Latest news with #PublicInstruction
Politico
3 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Eleni Kounalakis drops out of California governor's race, pivots to downballot campaign
'This decision was not made lightly,' she said. 'At this moment, I believe I can make the greatest impact by focusing on California's financial future.' Her exit from the governor's race is the second major development in the last week — following Harris' much-anticipated decision — that has shaken up the Democratic field to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom. Kounalakis is close with Harris, and the two share close longtime advisers and a political network anchored in the San Francisco Bay Area. The contest has drawn a host of well-known Democrats, including Porter, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former state Senate leader Toni Atkins, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, billionaire Stephen Cloobeck, former Controller Betty Yee and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. Kounalakis' move creates an opening for them to compete for the support of deep-pocketed San Francisco donors who had lined up behind the lieutenant governor. She had already raised roughly $9 million in her state campaign accounts — the majority of which her campaign said she can transfer to the treasurer's race — and was among the top handful of Democratic contenders in polling, though she significantly lagged Porter. Her exit — and the absence of her money in the race — could also make the race more appealing to deep-pocketed politicians with their own money to spend, such as Rick Caruso, the Los Angeles billionaire and former mayoral candidate. And it opens the door for former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a longtime kingmaker in Democratic politics who had supported Kounalakis, to consider endorsing another gubernatorial hopeful. Meanwhile, Kounalakis joins a still-evolving field of candidates vying for treasurer. Among those already running: state Sen. Anna Caballero, former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Board of Equalization member Antonio Vazquez. Several other Democrats have campaign committees and could still enter the race. Kounalakis, a former housing developer, said she's running to make sure the state efficiently leverages 'every dollar at our disposal' to build affordable housing, as well as to oversee its investments in clean energy and infrastructure projects.
Deccan Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Fighting hate and other poisons
The Karnataka government has issued a 25-point Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in response to two alarming cases of water poisoning in government schools, one in Belagavi and another in Shivamogga. While both incidents raise grave concerns about child safety, the Belagavi incident is particularly sinister. Here, several students were hospitalised after a drinking water tank was poisoned in a communal plot to malign the school's Muslim headmaster and engineer his transfer. The three accused, including Sri Ram Sene leader Sagar Patil, have been remanded to judicial fact that children were targeted to further a hate-driven agenda exposes the grotesque extremes of religious fundamentalism. That the perpetrators believed they could act with such brazenness speaks of a deeper malaise: the normalisation of bigotry in politics. It is indeed concerning that when political ideologies turn into blind hatred, even innocent children are not spared. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has rightly questioned if Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik or BJP leaders like B Y Vijayendra and R Ashoka would take responsibility for the incident. Yet, the BJP's silence has been deafening – no condemnation, no demand for a probe, no outrage. When children's lives are endangered, selective outrage is not just hypocrisy; it is government's SOP is a welcome and necessary step. Headmasters are now required to inspect school premises before classes begin, check for contamination or odour in water, and ensure water tanks are locked. Lavatories must be kept clean, first-aid kits must be maintained, and inspection details updated daily on the Students' Achievement Tracking System (SATS) portal. The Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI), Block Education Officers (BEOs), and nodal officers are required to conduct regular checks. But this is not enough; the SOP will remain only on paper unless senior officers face consequences for lapses. Children should never be collateral damage in someone else's war; their lives should not be compromised, whether by poisoning, prejudice, or poor hygiene. However, the larger battle is against the ideological poison that has enabled this crime. The Belagavi incident cannot be seen as merely criminal. The accused should be prosecuted under the harshest laws. But beyond the courtroom, society must confront the hatred that fuels such violence. Politicians who stoke division, fringe groups that act with impunity, and citizens who remain indifferent are all to blame. The choice before us is clear: stand together and resist this toxic agenda or remain passive as hatred corrodes the very fabric of our society.
Los Angeles Times
04-08-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
As Kamala Harris stirs things up, a look at the money California governor candidates have amassed
SACRAMENTO — Former Vice President Kamala's Harris' decision to forgo a 2026 run for California governor came as a bit of a surprise, given her impressive winning streak in the state and comfortable lead in early polling. But that's what makes campaigns so interesting, the unpredictability. It's also why everyone should view nattering political punditry and campaign handicapping with a healthy heap of skepticism. So keep that in mind now that the California governor's race is wide open. The current field of candidates — yes, there's still plenty of time for folks to jump in — is filled with gubernatorial hopefuls who have a legitimate if not outside chance of taking over for two-term Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is barred from running again. Four of the top Democrats in the race already have won statewide races — former Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurman and former Controller Betty Yee. One is the former mayor of California's largest city, Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles. Two were impactful lawmakers — Orange County Rep. Katie Porter and former state Sen. Toni Atkins. And, as always, there are the wild cards: wealthy Democratic businessman Stephen J. Cloobeck; and Republicans Chad Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff, and conservative commentator Steve Hilton. Some of them have a better chance than others, of course, but all have enough political juice to stir up the race and at least influence the ultimate outcome. This is Phil Willon, the L.A. Times California politics editor, filling in for columnist George Skelton this week. I'm joined by senior Sacramento reporter Taryn Luna to bring you up to speed on the latest. On the same week Harris announced that she wasn't running, just by coincidence, the latest campaign fundraising reports for the governor's race were released to the public. Those financial reports, which cover the first half of 2025, offered a glimpse of a candidate's popularity and viability, since running a successful gubernatorial campaign in the most populous state in the union can cost tens of millions of dollars. Campaign fundraising has been a bit frozen; donors were waiting to hear whether Harris was going to jump in the race, since she would have started as the clear favorite. Plus, the fundraising totals don't always tell the whole picture, as Times reporters Kevin Rector, Seema Mehta and Laura J. Nelson pointed out in their story on Sunday. Kounalakis raised just over $100,000 during the first half of this year, a relatively paltry amount. But she had more than $4.6 million socked away and millions more in her lieutenant governor campaign account. Kounalakis' father, the wealthy developer Angelo Tsakopoulos, also helped bankroll an independent expenditure committee supporting his daughter's 2018 campaign for lieutenant governor. Cloobeck, a Los Angeles Democrat, raised about $160,000 — but on Friday, he made a $10-million contribution to his campaign that he said 'turbocharged' it. Here's a look at what the other candidates hauled in during the first half of the year and how much money they have in their accounts, since they were busy spending money as well: Although a few seemingly have a pile of money and others look like they are barely scraping by, the reality is that none of them has enough money to wage a successful campaign for governor at this point. So, how much they rake in in the months ahead will be pivotal. Speculation about Harris' plans for the future is focused heavily on whether she will run for president again in 2028, talk that started almost immediately after the former vice president announced that she wasn't running for California governor. Harris indicated that she'd remain active in national politics, but just how remains the big question. The Times' story on what Harris might do next explained what might be a motivating influence for Harris: Experts in power and political leadership expect Harris' next move to be something in the public eye, given she is relatively young at 60 and no doubt wants her last chapter in the spotlight to be something other than her humbling loss to Trump in the 2024 presidential election. 'Even if it isn't the governorship of California, the idea of wanting something else other than the 2024 election to be the last thing Kamala Harris ever did would be very appealing,' said Gregory H. Winger, an assistant professor of public and international affairs at the University of Cincinnati who has studied former presidents' lingering influence. Winger said his research showed those 'most active in trying to be influential' in their post-White House years were those whose time in office ended on a sour note, such as failing to win reelection. 'It's kind of a frustrated ambition that then leads into higher activity,' Winger said — and Harris has that. Harris was careful to leave her options open — framing her hopes for the future around ideals such as 'fighting for the American people.' One of the many takeaways from the 2024 presidential election, including Harris' defeat to Trump, is that Democrats are losing men — and young men feel particularly unseen by the party. In his ongoing dissection of how Trump prevailed, Newsom brought Richard Reeves, a social scientist and author, onto his podcast this week and asked what he thought about efforts to speak to male voters. 'The way I think about this is that in politics something almost always beats nothing,' said Reeves, founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men. 'And what there was from the Democrats on issues around boys and men was nothing.' For a Democratic governor of California weighing a potential 2028 presidential run, there are plenty of political reasons for Newsom to strive to understand why men feel disconnected from his party. Kamala Harris won 55% of women and 42% of men, a 9-point increase in the gender gap compared to the 2020 presidential election. But Newsom also has personal reasons to ponder, too. The governor has talked about his own 14-year-old son, Hunter, and his interest in MAGA podcasters and influencers, such as Charlie Kirk. Reeves said Democrats lost support from men in the election because they made a conscious choice to appear as the party that supports women — at the exclusion of men. 'I think that was a fatal miscalculation,' Reeves said. 'I also think, honestly, it was somewhat insulting to women because there are plenty of women out there, and we may know some in our own lives, governor, who are simultaneously worried about the issues facing women. Access, for example, to reproductive healthcare, justice at work. And they're desperately worried about their son's mental health, and they're very worried about their brother's job.' Trump made a stronger effort to win over a micro-generation of young men 'who grew up with terms like toxic masculinity and mansplaining and the women's movement,' Reeves said. 'The Republicans managed to convince young men, 'We see you and we like you,' and I don't think there's anything more to it than that, but I don't think the Democrats did a very good job of making young men feel the same way,' Reeves said. 'If anything, Democrats struggle with the idea that men might have problems because too many of them are still convinced that men are the problem.' Men's issues are a topic Reeves writes and speaks about often. Compared to women, men suffer from higher suicide rates and a greater sense of disconnection from peers. Men are less likely to attend college and more prone to violence. Reeves casts the problem as the refusal to address the reality that men are struggling, too. Ignoring men's issues creates a gulf that the 'reactionary online right' fills, he said, and draws young men to controversial figures such as Andrew Tate, a British influencer who promotes misogyny. When the podcast with Reeves aired on Wednesday, Newsom announced an executive order that directs various state agencies to make recommendations to address suicide among young men, to improve recruitment of male teachers and counselors, and to increase male participation in state-funded volunteer programs, job training, educational partnerships and behavioral health initiatives. Newsom said the work of Reeves and others 'really is a call to arms.' The must-read: In America's hardest-fought congressional district, voters agree: Release the Epstein files The TK: Newsom provides new details about his plan for a redistricting fight with Trump The L.A. Times special: Feds move to drop charges in controversial cases as Trump re-ups L.A. prosecutor —Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up here to get it in your inbox.
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- The Hindu
Private school in Bengaluru under scrutiny for making students write SSLC exam as private candidates
The Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) has decided to conduct an investigation against a private school in Bengaluru, which admitted around 10 of its students to a government school and had them write the SSLC exam as private candidates this year, as they had received low marks in Class 9. An FIR has been registered against St. Mary's Girls' School on the complaint lodged by parents at the High Grounds police station. 'This is a serious case and I already ordered the concerned Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) to issue a notice to the school and conduct an investigation. Legal action will be taken against the school based on the DDPI report,' K.V. Trilokchandra, Commissioner of Public Instruction told The Hindu. Not informed It is alleged that the school administration, without informing the students and parents or taking permission of the department, enrolled around 10 students, who had not performed well in Class 9, into the Bruhath Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) school in Cleveland Town. Later, they were registered as private candidates for the SSLC exam of 2024-25. However, since the students had written the exam as private candidates, the internal marks given by the school were not applicable, and the students failed the SSLC exam. When the school administration was questioned about this, the parents did not get a proper answer and one of them, Aruna, filed a complaint with the police in this regard. An FIR was registered on May 27, 2025. Speaking to The Hindu, Ms. Aruna said, 'My daughter was studying in St. Mary's Girls School from class 4. Last year, I paid a total of ₹20,700 fee for class 10. But without informing us and without our consent, she was enrolled in a BBMP school and registered as a private candidate for the SSLC exam. My daughter failed because internal marks were not given. Even the Block Education Officer (BEO) did not respond to our problem,' she alleged. 'Will move court' Ms. Aruna said that a month had passed since an FIR was filed, but there has been no progress in the investigation. 'The police have not even recorded my statement yet. If my daughter does not get justice, I will move the court against the school, the police and the DSEL,' she warned.
Miami Herald
25-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Dr. Tony Bennett Returns to Strategos Group as Partner Emeritus
TAMPA, FL / ACCESS Newswire / June 25, 2025 / Strategos Group is proud to announce the return of former Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction and former Florida Education Commissioner Dr. Tony Bennett as Partner Emeritus. A nationally recognized leader in education reform, Bennett rejoins the firm he helped shape in its earliest days, bringing decades of experience focused on improving student outcomes. "Tony's return to Strategos is both unique and deeply meaningful. In the earliest chapters of our journey, Tony was a foundational force - shaping our mission to advance the American education system," said Adam Giery, managing partner of Strategos Group. "His return marks a full-circle moment that strengthens our shared commitment to improving the lives of students across the country. Tony joins a remarkable team of former state chiefs, including Johnny Key (Arkansas, 2015-2023), Tom Luna (Idaho, 2006-2014), and Jim Horne (Florida, 2001-2004). His experience, acumen, and perspective will further our portfolio of education enterprises and solidify our position as the nation's leading education management consultancy." Bennett previously served as Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction and Florida Commissioner of Education, where he led aggressive reform agendas centered on accountability, school choice, and notable student success. Most recently, he served as President of School Management at Stride Learning (K12), a publicly traded company and the nation's largest provider of virtual K-12 education. "I'm honored to return to Strategos and rejoin a team deeply committed to advancing the lives of students. I've long believed Strategos brings together the sharpest minds and the strongest convictions in the business. This work has always been personal to me - my life's work has been to elevate outcomes and make a real difference for kids. I'm proud to stand alongside this team once again and contribute to a mission that matters," Bennett said. Bennett is widely recognized for leading Indiana through one of the most ambitious education reform efforts in the nation, including the launch of the country's largest school voucher program, increased Advanced Placement participation, and significant gains on the NAEP and state assessments. "It's an honor to welcome Tony, who is one of the most transformative education leaders in the country, back to Strategos. He was instrumental in our early work to shape a firm grounded in integrity, innovation, and student-centered outcomes. Tony brings unmatched insight and a deep understanding of how policy and practice intersect to drive real results. His return strengthens our leadership team and reinforces our unwavering commitment to improving education systems across the country," said Jim Horne, former Florida education commissioner and a partner at Strategos Group. About Strategos GroupFounded in 2011, Strategos Group is a national education management consultancy providing expertise to organizations in the education sector. The firm works with Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, startups, philanthropic organizations, and private equity firms, offering strategic guidance at the national, state, and local levels. Strategos has offices in Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, D.C. SOURCE: Strategos Group press release
