Tony Thurmond facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tony Thurmond
28th California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Incumbent
Assumed office January 7, 2019
Governor	Gavin Newsom
Preceded by	Tom Torlakson
Member of the California State Assembly from the 15th district
In office December 1, 2014 – November 30, 2018
Preceded by	Nancy Skinner
Succeeded by	Buffy Wicks
Personal details
Born	Tony Krajewski Thurmond (1968-08-21) August 21, 1968 (age 56) Monterey, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Children	2
Education	Temple University (BA) Bryn Mawr College (MA, MSW)
Website	Government website

Tony Krajewski Thurmond (born August 21, 1968) is an American politician and educator. He currently serves as the 28th California State Superintendent of Public Instruction. He has held this important role since 2019.

Mr. Thurmond was first elected as Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2018. He won his re-election in 2022. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming Superintendent, he represented the 15th Assembly district from 2014 to 2018. This area covers the northern East Bay in California.

Tony Thurmond was part of several groups in the California Legislature. These included the California Legislative Latino Caucus, the California Legislative Black Caucus, and the California Legislative Jewish Caucus. Before his time in the Assembly, he worked in local government. He was a member of the Richmond City Council. He also served on the board of the West Contra Costa Unified School District. He also worked as an administrator in social services.

Thurmond is the second African American to be the State Superintendent. He is also the fourth African American to win a statewide election in California. Other notable African American leaders include former Superintendent Wilson Riles and former U.S. Senator Kamala Harris.

Early Life and Education

Tony Thurmond was born in Monterey, California. His mother, who was an immigrant from Panama, passed away when he was six years old. His father did not return after serving in the Vietnam War.

After his mother's death, Tony and his younger brother moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They were raised by cousins they had never met before. His cousins followed Hebrew Pentecostalism. This is a Black religious tradition with roots in the Old Testament. They practiced Jewish customs, like keeping a kosher home. They also celebrated the Sabbath and major Jewish holidays. Growing up, his family faced poverty. They relied on public assistance, which included free school lunches.

Thurmond attended Temple University. While there, he was the student body president. He then earned two master's degrees from Bryn Mawr College. These degrees were in law and social policy, and social work.

Early Career Helping Others

Tony Thurmond has worked for several non-profit organizations. These groups help people in need. In the mid-2000s, he was the leader of Beyond Emancipation. This group helped young people leaving the foster care and juvenile justice systems in Alameda County.

At the Golden Gate Regional Center, he managed programs. These programs provided services to people with developmental disabilities. In 2012, he became a Senior Director at Lincoln Child Center. Much of his work has focused on helping foster youth. He also directed educational programs. These programs offered job training to young people at risk in the East Bay area.

Journey in Politics

Before being elected to the California State Assembly in 2014, Tony Thurmond served in local government. He was a member of the West Contra Costa School Board from 2008 to 2012. He also served on the Richmond City Council from 2005 to 2008.

As a council member, he helped connect the city council with the West Contra Costa County Unified School District. He also worked with the West Contra Costa County Education Fund. He was also a link to Richmond's Youth Commission.

Laws He Helped Create

Thurmond speaking at the 2019 California Democratic Party State Convention

Tony Thurmond has worked on many important laws. His first bill to become law was AB 1375. This law helps people get more credit for time spent in jail instead of paying court fines. This credit had not been updated since 1976. His bill adjusted it for today's costs and minimum wage.

Another bill, AB 1496, requires the California Air Resources Board to measure and reduce methane gas. This helps lower greenhouse gas emissions across the state. AB 1343 helps make sure immigrants have fair legal processes. This was part of a group of laws to protect undocumented immigrants.

AB 768 bans the use of smokeless tobacco products in California's five professional baseball stadiums. He also co-wrote the Tobacco-Free Schools Act (AB 2X-9). This law bans tobacco use on all school property. It also requires schools to put up "tobacco use is prohibited" signs.

Thurmond's law, AB 435, helped provide more support for early childcare services. This was for low-income families in many California counties. Another law, AB 1014, moved $35 million from the prison system to local schools. This money helps schools create programs to reduce students missing school. AB 1502 made it easier for more students to get free or reduced-price lunches. Before this, only 63% of eligible students were getting these meals.

As the leader of the Budget Subcommittee #1 on Health and Human Services, Thurmond helped get money for important services. These included county welfare offices, caregiver centers, and medical clinics. He also supported programs for HIV prevention, mental health, and help for veterans and youth.

In 2017, Thurmond introduced a resolution in the California State Assembly. This resolution asked the U.S. Congress to criticize President Donald Trump. This was after events in Charlottesville.

Tony Thurmond received high scores from groups like Equality California and the California League of Conservation Voters in 2016. This shows his support for equal rights and environmental protection.

Assembly Committees

From 2015 to 2016, Tony Thurmond was a member of several important committees:

• Labor and Employment Committee (Chair)
• Education Committee
• Health Committee
• Human Services Committee

Special Committees

He also served on special committees, including:

• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (Chair)
• Status of Boys and Men of Color
• Technical Education and Building a 21st Century Workforce

State Superintendent Role

On April 3, 2017, Tony Thurmond announced he would run for State Superintendent. He chose not to run again for his Assembly seat. His campaign received support from California's teachers' unions. He won the election in November 2018. He beat his opponent, Marshall Tuck, who supported charter schools.

As State Superintendent, Tony Thurmond leads the California Department of Education (CDE). This department oversees public education in California.

Future Plans

On September 26, 2023, Tony Thurmond announced his plan to run for Governor of California in 2026. He shared this news on Twitter.

Personal Life

Tony Thurmond learned about Judaism from his cousins. They practiced Hebrew Pentecostalism. He still feels connected to Jewish practices and community today. He is guided by Rabbi Rebekah Stern of Congregation Beth El in Berkeley, California.

He describes himself as "a convert who’s never been through a formal conversion." His Jewish identity guides his public service. This includes his work on Holocaust education and fighting antisemitism in California schools.

Tony Thurmond lives in Richmond, California. He has two daughters.