There has been a powerful backlash against the AFT’s decision to endorse Hillary Clinton. Social media are humming with teacher doubts about the polls (“no one called me or anyone I know” is a typical conment) and frustration about the process. Supporters of Bernie Sanders were angry as well.
On principle, I never get involved in union decisionmaking. I am not a member.
What matters most ultimately is to pick the strongest candidate. Who will appoint the next two or three members of the Supreme Court? Jeb Bush? Scott Walker? Donald Trump? Chris Christie? Hillary Clinton? Bernie Sanders?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Understand she is not the one that will support us.
Who decides who is the strongest candidate? The same folks who decided Common Core was a good idea?
Censorship and Propaganda
Didn’t the Common Core supporters also claim to have the input from, and support of teachers when it was written and after it’s dictatorial infiltration into our public schools?
The “polls” say what those in charge want them to.
The “test scores” show a 70% failure rate when those in charge want them to.
The U.S. public education has been falsely cited as a “failure” when those in charge want them to.
This type of claim by those in charge mirror those that have occurred throughout history:
It is state policy in far right regimes (fascism and ultra-nationalism), theocracies (where religious toleration does not exist), and leftist governments (communism).
In the Soviet Union under Stalin…
In Italy under Mussolini…
In Germany under the Nazis…
In China under Mao Tse Tung…
In Iran under the ayatollahs…
In North Korea for the last 50 years…
Many of those in power in the United States have betrayed our nation, the democratic principles that our society has been built on, and are the goals and dreams of people around the world who live in unfree societies….and they have violated their responsibilities to our citizens…to our children.
It is time to bring these people who flagrantly and abusively harm the United States to justice…to punish them severely and to protect the 250 year old dream that our nation was built on.
Fighting against the corruption does not make us anti-American, as those “in charge” would want the people to believe, but it would be our right and responsibility to each be a Patriot and protect the United States from these domestic and foreign enemies.
It is our civic duty.
I wish that the outspoken opposition to the candidacy of Hillary Clinton were more measured, less vitriolic. This seems less about the AFT endorsement, and more about a less-than-reasoned backlash. Since we can be quite sure that any Republican candidate will fail to support teachers, it is time to quiz any Democratic candidate firmly and objectively. Then we can make an informed decision, weighing our chances.
I guess i would be one of the vitriolic.
I am angry. This endorsement was an opportunity to get leverage on policies that have been destroying public education. Policies that Clinton has supported.
That opportunity has been squandered.
I’m not a union member (not even a teacher), but I’m with you. There is every reason to be angry about an endorsement at this stage of the game when Hillary hasn’t even promised anything, let alone do we have a way to hold her feet to the fire for whatever she does promise. What reason does Hillary have now to negotiate with or even listen to teachers or public school supporters? Besides, there is the small little matter of her previous record, which is heavily supportive of Wall Street/neoliberal interests. AFT’s endorsement is clearly a sell-out, leaving the question of the purchase price that Randi is pocketing.
Margaret–the point, here, is that we now have the choice we’ve been asking for–an Independent who is running in the Democratic primary (because, as has always been the case w/3rd party candidates, their chances have been nil). We have asked Bernie & Elizabeth Warren to run. Bernie’s doing it! In the short time since his declaration, he’s commanded enormous crowds, & has amassed a sizeable amount of $$$$.* It’s not the time to look at the Dems vs. Reps.–the focus should be on the Democratic primary. We have moaned & groaned that we always have to vote “for the lesser of 2 evils,” as was the case w/Obama (whose administration has further destroyed public education, wreaking even more havoc, perhaps, than the last Bush presidency–&, in 2012, even though his ed. legacy had been lousy, & even though he NEVER put on those “walking shoes” {so GLARINGLY absent in Wisconsin!}, he received an early endorsement from the NEA leadership–&–NO–NO ONE I know was “polled” ). Again, as Ken Previti has so aptly stated, “Voting for the lesser of 2 evils is still voting for evil.”
*Bernie is showing himself to be a real threat/challenge to Hillary, & THAT’S the reason for the early endorsement–makes it look like the teachers prefer her over Bernie, & nothing , I’m sure, could be further from the truth.
So, yes, NOW is the time to “make an informed decision.” &–don’t forget that in this blog, Diane once posted, “Is Vermont the Best State in Education?” Bernie was & has been a part of that.
Stop your whining & start your winning–work for Bernie 2016 in your
village, town, suburb, city & state. I was taught that 99% is > than 1%.
Donate money to Bernie 2016, & organize, don’t agonize.
Yes, WE have (Ras Baraka, Bill diBlasio, reps & aldermen in Chicago, LAUSD board members, rescinding Pear$on contract$ in several states…& more). Yes, WE can & yes WE WILL!!!
Baraka sold out to Christie and agreed to the appointment of Cerf as State Disrict Superintendent of Newark Public Schools in exchange for local control down the road. Cerf has been granted a three year contract.
I’d rather vote for a Republican who I know will stick it to me than a duplicitous shill for the privateers like Hillary.
At least I’ll know what to expect from the GOP candidates, as opposed to being misled and used by Hillary.
Weingarten just did a huge disservice to unions, teachers, and HRC. I hope this backlash continues and actually mobilizes the rank and file to either hold union leadership accountable or to make changes in the union leadership.
What it might do since there are always unintended consequences. Galvanize support for Bernie or Jill. Randi’s going to have major problems if the SCOTUS teacher dues case goes sideways. Maybe Hill made a promise? But I’m with you Liz. I didn’t leave the party. It gradually left me. Perhaps, we’ll have to grin and bear it to prove a point.
I agree totally.
You would rather vote for a GOPER who would try to kill off Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the ACA, bank regulations, legal abortions, etc. You would rather vote for a GOPer who is against gay rights and gay marriage? You would rather vote for a GOPer who would select more far right wing justices to the supreme court? Really? Education is not the only issue. You would rather vote for a GOPer who thinks that climate change is a joke? I’d rather have Hillary than Scott Walker any day, warts and all. But I will be voting for Bernie in the primary.
Sorry, but I am tired of the Democrats taking labor and teachers’ votes for granted. I have donated to Bernie’s campaign and will do what I can to get him elected. The attitude of “what are they gonna do, vote for the Republicans?” from establishment Democrats has gotten old. I will write in my mother’s name before I vote for Hillary.
Joe, your last sentence is key–we must do EVERYTHING we can to get Bernie in. Let’s concentrate on the Dem primary & work on that, rather than worry about the Republicans (& there are just so many to worry about–or, as I do, laugh at!).
If we make Hillary our only choice, she will be our only choice, plenty of time to look for bogeymen under the bed.
Just a reminder folks, neither H. Clinton nor Obama were for gay marriage when they ran for president. It has only been the movement that brought them both sort of dragging their feet over…..
I would definitely vote for a Republican like Jon Huntsman if he was running…last election he garnered few Repub votes for he is a measured highly intelligent man who was a Governor and was Ambassador to China where he won the US many friends and many jobs, and sold the Chinese on making US investments and loans. What Dem did as much? or what Repub?
I find it short sighted and self defeating to use blind hatred of all Repubs as an excuse to vote for the worst of their ideology by voting for’ Billary’…the deregulators and greed purveyors who joined with the worst of the Repubs to bring down the economy by killing Glass Steagall…and Dem Obama could have worked to reinstate it, but chose to side with the Clintons, and Wall Street, and Eli Broad instead.
Where is the critical thinking that we hope to teach our students in these kinds of intransigent pronouncements?
As I’ve stated years ago: I’d rather fight the enemy I know than the enemy within my ranks. The Obama Administration has launched an all out assault on public education/teachers that Republicans could only dream about.
Why can’t the members decide who they want to support in the coming elections? Shouldn’t the members have a say? a vote? Randi needs to be a little more up to date on how this selection should made like perhaps getting some say from the members?
Agree totally. Why should Weingarten make the decision? Way too early to endorse anybody, unless of course there is some back room promises being made.
I think it will matter who gets access to Clinton, who influences her. If it’s the same well-connected ed reform crew we’ll get the same policy we’ve gotten for the last 15 years.
“School districts across Indiana are having trouble finding people to fill open teaching positions amid a nearly 90 percent drop in the number of teacher licenses issued by the state.
The Indiana Department of Education says the state issued about 7,500 teaching licenses for the 2007-2008 school year. WTHI reports that number fell to 934 for the 2013-14 school year.
Licenses for teachers with at least 10 years of experience fell from 333 to 4 in the same period.
The dwindling pool of educators is raising alarm in some school districts as they struggle to fill open positions, especially in math, science and foreign languages.
School leaders say state funding constraints, testing pressures and a blame-the-teachers mentality are steering people away from education as a career.”
My fear is, with the current ed reform leadership in Indiana they’ll simply increase class sizes in low and middle income schools, which is of course cheaper.
http://wishtv.com/2015/07/12/indiana-schools-report-shortage-of-teacher-applications/?utm_content=buffer9f67d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Work really HARD for Glenda Ritz!!!
Chiara, isn’t this the point==to create vacancies for TFA to fill? Some days I feel like I’m living in the matrix, and I want a different dream. This is a nightmare.
The entire process is tainted and reflects the disrespect union leaders have for the dues paying members. They parade out “voices matter” but when you disagree you’re a fringe activist. If you agree you’re a worthy teacher. There are multiple petitions now totaling over 10,000 signature. Randi is waiting for the sheep to get back in the herd and obey.
To all readers, please read Dr. Lois Weiner here: What’s wrong with AFT: https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/07/weingarten-president-primary-bernie-clinton/
The closing:
But even those who think the AFT should support Clinton should be disturbed by this endorsement because it undercuts the union’s power. A fully democratic endorsement process would truly inform and mobilize members, strengthening the union nationally and locally, making us stronger in the election and beyond.
Weingarten and too many members think we can rely on cozy relationships with politicians and powerful elites to defend our schools, our jobs, our economy, and democracy. We can’t. Only an engaged membership that understands the grave crisis public education, and democracy, faces is going to be able to turn back our opponents — who include Clinton and her Wall Street supporters.
We have a moral and political obligation to insist that AFT executive council members stand up for a different kind of unionism, one in which members are empowered and can exert democratic control over the policies that shape their lives, schools, and communities.
Although they may be trying to ignore it all there is an amazing amount of pushback on twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc. Here is one of many from the teacher activists. By the way you can be both and excel without Union approval.
NYS Teachers Demanding New NYSUT Leadership in the Wake of AFT Endorsement http://t.co/I3pXhdYb7P via @wordpressdotcom
One more note the polling firm chosen by Randi et al is headed by Geoff Gavin, who served as co-chief strategist for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign. We have still not seen raw data not how the executive committee voted. Just from reading online I haven’t heard of one teacher who answered a call or completed a survey.
Thanks for pointing out the polling companies connection to Clinton, This is not the first time she has used devious means to push her agenda…remember her connections from the last election and all the consultants she never paid. It is all smoke and mirrors, and obviously there was a quid pro quo between the twofer Clintons and Randi.
Great analysis of Randi’s Twitter account and motives behind early endorsement.
If it is indeed true that Hillary Clinton is a “duplicitous shill for the privateers” of educational policy, it is imperative that her progressive opponents find this out soon. Hillary must be confronted with the destructive policies of those who want to monetize the public schools, and we educators must demand a concrete and specific response from her. If she actually has her own Arne Duncan waiting in the wings, this must be disclosed. If none of this happens, then the pessimists may find, unfortunately, that they were right all along. I hope not.
her own arne duncan waiting in the wings is randi weingarten
A Randi supporter told me she expects Secretary of Labor, not Education.
Finally, read “Serving up a presidential candidate” by Sarah Darer Littman with inside scoop from an AFT member who attempted to call in at a town hall with little success. Well worth the read. See AFT PR flacks twist: http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/op-ed_serving_up_a_preferred_candidate/
This is the board of the new privatization promotion outlet Campbell Brown is running:
https://www.the74million.org/page/supporters
Aren’t these celebrities associated with the Clintons? Will the high-profile ed reform “movement” members have as much clout as they did in the Obama Administration?
If so, public schools are screwed.
Sounds very similar to Randi’s Common Core poll where out of 800 teachers, 75% supported the Common Core. We need to sip the same beverages she drinks.
I think you need to pin the candidates down more, particularly after Bush and then Obama.
I honestly do not think public schools will survive another anti-public school two term President.
This is a good list of Obama’s ed priorities. Make the candidates weigh in specifically on each one:
http://educationnext.org/results-president-obama-race-to-the-top-reform/
Many of the same faces. Glad to see Campbell believes in recycling. She’s lined up some really good surrogates. My favorite is Atler. I remember him talking on some program where he wasn’t going to allow KIPP to be dissed. Yikes. He got so wound up I thought he had contracted a case of rabies. Since the ethics of these folks are at times questionable. (e.g.,Michelle, Kevin, and Campbell) I’m sure it won’t be long until they claim to have 74 million members.
It’s silly to compare the very best charter school chain to all public schools, though. That’s just nonsense.
Why can’t public school advocates do what charter advocates do? When Alter or one of the rest of them go on a bash-a-thon someone should say “I will not allow strong public schools to be dissed”.
The best charter school in my general area is an “arts” charter school that draws primarily from a wealthy (and really solid) public school district. It’s no more a “low income” school than the public schools that surround it.
Finally, read “Serving up a presidential candidate” by Sarah Darer Littman with inside scoop from an AFT member who attempted to call in at a town hall with little success. Well worth the read. See AFT PR flacks twist:
http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/op-ed_serving_up_a_preferred_candidate/
The AFT endorsement is also a joke on the Fallon monologue last night. Embarrassing:
Fallon mocks @AFTunion #Hillary2016 endorsement http://t.co/GieCkVwucE go to 4:00
I am really tired of waving the “What about the Supreme Court” boogey-man to support corrupt Democrats. Especially before there has been one primary and a year out from the Dem convention.
I’m tired of that too. The court system is supposed to be the last resort. If we’re all waiting for a determination that something is unlawful, a violation of the constitution, that itself is a strong indicator that something has gone terribly wrong with the elected branches.
The only shot we have is 9 judges? Great! How did that happen, I wonder?
I agree Kim…Bader-Ginsburg and Breyer wanted to leave 3 years ago but had the good judgement to stay. What is their rationale? Is it that they do not trust that Obama would replace them with liberal judges in his final year in office, now that they have seen his connection with Wall Street? Did they recognize that his appointments such as Eric Holder who is headed back to his Wall Street law firm and Mary Jo White who is also a Wall Street lawyer plus Summers and Rubin et al the Goldman Sachs and Citigroup flacks, shows that he was truly Manchurian Candidate who did much damage as President?
Left out Chiara who also disagrees, Laura…though I often am in agreement with much of your lifetime experience and wisdom.
Maybe it age, in the long view I am with Diane. Who gets to nominate the next Supreme Court members? That matters. I do not trust any republican on that matter, or much else.
I agree. I would vote to block any of the Republicans, whom I feel, would do more harm to the country than any Democrat. Maybe it is an age thing.
I am in your and Diane’s age bracket and a public policy educator for over 45 years, and I disagree. I do agree with Kim that this SCOTUS issue is a false equivalent.
Teachers need a new union leader. Time for Weingarten to step down.
Diane, sounds like you are still clinging to that place at Randi’s table. Justice Roberts was behind supported Obama care and gay marriage, to worry about the Supreme Court by calling the election now. Hillary could go down in flames early and Elizabeth Warren could change her mind. Who though Obama had a chance? To allow Leonie, funded by the Union, to make a bogeyman out of Bernie Sanders for supporting NCLB when no one knew yet of the horror. There has not been a real president since JFK, since then they have been all towel boys for the Fortune 500, according to the former Chairman of Avis,. to avoid his fate. Hillary already is a great towel girl with no “change that we can believe”, except for Randi.
Actually Roberts was not for gay marriage, but Kennedy was. But imagine if one of the other liberal 4 was a conservative instead. Still I agree that campaign should now be about values, not who is likely to “win.”
Linda, that he presided over the decision to allow it to pass.He knew the outcome.
Joseph, the Chief Justice of the United States presides over proceedings. He does not preside over decisions. He knew the outcome of this decision as soon as he figured out which side had five votes, just like all the other Justices.
Sorry Joseph, Supreme Court doesn’t work that way. Con law is my expertise. But I agree with you that SCT is not issue now; ed privatization is.
President Scott Walker (or Jeb Bush, or the rest of the GOP clown car) would select more far right wing justices not to mention turning the USA into a right to work for less country. I will be voting for Bernie but if Hillary wins the primary I will vote for her to block a far right wing nut job.
You are correct about the JFK part. Everyone since has been a predetermined paid for puppet.
“No one polled me” a TYPICAL comment?? I would say it’s a valid, justified, accurate comment. This blog has “typically” supported Randi the last 3 years despite her consistent betrayals.
“This blog has “typically” supported Randi the last 3 years despite her consistent betrayals”
If by this blog you mean Diane, then I would agree with you. She has supported Weingarten, that’s her prerogative as it’s her blog, not that I agree with her support.
Hell, since NCLB I haven’t seen much support come out of either of the “big two” associations/unions for the common Joe/Jane teacher as the bigwigs at the top have chosen to have their spot ON the table.
The truth is thus:
1) the AFT and Weingarten are absolutely a part of the problem. Full stop. Accommodationist at best, incompetent and lacking in vision for sure, and undermining of working teachers’ best interests at worst. A case can be made that the worst luck teachers have had isn’t the reform movement itself emerging on the scene, but having leaders like Weingarten/AFT/Mulgrew/NYSUT/McGee on the scene when the reformists kicked into gear. They have deepened our troubles, expanded our threats, and exposed us more fully to an existential crisis. They are and remain a symptom of a generation of teachers receding from the basic tenets of the labor movement and vigilant political awareness.
2) As the last year has shown, the relevance of teachers unions has crumbled to dust and particulate, thanks to leaders like Weingarten. They remain a political punching bag for sure, but the real fighting against the reformist agenda has come from parents and teachers operating outside the irrelevant walls of their unions. This should be deeply embarrassing and troubling to current union leaders like Weingarten and McGee, but it is a testament to their political illiteracy and detachment that they remain free of embarrassment. Teachers unions, with a few exceptions, are not on the field of battle except as after-the-fact mopping up forces….(see NYSUT’s full throated acceptance of opt out AFTER months and even years of parents and individual teachers fighting for it and winning.)
3) If teachers unions ever hope to be a relevant force on the political landscape into the future, the only path to that goal is a thorough, complete, strong, loud, and compromise-free revolt of the membership via established routes of representation OR outside of those paths. AFT/UFT/NYSUT are long past the need for a “reform” within leadership, but rather a sizable revolution.
4) Weingarten is so obviously and blatantly making a play for HERSELF with her CHOOSING to hijack the name of the AFT to endorse Clinton. The crass and crude self-interest is so embarrassingly plain to see. By doing this she, without doubt, is making her hopes for a job in a Clinton White House so very clear.
5) There may have been no better way to nudge tons of teachers towards Sanders in a primary fight. That’s how abysmally low-down Weingarten is percieved by politically aware teachers. An embarassing joke of a leader.
So, we as teachers….we have ALOT of work to do in our own house/houses. We need to take back our unions. Or not and continue to let parents do our fighting for us.
Well expressed1
“Who will appoint the next two or three members of the Supreme Court? Jeb Bush? Scott Walker? Donald Trump? Chris Christie? Hillary Clinton? Bernie Sanders?” The question is which of these candidates is not a corporate owned puppet and will not appoint based upon promises made in return for donations? There is only one among these that is not a corporate puppet, and that is Bernie Sanders. Party affiliations means nothing – Hillary is a neoliberal and is no different than the Republicans running when it comes to many issues – including the issues that impact education. AFT membership is tired of Randi Weingarten TELLING us what we support based on her bogus polls (like the CCSS poll). OUR dues will be used to support Hillary if this endorsement stands. And one has to wonder what Randi was promised if Hillary wins, n return for this early, no strings attached endorsement. Maybe Arne Duncan’s job?
Who gets to appoint the next Supreme Court Justice really isn’t even the issue anymore. The issue is who gets to give advice and consent. Only Bernie Sanders and other progressives can excite a grass-roots movement that would turn over the Senate and the House back to legislators who actually work for the people and not against them. If Hillary is elected you can be certain that, just like her husband and Obama, the only choices who can pass muster with the Republican senate will be corporate Democrats who will prove to be as useless in defending public education and union rights as Thomas or Alito. A progressive won’t even get a vote. How different it is when a Republican who has an agenda he believes in gets elected President. Then we get ideologues like the aforementioned or Scalia or Roberts. The neo-liberal democrats just don’t get it, and they won’t ever get it if AFT’s leadership continues to play the politician’s game instead of standing for what is right for the membership.
Agree, as usual, with most that you say GST. However there are big differences between Roberts and Scalia. Roberts, although I am horrified by his vote most often, is a measured thoughtful man who carefully analyses issues and will cross over on votes. Scalia is a mental case and the worst sort of ideologue who can be counted on the to vote absolutist. He has never seen the Constitution as a living document…with the exception of creating activist law based on his ideology in appointing Bush as prez, and in instituting the activist and most harmful law on the books, Citizen’s United.
Randi is betting on Hillary, regardless of what AFT members want (or don’t want), because she is courting a DOE appointment if Hillary wins the election.
Not DOE. Secretary of Labor.
The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.
– Joseph Stalin
Randi Weingarten, need we say more
If you are looking for the strongest candidate, you have Jeb Bush. He was a governor and he has raised the most money. He is a member of a ruling dynasty. I, on the other hand, am seeking a candidate who supports traditional public education, labor unions and teacher tenure. I am opposed to charter schools, vouchers, Common Core, Pearson, standardized testing, VAM, TFA. I consider Weingarten to be a complete sellout to corporate interests and self aggrandizement. Weingarten skewered Newark teachers and we will never recover sure footing.
Hillary Clinton is not my choice as a Democratic candidate for president. She scrubbed her server, has no coherent explanation for the tragic events in Benghazi, claimed poverty when leaving the White House and uses a foundation for questionable purposes.
….and she and Bill are the darlings of Middle East despots who pour millions into their Foundation…which pays the family and the claque big salaries.
Strongest morally? Strongest ethically? Please define “strong.” You mean most likely to beat the clown car? Way too early for that decision!!!
I actually object to the newest charter lobbying group hosting “education forums” for the candidates. I don’t understand why they get to drive the agenda. Because they’re famous and well-connected?
This whole debate will be conducted within the narrow confines of what the ed reform “movement” wants to talk about. I don’t remember electing any of these people.
I watched Education Nation and it was freaking appalling how slanted it was. Can’t we at least have a voter-driven debate instead of these fake debates?
This is how the game is played. With Murdoch and 4 others owning all media, and even NPR and Public TV being financed by the Broad, Gates, and other reformer foundations, there is little way to have a true pure debate. Campbell Brown is only the latest exemplar of this brave new world run by the oligarchs.
Yeah, super embarrassing….most of the labor-centric left is pretty shocked and upset about what Weingarten did. Read on y’all:
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2015/07/weingarten-president-primary-bernie-clinton/
“The Seventy Four has already organized two candidate forums on education policy, one for Republicans in New Hampshire next month and a second for Democrats in Iowa in October. The forums are co-sponsored by the American Federation for Children (AFC), a group that favors charter schools, vouchers and private-school tax credits.”
I mean, come on. This is going to be presented to voters as unbiased? Give me a freaking break. It will be ed reform boilerplate, the same mantra we’ve heard for 15 years. Cheerleading standardized tests, charters and vouchers and slamming unions and public schools. They dominate federal and state government. We now get to hear more of it?
This is why I have come to think that voters do need to be tested to see if they know more than what they are told in 10 second sound bites. I tend to think those who do not bother vote, should not be encouraged to vote. Sad story…but we in LA just went through an election where inner city Latino voters were bribed to vote and we now have a Latino surnamed charter school millionaire on our BoE…the kiss of death to a free society.
I haven’t heard from either candidate that they understand the real issues we are facing. I hear them say there’s too much testing – well yes, but the real problem is the privatization that is driving it and the deprofessionalization of teaching. Why jump in with an endorsement? Have we learned nothing from the last 7 years? We thought President Obama understood education, but then we got Arne Duncan, RttT, and Common Core.
In October, 2007, the AFT endorsed Hillary. I guess they thought she was the most electable then, too. Well, guess what?
The privatization push is coming from wall street, what candidate is in wall streets pocket. I know it isn’t Bernie !
I agree, Dan. I’m just waiting for him to say it, specifically about education (Gates, Broad, Walton, Pearson…..)
I agree with your post, maryanne2121. Retired, I’m still paying retired union dues, but the union seems more interested in selling me insurance and magazines. On the other hand, solidarity is important for us teachers to display and use.
All I can say is after 29 years of being a union man and past president of my local in NYSUT, I am totally disgusted by this. There is simply no reason for this endorsement at this time. The leaders of AFT suck.
Let’s never forget Clinton’s role in establishing Achieve — and, by extension, the CCSS.
Of course, I will always demand that the Green Party candidate Jill Stein and other 3rd party candidates not be ignored in this election. The fact that they keep being ignored and not listed among the corporate candidates as viable and credible (even by those who consider themselves progressives) is a symptom of the very problems we are all seeking to change.
Daniella Liebling
Brooklyn, NY
Well said.
Dr. Stein is my preferred candidate as well. Though she probably won’t win, I intend to vote for her anyway. I really don’t understand the devotion that people seem to have for the mainstream political party candidates.
I often vote for people who have no chance (Nader (3X), Stein, etc)
I’d even vote for Hillary if I thought she had no chance.
Probably?
“The fact that they keep being ignored ..’
Ignoring is one thing, but being chained to a metal chair for 8 hours in a warehouse so you can’t even attend the Presidential debate as a spectator (as was done to Stein and Honkala) is something else entirely.
Most people have no clue that that even happened because the mainstream media (including NPR) “ignored it” — ie, purposefully excised it from the news.
SomeDAM Poet- you’re right. That happened outside of Hofstra University on Long Island. Stein and Honkala were protesting that they were not included in the debate as viable candidates . Both were arrested.
Not a peep about this incident anywhere in any of the mainstream media at the time.
What a way to treat two third party candidates for President and Vice- President..
Cracking me up, DAM Poet
Backlash against the AFT?
Against Randi?
Really?
What for?
There must be some mistake . . . .
I CANNOT believe it!
NO! CAN’T be possible!!!!!!
Is the venerable host of this blog possibly mistaken and did she get the story all wrong?
Randi Weingarten not truly working in teachers’ interests? How can that POSSIBLY be?
OMG times a million!!!!!!!!!! I’m in utter disbelief . . . .
SHOCKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rob,
You missed an exclamation point on your last sentence.
(grin)
Sorry, but when you love to hate Randi Weingarten as much as I do, you go wild with the punctuation. It’s quite liberating in a day and age when we are so oppressed . . . .
🙂
Rand Paul would be better than Hillary.
A chihuahua would be better than Hillary.
Chihuahua yes, Rand Paul, no. He’s worse than his daddy.
He is only receiving donations of less than $100 dollars and has raised 7 million, not saying he is the answer, but just better than Hillary. We need all candidates policies on education. He stood alone on the Congress floor and stopped the NSA, would Hillary do that?
That is the issue, as much as I like Bernie, I also like Hillary, and she is the one who can win. Diane points out the ultimate issues, especially who will appoint the justices. Chauvinism is destructive. Let the right wing chauvinists destroy the republicans and not have ours wreck our goals.
Isn’t it a little too early in the game for “our” union to be endorsing Hillary?
Look what happened when the UFT in NYC decided to endorse Bill Thompson for Mayor- the dark horse, Bill deBlasio, ended up winning instead.
Isn’t it possible that other candidates may come forward to declare their candidacy, or has Hillary already been anointed, e.g., no other Dems will come out against her for political reasons?
Anyway, no one that I know among my colleagues was consulted on whether or not we thought the union should endorse Hillary.
Just another unilateral decision made by Randi Weingarten, without regard for the opinions of the union members.
Someone in another blog mentioned that this was simply a primary endorsement, not the big endorsement for the actual campaign. There may be something to that, since they just interviewed Democratic candidates.
That said, after reading the three interviews it troubles me that they rejected the ideas of Mr. Sanders so completely. His policy views track much better among Democrats than do Ms. Clinton’s.
I don’t believe he has much of a chance of winning the primary or the general election, but at this stage of the campaign the policies that these people would try to implement are important to know and understand.
The AFT seems to be rejecting the common sense reforms that Sanders has suggested for the nebulous statements made by Clinton.
That bothers me.
The endorsement was premature, and done without asking the membership, despite their CYA excuses. Really a poorly thought-out decision on the part of the AFT.
I think it is pretty early to know who to endorse but I definitely think privatization is an issue. In Iowa the new Dept. of Ed head is a former TFA person who hardly taught. Lots of red flags in the scenario.
Helps explain why theseventyfour chose Iowa for one of their “debates” on public education. Gotta look after one’s own.
theseventyfour…really? a staged event for them, more than useful information for us
Did you mean “more than USELESS information for us”??
I fear useless, but presented as useful…even vital. But “presented as” is the staged part. Packaged and presented carefully to prop up the “failing public schools and protected union perverts in the classroom” narrative (although they are getting smarter and staying away from statistical loser arguments like the pervert one). I just think of all the showmanship minus the balance and honesty. You’d almost think FOX was backing this endeavor. It makes me think about the time Diane was invited to that Education Nation event where they honest-to-goodness had Lloyd Goldman Sachs CEO Blankfein and Goldie Hawn on stage to talk about education, and Diane was invited to sit in the audience, I think? (Diane, you can refresh my memory). The visual and mental images given to the viewing audience for an event like this, and this new 74 thing are one that pretends authority and knowledge for these “reformers” that doesn’t exist.
But it’s what you can do with well organized and protected backers, message-shapers and PR teams, connections to and/or leverage over press/media…
Didn’t we endorse Obama? How did that work out? I don’t know about you, but I am voting Republican. At least the Republicans will leave the states alone. We need to sever our relationship with the Democrats once and for all. It’s a joke!
I am so impressed by your guile. No child of mine or anyone I know be allowed in your classroom. Please don’t tell me you teach history or political science. You have reminded me that all teachers aren’t smart.
I am impressed by your unwavering loyalty and willingness to perish supporting traitors with a capital D next to their names.
I used to feel that “no child of mine” feeling too. I couldn’t wait to register to vote and did so on my 18th birthday. I waited through 5 years of Reagan to put all my citizen might into the fight against what Reagan stood for, and I knew I had to the moment the smug posing was revealed in the “there he goes again” line delivered one week after my 13th birthday.
But in the last five years, I have either grown older and whiter very quickly, grown more Republican, or both.
My values have not changed, the Democrat party has. And they risk losing because they are driving their base to either a third party that stands little-to-no chance or to centrist Republicans who just might (but likely won’t) court those turncoats with some attractive sounding anti-ed reform lingo (the way Astorino tried in NY…and actually caused Cuomo to play some late-game public school love tunes).
I won’t be voting Republican (unless Buddy Roemer comes back), but I also will not sell my soul to toss chips in with the weasel most likely to win, either.
Vote for a Republican? Not that I’m enamored by corporate Democrats like Obama, but a vote for any Republican is the KISS OF DEATH quite literally for the middle class, the environment, and the little that’s still left of American democracy. Do you have any children or grandchildren?
THINK OF WHO WILL APPOINT THE NEXT SUPREME COURT JUSTICE OR POSSIBLY JUSTICES!
This is the point exactly. Look at the outside the margins insanity the GOP puts up (supposedly), and compare it to the barely acceptable center (but not anywhere close to what we really need) candidate groomed for front-runner position by the Democrats. Hillary talks the talk of politically correct and cautious candidate for the middle class-but never that of the candidate who really believes and is willing to fight that fight.
The Republicans will leave the Republican States alone but they will be under our beds and in our attics, trying to send us to jail for our immorality. Money is their God and they want all of it for themselves but not there delude lackeys.
“Who will appoint the next two or three members of the Supreme Court? Jeb Bush? Scott Walker? Donald Trump? Chris Christie? Hillary Clinton? Bernie Sanders?”
Diane, you forgot to include Dr. Jill Stein.
Duane, I admire Dr. Jill Stein. But I am willing to bet you any amount of money that she will not be elected President.
No need to bet (I’ve got to save my betting money for VAsgp-ha ha) but I would hope that having all candidates policy points, thoughts and positions gather a wider audience is one way that we peons have in attempting to break the stranglehold of the supposedly two party system. That is why we need to give all candidates a voice.
Thank you for seeing the importance of acknowledging the candidacy of Jill Stein. However, I would also like to point out that judging a candidate only by their “chance of winning” is extremely scary. The Greens are in parliaments all over the rest of the world (where the voting systems are much more democratic than in the US). There are also 130 elected Greens in the US. It is a process and a fight to bring real democracy to our electoral system and to get money out of politics. All struggles have to start somewhere. Should people in the civil rights movement have been told not to fight for justice because maybe they could not win? Should women not have fought for the right to vote because SOME thought they would never win? And if you want to talk about actual facts in terms of “change of winning”, think about this: Technically Jill Stein has MORE change of winning than Bernie Sanders because she will be on the ballot in almost all 50 states in the general election. Bernie Sanders however, will most likely loose the Democratic primary NOT because of a lack of popular votes, but because the DNC has intentionally rigged the primary system to make it extremely unlikely that Bernie can get enough super delegate votes. Bernie has ALREADY stated as much. So, although Jill Stein has more chance of winning the presidency than Bernie, he is still automatically included in all lists of candidates while Jill is not. To me that is so wrong on so many levels and only goes to show what a psychological stranglehold the two corporate parties have on our system.
Agree with what you are saying Daniella. The change, indeed, does have to start somewhere and eventually change, in one fashion or the other will come. We just happen to be stuck in a “groundhog day” time whereby the same two sides of the same coin keep on coming up and no other coin is allowed by those who control the coin-those with the most coins in society.
The point of endorsements is to get public concessions or promises. Unions in this country are pathetic and weak.
No business lobby is going to give money without ironclad promises. Meanwhile Hillary will go on slyly backing charter school and privatization.
An endorsement at this time is unilateral disarmament. And no one respects weakness.
Did people not read Mercedes Schneider’s column about her own realization of Randi Weingarten’s role? For god’s sake, OPEN THE LINK before it is too late!
“The Broad Foundation Mission Statement states that one of its goals is the transformation of labor relations. The Broad Foundation is not anti-union. Rather, it seeks to transform unions into a form of company union. A company union is a union located within and run by a company or a national government, and the union bureaucracy is incorporated into the company’s management. This opens up the workforce to unfettered exploitation for profits of the owners. Many right-wing governments internationally use company unions to suppress worker struggles against low living standards. In 1935, during the labor struggles of the Depression, the National Labor Relations Act was passed which outlawed company unions in the United States. [Emphasis added.]
Broad does not want to get rid of unions; he wants to subsume them.
And Weingarten is just the *leader* to unofficially sell UFT (and now, AFT) to Broad and other corporate reformers in a back-door, privatizers’ “company union”-type arrangement.
What makes this arrangement possible is the cancer that runs AFT/UFT, the pro-corporate Unity Caucus, an invitation-only, dominant group that drives the direction of AFT. Unity Caucus members agree to sign away their individual voices and accompanying critical thinking skills in order to *belong* to this dysfunctional, corporate-reform-loving *in-crowd.*
It is as though we have been invaded by an alien race who are the “subsumers” you mention chemtchr….Broad, Gates, Waltons can hardly be humans. They have sucked in Randi and she is now one of them. Who else is walking in our midst pretending to still be human?
“Company unions” is an oxymoron.
So Hillary is the strongest candidate meaning the most electable because she has corporate (privatization) clout? As she takes that money, she owes them. This is not a reason to support her; she has no track record of support for teachers (in fact, the opposite). Shame on Randi! She has learned nothing from her disastrous support of Cuomo/Hochul in NY!
The strongest candidate?? Is that double-talk for “the person with name recognition and the most money”? I for one am sick and tired of voting for the lesser of 2 evils. Do you think Hillary will stand up to Rahm? I don’t.
This decision was made the minute Hillary announced. No need for debates and getting to know the issues.
Diane, you read all the AFT responses by the candidates. As an education advocate, we at least get your commentary on that?
Schoolgal, I am waiting to see more of what the candidates say and hope to meet 1:1 with one or two of them.
After Obama, does it matter what they “say”.
Obama “raised” the bar on duplicity!
Why is anyone surprised. I believe RW fully expects Hillary to win so why not throw her the AFT/UFT support so she will be appointed secretary of education. That said I’m fairly certain she would accept an Ambassadorship should Ed Secretary fail to materialize.
I think Randi is expecting Secretary of Labor. Not as much pushback, and she can destroy the whole labor movement.
I am tired of the media telling me for whom to vote. I am tired of my union telling me for whom to vote. It is way too early for AFT to endorse anyone. I am especially angered that after our endorsement Ms. Clinton soundly endorsed he agreement with Iran. No one can convince me that she had enough time to analyze that agreement (over 100 pages long and very complex) yet she immediately rubber stamped her name to possibly the worst foreign policy error since the Munich Accords in 1938. If she stands with Obama on ANY issue she will not get my vote! I don’t want one red cent of my AFT dues going to Hillary Clinton’s campaign. I will not contribute to VOTE-Cope this year. This early endorsement of Hillary Clinton represents a huge blunder on the part of our national union. Shame on the AFT.
Have you read that “over 100 pages long” agreement, Helen?
If so what are your specific problems with the accord?
TIA,
Duane
I agree with you Helen…to give Iran a huge financial gift from the American taxpayers so they can buy all the weapons they wish to from Pakistan, is madness. In the last agreement they were reduced to about 1650 centrifuges, and now they have over 6500…and the media says they came down from their desired 20,000. The mullahs arrogantly outplayed another weak Secretary of State.
With these centrifuges they can make enough ‘yellow cake’ to bomb Israel, Saudi Arabia, and other nations, off the map. No one seems to remember the Iraq/Iran war, and then the Bush war of 1991 when Iraq sent all its munitions and aircraft to Iran for them to hide them. Why would anyone trust the words of the mullahs? Why does the government resist learning from history? Is this Obama’s need for his legacy, and the same goes for the disaster of TPP which reduce American workers to extreme and wide spread poverty?
Sometimes even Republicans can be right. After all, they are against Common Core…but a Democratic choice by Obama, and Clinton.
What failed and devious leadership! I am placing my bet on Bernie.
Up to NJ Teacher at 6:31 PM–just re-opened this & read your reply to my comment. I’m so sorry, saddened & disappointed. In fact, we just returned from an NJ trip, where I had the pleasure (!) of reading The Star Ledger for 3 days–up close & personal Christie stuff. (Such good editing, too–in an article about Morristown, they left out the L in the word public!) Anyway, this gives me all the more reason to be for Bernie–never a sell-out, & never will be.
Also–please do NOT make the assumption that Bernie will not, cannot win the primary.
He has amassed a lot of money thus far (I believe the last I heard it was $15 million to a $45 million for Hillary–&–I know that sounds like peanuts, & she’s going to wind up w/BIG $$$), he’s been making appearances, & he’s drawn huge crowds (I think it was 10,000 in Madison, & was covered by Ed Schultz), & stands to do even better Last thought on this–& I’ve heard the same from many other educators–the thought is that he really is perceived as a viable threat & that, in part, is why Randi & her henchwomen
(i.e., the AFT “Executive Council”–or whatever it’s called) decided to make this extremely early Hilary endorsement.
Again, 99% is > than 1%, & if 99% of us gave whatever we could, it would all add up (so many are able to give more than $100!). Bernie 2016.
And I urge you to go to Bernie 2016 to see the extremely clever petition request done by Ben & Jerry–nothing like I’ve ever seen before.
The AFT needs a “vote of no confidence” in their top leadership IMMEDIATELY! This is not democracy in action. Union dues are not paid for the benefit of a union led as a dictatorship! Shame on the leadership acting in this hideous way in a time when union strength is ever-so-important!
The AFT convention is not until July 2016 in Minneapolis. This early is too early for any endorsement, and the claim, by Randi, that a “poll” (by Hart Associates) constitutes a way of deciding what the AFT’s 1.6 million members want is insulting to all of us. Plus, it discredits the Hart polling group, which has proved useful in the past. Those of us who usually ignore polls probably would have taken part had we been told that it was actually a nationwide “vote” on a presidential endorsement long long before the election. The big difference this year is the explosion of anger and rejection of the attempt by Randi’s faction in AFT to dictate this this early. The spread of democracy in AFT locals across the USA has changed the landscape in a big way from the days when Al Shanker (or Sandy Feldman or Ed McElroy) could dictate a “national” decision based on the fact that 40 percent of the votes at a national convention were in the pocket of New York (the UFT and NYSUT). The big explosion in July will be when the Progressive Caucus faces major opposition for the first time in history.
No doubt, this is seen at AFT headquarters as a “strategic” move to get a foot in the door with what is perceived to be a Hillary Clinton presidency.
I’m no Hillary fan. She’s far too close to Wall Street. And then there’s that vote on the Iraq war….
Having said that, she has more clout and access to far more money than does Bernie Sanders. And she’s got Bill Clinton to campaign for her. Obama will too.
In a more ideal world, the Dems would choose Bernie Sanders, or – perhaps better – Elizabeth Warren. But it’s not a more ideal world (yet).
So, if the choice comes to Hillary Clinton or ANY of the Republican candidates, then it becomes crystal clear. If the citizenry desires more corporate and upper-bracket tax cuts, and more war-like global posturing, and more big debt, then any of the Republicans will do. But if the public favors promoting the general welfare of the country, and if the people believe in interpreting the Constitution according to its core principles and values, then the Democratic candidate is far preferable. And Hillary is most likely that candidate.
I am no fan of Randi Weingarten. Not even close. She’s said and done some dumb and harmful things. But she wants to be a “player.” She wants that “seat at the table.” (Honestly, though, one she has it, does she really know what to do with it?) And so she’s jumped on the Hillary bandwagon.
Now, is Hillary Clinton better on the issue of education than any of the Republicans. Undoubtedly. But how much better off is public schooling under Obama? Will Hillary adopt the Obama’s education policies or develop more sensible ones?
If Hillary Clinton is elected president, is Randi Weingarten – or her counterpart at the NEA – the right person to be advocating for public education and teachers?
Given her track record, I think that’s extremely unlikely.
Eugene V. Debs received almost one million votes as a third party socialist candidate. One of my favorite quotes: “I’d rather vote for what I want and not get it, than vote for what I don’t want, and get it!”
The struggles of that time won many victories, like the 8 hour day. Today’s full time worker works an average of 47 hours. We are going backwards in every arena; private capital enlarges it’s sphere. Vote for Hillary Clinton? No way!
At the very least–in other words, in spite of my personal repugnance at the prospect of another Bush-Clinton (or Bush-anyone for that matter) race–this endorsement is premature.
The decision to endorse Hilary Clinton was a profound example of lack of transparency. Not good. Members of AFT expect and deserve much, much better.
Nepotism is a reason not to vote for Hillary. Just like the common core, win on your own merits.
Hillary is not my first choice, but I think she stands the best chance to win on the Dem side, and I don’t want an R! We know what what would do. I think it is about being realistic. I will vote for her, because even if Bernie could win the primaries, the “Socialist” label would make for a sure defeat. Think of Fox News 24/7. I am in Texas and many of my coworkers vote R, in spite of the obvious. I want to have a strong candidate to counter that.
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Texas Education.
What “matters most” is building a strong, democratic union that will make politicians stand up for kids, schools, and democracy. And there’s no need to be a union member to defend democracy in the labor movement. We need democratic unions for a democratic society. Union members should demand the AFT exec council rescind the decision, in favor of having a referendum. But thanks for linking to my piece on AFT’s endorsement of Clinton. Here’s the piece ITT adapted: http://newpol.org/content/afts-endorsement-clinton-undemocratic-decision-should-be-reversed
Exactly. Thank you for your many works on behalf of building unions in the real sense of what a union is supposed to be. I encourage everyone to read Lois’s book, “The Future of Our Schools: Teachers Unions and Social Justice.”
This is why we no longer have political conventions, where parties create policy platforms. It is just a coronation as powers like the AFT interfere with the process of the primary. Let’s see how the voters feel about Hillary first. the Union always ends up picking a loser, as they did when Bill DeBlasio swept New York. We can not believe the polls, but this is what determines who is in the debates. It is all fixed. If Hillary needs the Union’s help now, what is her problem? If her real poll numbers were out, I am sure that Elizabeth Warren could crush her, if she came into the race. No one has answered the question, “Are you ready for Hillary?”. Doesn’t that make you want to run out to vote, Like, “Are you ready for the Flu?” I see everyone staying away from the polls.
BERNIE SANDERS!
Let us teach irony folks.
Randi W tweet yesterday:
“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. Elected officials shld encourage, not block access to the ballot.”
Hahahahahaahaha!
Until it’s a rigged poll and she doesn’t want to hear from her dues paying members.
Unions should get out of the business of uncritically endorsing candidates anyway. I’m done with AFT after this. Clinton is a pro voucher corporate stooge who hasn’t given the union anything besides a precious friendship with Randi. The point in endorsing should be extract a political concession.
Reblogged this on rjknudsen.