History Lesson on Supporting Schools Chief

A voice from the past returned last week to remind the Capitol of when politics was less partisan and schools were the winners.

Wilson Riles, now 75 and as distinguished-looking as ever, recalled for reporters how he had gone out to Gov. Ronald Reagan’s house shortly after being elected superintendent of public instruction in 1970. A Democrat, Riles had upset the incumbent right-wing Republican Max Rafferty to become the first African-American elected to statewide office in California.

“I got down to the point,” Riles recounted, “and said: ‘Governor, I know you supported my opponent, Max Rafferty, but the election is over and I want to approach this job in purely a nonpartisan manner. I’m going to fight for education of the kids and I need your support.’

“I’ll never forget his answer,” Riles continued. “He said: ‘Wait a minute, Wilson, you said I supported Max Rafferty. Let me tell you what that support amounted to. On two occasions, in response to a direct question from a newsperson, my response was that I supported Max Rafferty. I had a few political bills to pay. Now, you may be surprised how Nancy and I voted.’ ”

Riles added: “I did not get into (Reagan’s) politics. The result was I got more support and money for education under his Administration than under Jerry Brown’s. . . . I got along with him beautifully.”

The message Riles was pitching--not just to reporters, but privately to Gov. Pete Wilson and legislative leaders--was that the office of state schools chief should be restored in practice to the nonpartisan status officially designated for it in the California Constitution. The next superintendent should be somebody who can “work amicably” with the governor, legislative leaders and State Board of Education and not be politically motivated, he said.

And no, Riles volunteered, “I have absolutely no interest in the job. You couldn’t pay me enough.”

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But the Capitol’s climate has changed since that Reagan era. Collegiality has turned to combustion--between the legislative and executive branches, and within each branch.

Bill Honig, who ousted Riles in 1982, wound up feuding bitterly with former Gov. George Deukmejian, and his relationship with Wilson has been contentious. He was a tough, tenacious and often effective fighter for schools. But he also alienated important allies with what many regarded as overzealousness, arrogance and too much political ambition.

Declining tax revenues have stoked the flames. Education no longer has the luxury to fight for better funding, it must battle to keep what it has.

In this sorry atmosphere Wilson soon will choose a replacement for Honig, convicted of conflict of interest for indirectly shifting public resources to his wife’s company. And the mood is anything but nonpartisan.

The governor says he agrees with Riles’ job description for a nonpartisan schools chief and will consider Democrats as well as Republicans. But, realistically, Wilson is looking at an uphill reelection race next year and cannot afford to further anger GOP conservatives by naming a Democrat.

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Wilson faces a hurdle that did not exist in the Reagan era. Now, the Legislature has veto power over any gubernatorial appointment to a vacant statewide office.

And today the Legislature is more strongly controlled by Democrats than it was in Reagan’s day.

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) insists that Wilson must appoint “a Democrat. Period. The people elected a Democrat (Honig) and you ought to replace a Democrat with a Democrat.” Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Van Nuys) notes that “it’s difficult to expect Democrats to confirm a Republican” who intends to run in 1994.

One Democrat Wilson could appoint--his education secretary, Maureen DiMarco--is unacceptable to Democratic lawmakers. The two favorites on their wish list--Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) and Assemblywoman Delaine Eastin (D-Fremont)--are unthinkable for the governor.

Democrats really want Wilson merely to appoint a caretaker who will agree to serve only the remainder of Honig’s term. But the governor rejects that notion.

And Wilson seems to be holding the best cards. He can choose between two Republican senators--Marian Bergeson of Newport Beach and Becky Morgan of Los Altos--and place Democrats in the awkward position of having to vote on a Republican colleague. Both women have solid education credentials and reputations for honesty and intelligence.

If the Legislature were to deny confirmation to either solely because of their party affiliation, its public image likely would become even more stained--as impossible as that might seem.