Tuck on Vergara Appeal: Torlakson on Wrong Side of Kids

Los Angeles --  In response to Superintendent Tom Torlakson's decision to appeal the historic Vergara v. California decision, candidate Marshall Tuck released the following statement: "By deciding to appeal the Vergara ruling, my opponent Tom Torlakson has placed a stake in the ground: he stands with his Sacramento funders and not with students. Never has it been more clear that it is time for change in California than when the only elected official dedicated to education will not side with kids -- even after an independent judge found that the status quo 'shocks the conscience.'  The Vergara ruling found that laws governing 2-year tenure, dismissal and layoffs violate the California Constitution and handcuff schools from giving every student an equal opportunity to learn from effective teachers. In his ruling, Judge Rolf Treu remarked that the evidence presented in the case "shocks the conscience." Earlier this summer Marshall outlined a plan to address the Vergara ruling based on his experience working to turn around failing schools. Read the whole plan here.

About Marshall Tuck Marshall Tuck is the only candidate for State Superintendent with a proven record of increasing graduation rates, improving student achievement, and turning around failing schools. Tuck served most recently as founding CEO of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's groundbreaking collaboration with the Los Angeles Unified School District to operate 17 struggling public elementary, middle, and high schools, serving 15,000 students. Under Tuck's leadership, the Partnership schools increased four-year graduation rates by over 60%, improved school safety and student attendance, and launched the innovative Parent College, which became a national model for getting parents more involved in their kids' education. Over the last 5 years, the Partnership schools ranked #1 in academic improvement among school systems with more than 10,000 students. Prior to launching the Partnership, Tuck was President of Green Dot Public Schools, a leading charter school operator based in Los Angeles. Tuck joined Green Dot in 2002, when it had one school, and helped them expand to 10 charter high schools by 2006. With a student-centered approach that empowered principals, teachers, and parents, Green Dot schools substantially outperformed comparable schools' graduation rates and overall academic achievement. Before devoting his career to helping students, Tuck was an executive at Model N, a successful enterprise software company based in the Bay Area. Prior to that, he worked in finance, and spent a year teaching and doing service work internationally, primarily in Zimbabwe and Thailand. The son of a teacher, Tuck was born in Burlingame, CA and attended parochial elementary school and public middle and high schools. He graduated from UCLA and Harvard Business School. Tuck currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Mae, and their son Mason.

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