(May 20, 2019) - - At least two major education organizations in the U.S.A. are commenting on issues being raised in the current national political campaigns. Two examples follow:
Example 1: American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten Welcomes Bernie Sanders’ Charter Schools Proposal May 17, 2019 WASHINGTON—AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement on Sen. Bernie Sanders’ latest presidential campaign proposal: “Ninety percent of parents in this country send their kids to public schools, and they want those public schools to be top priority. That’s why Sen. Sanders’ plan to invest in public schools and provide real accountability over private alternatives is vitally important. For the last several decades, the unregulated growth of private charter schools has siphoned off money from public schools, with little protection against fraud, and little attention paid to equity or quality when it comes to educating kids. “The senator’s plan takes tangible steps toward making the charter school industry accountable to parents and the public, including calling for a moratorium until an audit can assess how charter growth has affected resource-strapped public schools. It also lays out a strategy for supporting educators in existing charter schools, many of whom face sweatshop-like working conditions. Increasingly, charter school educators have come together to fight for a voice on the job—in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit and elsewhere—advocating for the tools they need to teach their kids effectively. Sanders’ plan calls for an end to for-profit charters that are designed to turn education into a profit-making business rather than investing in teaching and learning. And it requires charter schools to disclose data about their funding and finances, to tamp down on the type of waste and abuse that has shut down charter schools mid-school year in several states across the country. “Thanks to Sen. Sanders for proposing some real checks and balances for the charter school system.” Credit: American Federation of Teachers |
NEA applauds Sanders K-12 Public Education Proposal Candidates continue to make public education central to the 2020 election WASHINGTON - May 18, 2019 - National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen García provided the following statement in response to the release of Senator Bernie Sanders’ education proposal: “At the core of Sen. Sanders’ proposal is an understanding that as a country we have a responsibility to provide a great neighborhood public school for every student in every ZIP code and that improving our public schools requires investing in them -- not taking away resources. This proposal is welcome as the nation marks the anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, which remains an unrealized promise. “For more than a year now, the national #RedForEd movement, led by parents and students, has spearheaded a national conversation to demand the public schools our students deserve. The Sanders plan recognizes this movement and rightly calls for an increase in teacher pay, which is badly needed at a time when the pay for all educators continues to fall and they are leaving the profession in droves. “Educators also appreciate his call to ban unaccountable, for-profit charter schools that have taken scarce funding and opportunity from students in neighborhood public schools, and that for too long have helped to further racial discrimination and segregation in America’s schools. “What is becoming increasingly clear in light of this and other recent education proposals is that, as the eyes of the nation turn to the 2020 presidential campaign, the country is hungry to elect a president who will not only do what is in the best interest of public education but also ensure that students have the schools they deserve.” NEA is in the early stages of evaluating 2020 presidential candidates and recently launched its Strong Public Schools 2020 campaign. Praise for any candidate’s proposal should not be seen as an endorsement of that candidate. As America’s largest organization of educators, NEA will be engaging in conversation with all candidates as we vet them to determine who has the best ideas for ensuring all students, regardless of where they live, receive support, tools, and time to learn. Educators are trusted and powerful voices in every community. NEA represents 1 in 100 Americans, and 1 in 39 voters comes from an NEA household. NEA members are located in every U.S. congressional district, including key battleground states, which makes them key electoral influencers. Credit: National Education Association |
.
Rate this article