State Board of Education bid for Bergeson wins committee

endorsement

Jessica Garrison

NEWPORT BEACH -- The state Senate’s rules committee voted 4-1

Wednesday to approve former state Education Secretary Marian Bergeson’s

nomination to the state Board of Education.

Bergeson, a Newport beach resident who served in the state Assembly

and Senate and was then-Gov. Pete Wilson’s education secretary in 1996,

said -- in addressing the strong criticism of Sen. Joe Baca (D-Rialto)

who cast the lone vote against her -- that her critics do not appreciate

that she is actually a strong advocate for Latino students.

Baca vowed to vote against Bergeson when her nomination comes before

the full Senate again next week, and to speak out against her on the

Senate floor.

“I have nothing against her in terms of personality,” Baca said. “But

my reason for voting against her is that her overall voting track record

doesn’t merit approval ... for the diversity of the 6 million students in

California.”

Baca added that he disagrees with Bergeson’s positions on vouchers,

bilingual education, collective bargaining for teachers and affirmative

action.

Bergeson said she “frankly didn’t understand” why her critics accuse

her of being unsupportive of Latino students.

“We are giving children opportunities to acquire necessary language

skills ... and literacy skills,” she said.

Bergeson also said she has worked for greater parental involvement in

schools, something that will greatly benefit Latino students.

Bergeson added that her daughter, Julie McCormick, is a bilingual

teacher who has just been appointed principal of Pomona Elementary School

in Costa Mesa.

Of Baca’s opposition to her nomination, she said: “It was expected.

The opposition letters have been coming in.”

But, she noted, she also had strong support from Democratic leaders

such as John Burton and Dee Dee Alpert.