candidate. Garcia sounds good!
Sounds good, but how about some concise policy statements? Let’s start with how do you feel about teachers’ unions, high stakes testing, and the myth that charter schools will save education?
I know Dr. Garcia from his previous work at ADE, he is smart and cares about students and their learning. I would vote for him in a second!!! Hope he runs.
What are Dr. Garcia’s positions on Common Core, ESA’s, charter schools and so forth?