Brian Moran’s claim to education fame is his being crowned the 2007 Virginia PTA’s Child Advocate of the Year. This honor will continue earning him brownie points from the not-so-eduwonky crowd, as it already has over at the New Dominion Project. That’s significant.

Moran’s father was a high school government teacher, earning him a little street cred’ with educators. Notably, he grabbed the endorsement of Dr. Thomas Brewster, a leading practitioner in public schools and no stranger to public office. Brewster cites Moran’s leadership role in Virginia history’s largest K-12 investment, and his support of the Whole Child educational initiative as factors in his decision to endorse.

I’m actually quite surprised at how the Dem candidates are blurring the outlines of Virginia’s education circles. From reformer to retiree, opinions are scattered and often overlap. The robotic ambiguity of early rhetoric certainly factors. All three candidates are especially enthusiastic about pre-k, access to higher-ed, and good teachers. Cutting edge stuff.

So far, Moran seems to be walking the line even more carefully than his rivals. According to this piece in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Terry McAullife has taken a pretty strong position against charter schools while Creigh Deeds voices support.

It’s important to remember that Obama shrugged off the NEA during his campaign. Democratic primary candidates for Governor can’t afford to be that brazen, or can they? Union endorsement lost its luster? Could we actually be witnessing Virginia Dems strategizing the bore issue of education?

If so, McAuliffe seems to be positioning himself next to the NEA/VEA while Deeds may get a nod from the Obama-Duncan-Warner-Kaine education reformers. Who would you rather have in your corner? Will be interesting to see Brian Moran’s choice.