2020 Democrats Eager for Teachers’ Backing
The president of one of the nation’s most powerful teachers unions says it’s far too early for an endorsement, but Democratic hopefuls are lining up to make their cases.
THE AMERICAN FEDERATION of Teachers is one of the two national teachers unions that represents millions of educators, has a war chest that plays a major role in Democratic primaries and is currently overseeing a wave of teacher unrest sweeping the country.
And the nearly dozen Democratic hopefuls running in the 2020 presidential election are taking note.
"Let's just say my phone has rung a lot," AFT president Randi Weingarten said Friday in an interview on C-SPAN.
Weingarten didn't name which candidates were directly reaching out but said her members are already energized, engaged and, in some cases, wary about the candidates with more than a year until Election Day.
"I think records really matter and what people have done in the past is important," she said. "It's so early now. It's different when there is one or two candidates. But this is not a race where there is going to be one or two candidates really early."
The union poured more than $12 million into the 2018 midterm election and it stands poised to contribute even more in 2020.
"We're always very candid about what we spend and also do the big reveal as soon as we know what it is," Weingarten said. "We will spend what our members want us to spend on elections."
The question for Weingarten and her union's educator members is, ultimately: Do you stand with public school teachers at a time when they're walking the picket lines to rebuke the last decade of education reforms?
"If, all of a sudden, there is only a dollar left, what do you do?" she asked. "Do you invest it in lower class sizes and mental health supports in public education, or do you give it to the private for-profit charter operator who doesn't have any accountability?"
"Frankly, teachers and nurses will be able to see the authenticity of those answers, whether somebody is pitting one against another, whether someone is just doing the bidding of some rich folks or whether someone is really authentically involved in helping all our children in America get an education," she said. CONTINUE READING: 2020 Democrats Eager for Teachers’ Backing | Education News | US News
