The Tide Is Turning For Teachers Unions. Randi Weingarten Isn’t Surprised.
A “silent majority” is taking back education policy, according to the union chief.
Randi Weingarten, 61, has been an ever-present force in national Democratic politics since taking the helm of the American Federation of Teachers labor union in 2008.
With 1.7 million members at her command, Weingarten stands to play an important role in the fight to unseat President Donald Trump in 2020.
But first she needs to unite her diverse membership behind a Democratic candidate.
The union elicited criticism from some members for endorsing Hillary Clinton in July 2015 ― more than six months before any votes were cast in the race for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.
Now Weingarten is promising a slower, more transparent endorsement process that gives union members plenty of time to hear from the party’s plethora of White House contenders and give feedback before the AFT’s executive council makes a decision.
HuffPost spoke to Weingarten about the union’s endorsement process; the role of perceived electability in the Democratic presidential primary; her views of longtime school choice proponent Sen. Cory Booker, who is among those seeking the party’s nod; her deleted tweet questioning whether Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign was involved in Lucy Flores’ allegation of unwanted kissing against former Vice President Joe Biden.
In the interview, Weingarten also stressed that she believes the national debate over education policy has shifted decisively in teacher unions’ direction.
“The climate is changing and the narrative is changing and people are more willing to CONTINUE READING: The Tide Is Turning For Teachers Unions. Randi Weingarten Isn’t Surprised. | HuffPost