Giuliani to Focus on Education in California Primaries

In hopes of increasing his popularity in the California Republican Primary, which is scheduled to take place on Super Tuesday February 5,2008, Mayor Rudy Giuliani brought the issue of education to the forefront of his campaign. California has unfortunately the reputation of having one of the worst public school systems in the nation in the past few decades so it is no surprise Giuliani would choose to focus on the hot issue in the Golden State.

Giuliani's stance on education reform has grown strong, especially since he announced his Education Advisory Board earlier in December. The board is led by Terry Moe, the William Bennett Munro Professor of Political Science at Stanford University, and Dr. Rod Paige, George W. Bush's former Secretary of Education. Both men have commented on Giuliani's desire to improve public education and state that they know "Mayor Giuliani has the vision and leadership skills to achieve his goals."

Giuliani has long called the K-12 education system the key to the country's economic success and believes that in order for America to grow as a nation and compete with foreign countries, the public school system will have to be reformed.

His education reforms, one of his "12 Commitments" in his campaign platform, Giuliani states that it is necessary to "take the decision making and put it in the hands of the people who really know the children...more than anyone else: the parents."

Included in the plan is the establishment of federal voucher programs in order to help children trapped in failing schools, allowing parents with disabled children to seek the appropriate placement of their children in public and private schools, and giving educational opportunities to military families.

The Giuliani Campaign is hopeful that the education reforms will catch the attention of the California general public; especially since education budgeting issues are held with such high importance as they played a roll in the recall of Governor Gray Davis in 2003.