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Sunday, July 12, 2015

FORBES AND WALL STREET JOURNAl Take on AFT's union Endorsement of Hillary Clinton

Teachers' union endorses Hillary Clinton, but her positions on education issues remain murky:

Teachers' union endorses Hillary Clinton, but her positions on education issues remain murky





Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton snagged the Democratic primary endorsement of the American Federation of Teachers on Saturday, but the question remains: Where does she stand on the seismic education issues of today? School choice, standardized testing, vouchers? As Ferris Bueller’s teacher asked: Anyone? Anyone?

The 1.6 million-member AFT is the first national union to announce its endorsement. The union said it will be “engaging and mobilizing” its members and supporters to “reclaim the promise of America” by helping Clinton get the nomination next year.

It’s not surprising that the AFT national membership backed Clinton…she also got the nod over Barack Obama back in 2008. President Randi Weingarten and the Clintons also have a long and strong relationship.

But for someone who is promising to put education “at the heart of my campaign,” as she told the AFT, the former First Lady is extremely reluctant to talk specifics. Her campaign website barely mentions education, and that’s to touch on the issue of sky-high student debt. She promises that “we will—finally and forever—make college affordable and available.”Teachers' union endorses Hillary Clinton, but her positions on education issues remain murky:



The Teachers Union Votes Hillary

So much for liberating poor kids from failing schools.



While the media chase the Bernie Sanders rallies, keep your eye on the political crowds that matter. On Saturday the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) endorsed Hillary Clinton—16 months before Election Day.
This counts in the fight for the Democratic Party nomination because the 1.6 million member union boasts it can make a million phone calls and knock on 500,000 doors. Bernie’s Birkenstock irregulars can’t match that political power and money.
The endorsement is even more notable as another sign of Hillary’s left political turn. Democrats in New York and elsewhere have been debating education reform, but by embracing the AFT Mrs. Clinton is choosing the union status quo that opposes school choice and teacher accountability.
Listen to AFT president Randi Weingarten’s endorsement: “Hillary understands that to reclaim the promise of public education, policy makers need to work with educators and their unions. She’s ready to work with us to confront the issues facing children and their families today, including poverty, wage stagnation, income inequality and lack of opportunity.” Translation: Mrs. Clinton will send unions more money without hassling them on tenure and charter schools.
At the AFT executive council meeting in June, Mrs. Clinton sent the same signal by declaring that, “It is just dead wrong to make teachers the scapegoats for all of society’s problems. Where I come from, teachers are the solution. And I strongly believe that unions are part of the solution, too.”
The AFT wouldn’t be backing Hillary this early if it didn’t expect to be repaid in policy if she wins. Poor children will be the losers. The Teachers Union Votes Hillary

Election 2016 | American Federation of Teachers

Election 2016 | American Federation of Teachers:

Elections matter
The AFT executive council voted overwhelmingly on July 11 to endorse Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination for president.

This is a crucial election. Who we elect can make the difference in reshaping our economy and reclaiming the promise of public education.

We've seen what happens when we get involved early—like in Pennsylvania, where early engagement helped change one of the most anti-public school administrations in the country and elect one that's championing the issues of working families and public education. That's why we're getting in now.
The AFT is the first national union to endorse. Over the coming months, we'll have the chance to help Hillary shape a powerful platform and focus the conversation on the issues that matter to our members and the students, families and communities we serve.

Since February, we've engaged members and leaders in the most extensive outreach we've ever done leading up to a primary endorsement. We conducted a phone survey calling more than 1 million members, commissioned a second major scientific poll from a nationally-respected polling firm, and solicited your input online and in person. We wanted to know what issues mattered to you, which candidate you thought shared our values and who you believed could win.

Hillary ClintonThe message we heard was clear: By huge margins, you wanted us to endorse in the primary, and to endorse Hillary Clinton. AFT members support Hillary by more than 3 to 1. She's seen as the strongest candidate by an 11-to-1 margin, and 79 percent of those who will vote in a Democratic primary want us to endorse in the primary.

It's no wonder. In vision, in experience and in leadership, Hillary Clinton is the champion working families need in the White House. She is a tested leader who is prepared for a tough fight on behalf of students, families and communities. That fight defines her campaign and her career.

And it's not just that she shares our values. Members told us loud and clear that they believe Hillary is the right candidate—not just to earn the nomination, but to win the White House and continue the fight to reclaim the promise of America.
It's important that we get in the fight now. We know what happens if we sit back and wait for others to define the debate.

The people who want to sell off our public schools, squeeze profits from our hospitals, privatize services and slash higher education are already hard at work to elect their champions. We need to shape the debate now so we're not left chasing it later.

Hillary's shown that she's ready to work with us to confront the issues facing children and families today, including poverty, wage stagnation, income inequality and lack of opportunity. Hillary is the champion we need to help us reclaim the promise of America.

What we asked the candidates

When the AFT hosted three of the candidates running for president in 2016 at the union's June 2-3 executive council meeting in Washington, D.C., seven AFT members from around the country got the chance to ask them questions in person. Read about the members and their questions.
- See more at: http://www.aft.org/election2016/#sthash.VFd47X4S.dpuf








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