The teachers of Rhode Island are in a jam. Incumbent Governor Lincoln Chafee is retiring.
The Democratic primary pits state treasurer Gina Raimondo against Providence Mayor Angel Taveras.
Teachers can’t forgive Raimondo for her role in cutting their pension benefits.
It appears they may endorse Taveras even though he pink-slipped every teacher in Providence (and rehired them all), admires the no-excuses Achievement First charter chain from Connecticut (celebrated for the highest suspension rate in the state), and wants more Teach for America recruits. He is both for standardized testing and against it as a graduation requirement. Maybe. At least today. Or not.
The teachers are between a rock and a hard place.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Faustian bargain here we come!
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They may have just won a battle in Bridgeport, but as to winning the war…???
What has happened to good sense in America? All the devious politicians combined with the Lords of the Universe billionaires make it an exercise in futility if more of us are not joining in the battles.
Indeed, a Faustian bargain.
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Time for a Green candidate?
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Yes, don’t vote for either one.
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I will feel a similar conflict here in Connecticut in 2014, when “DINO Dan” Malloy runs for reelection. The GOP candidates surfacing already give me the willies, but I can’t in good conscience vote for Malloy. I keep hoping for a viable third-party option.
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I agree with Dienne. Time for third party which stands for progressive policies and the public sector. The attack on public schools has been a bipartisan project–Sen. Kennedy linked arms with George Bush in 2001 to pass NCLB; Obama pushed RTTT and installed Broad favorite Arne Duncan in Educ Dept.
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I AGREE. VOTE 3rd party. REPs and DEMs are worthless. If we can stop the US from bombing Syria, then we can stop the DEFORMERS. But this will take a lot of energy. Are you ready? I am. How about deciding who will be your WRITE-IN candidate?
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Agree, Ira..so who do we believe and how do we construct a civil society that does not put greed and self interest first?
Bet Teddy is rolling in his grave at the outcomes of all of this…NCLB, and even the Obamacare debacle where the Repubs try to circumvent the SCOTUS decision.
Dienne, a third party is one way to go, but we might consider a modern Constitutional Convention to change the entire system which seems to be outgrown. Do away with the Electoral College, and get fairer distribution of legislators, and with a group of political parties…Parliamentary perhaps. To have periodic Constitutional Conventions is what the Founders envisioned when they wrote the Constitution.
It should be a living/changing document in my opinion, but then, I am not an absolutist and would never pal around with Scalia and Thomas et al.
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The alternative is Gina Raimondo. Here is her husband Andrew Moffit’s bio on the Stand on Children website.
http://standleadershipcenter.org/national/about-stand-children-leadership-center/leadership
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any more on the hubby?
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Why does the union have to endorse anyone? Wouldn’t unions send a more powerful message by saying we cannot endorse the people who continue to try and destroy us?
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They do not, but that doesn’t solve the problem of which candidate should get their votes.
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D) none of the above
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Agreed w. Dienne & Philalisa – For the teacher organizations, support of a third-party, progressive candidate if available, & if not, the “no endorsement” option.
For individuals voting, the third-party candidate, if available.
It’s sad, but all-too-common when there’s no one viable to vote FOR.
If you believe alternative parties/candidates need to be viable choices, you should likely also be supporting reforms in voting procedures away from “winner take all” formats to Condorcet or other more representative approaches. Some localities have successfully made such changes – it can be done at the local level.
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Treasurer Raimondo is taking money from “Ed Reform” industry, has invested with Dan Loeb’s hedge fund and other hedge funds which are pouring money into that industry and is pushing RI public schools to use online financial literacy program run by some venture capital pals/campaign contributors. And, she sits on board of quasi-state agency peddling private student loans.
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Any Rhode Islanders here who can describe how Raimondo cut teacher pensions, as Diane writes?
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Here’s what I wrote about the pension cuts, published in Labor Notes: http://riredteacher.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/rhode-island-pension-cuts-set-chilling-precedents/
I’m afraid I posted the wrong link below!
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I am a Rhode Island teacher, and here is what I wrote about this question after Deb Gist’s reappointment:
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And FLERP, here’s what I wrote about the pension cuts, published in Labor Notes: http://riredteacher.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=224&action=edit
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Sorry, this is the wrong link. See above.
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Maine might be a cautionary tale for those advocating a third party… unless you have a Bernie Sanders (i.e. someone with good name recognition and a reputation for common sense governing) you might end up with a LePage.
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I am voting for the Independent in Alabama’s election to replace former U.S. Senator Jo Bonner.
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