A conversation with Randi Weingarten
An enlightening visit
On Long Island for a forum on rethinking high school graduation requirements and college-readiness, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten paid a visit to the Newsday editorial board Tuesday afternoon. The conversation spanned from teacher pay and evaluations to the civic engagement of the nation and presidential politics—fitting since Weingarten also sits on the Democratic National Committee.
Her most interesting views included:
- We are living in a moment with extraordinary economic inequality and distrust between racial, ethnic and social groups, but unlike in the 1920s, the chaos and dissension are being stoked from the White House.
- In the hurry to test, test, test in math and English over the last generation of educational policy, a deep understanding of civics and the need for civic engagement and the connections it builds was all but forgotten, contributing to our current crisis.
- Polling shows rural voters in Trump country may not agree with Democrats about immigration or guns, but the vast majority do prioritize strong local public schools.
- It’s becoming more and more clear that a school funding system based mostly on local property taxes will never provide equitable education to all New Yorkers; a change to funding based on a statewide income tax is needed.
- There needs to be multiple pathways to high school graduation, including capstone projects and deep learning.
- Some testing is always going to be needed to assure students are learning but it should go back to just the fourth and eighth grades, and not be so high stakes for individual teachers or students that it poisons the classroom.
- The AFT is going to be very involved in the 2020 election, and is working to get as many people as possible engaged in the political process, stressing sustained community engagement over simple get-out-the-vote efforts.
- There is a path to 270 Electoral College votes for Democrats to beat President Donald Trump, strengthened by the fact that both Michigan and Wisconsin now have Democratic governors and secretaries of state, and the AFT will concentrate its efforts in those two states and Pennsylvania.
- The AFT will endorse in the primaries if there is a true consensus for one Democrat, or endorse the nominee if there is not. But teachers unions are free to endorse Democratic candidates in their states to boost activism. CONTINUE READING: A conversation with Randi Weingarten | Newsday