AFT executive council shoots themselves in the foot... endorses Clinton w/o asking the membership

[Man of Distinction]

Lots of angry teachers solidly for Bernie. Some are so pissed off that they are determined to spread the message of Bernie.

https://www.facebook.com/AFTunion/posts/10153179896154160

A BIG BIG hat tip goes to madfloridan for the gem..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=438326

[sabrina 1]

1. Not a smart move on the part of the Leadership. Now they are facing a revolt and a whole lot of

negative press for Hillary. Don't know a single teacher who isn't rooting for Bernie Sanders, due to his policies on education. As a teacher I have no clue what Hillary's policies are but I know what Bernie's are so I am with those who are angry about this authoritarian endorsement without the input of the membership.

[libdem4life]

7. Teachers don't take kindly to not being consulted. I didn't know about this, but will be watching

very closely. Also, as I discovered...see my other post...parents do not like their child's teacher being strong-armed or threatened. It is usually, especially in grammar school, a close and somewhat personal relationship. In our case, the PTA got involved.

[sabrina 1]

13. True, I have always had extremely good relationships with the parents of my students, and if a

teacher is not happy, parents generally are not happy. So it's more than just the membership, you are correct.

[libdem4life]

18. Glad to know you're a teacher...enjoy your posts. What grade or level? I'm retired from

primary.

[sabrina 1]

135. Ist through 3rd grade.

We need educators not businessmen writing education policy. It's clear from what passes today for 'education' is the concept of people who have no clue, nor are they interested in, what the word means. Turning our educational system into a profit making scheme was a disaster for this country. What is so sad that educators supported Democrats in the hope that NCLB would be abolished. Instead we have enhanced version of it.

[Agschmid]

142. Looks like you should support the candidate who wants to abolish NCLB...

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2008/04/09/Both-Clinton-and-Obama-attack-No-Child-Left-Behind-Act/stories/200804090213

Mrs. Clinton, who voted for NCLB in 2001, has toughened her language on the law recently, moving from a pledge to "reform and fully fund" the act when she answered an American Federation of Teachers questionnaire in July to saying in recent months, as she did in Lancaster, that she will "put an end to the unfunded mandate called No Child Left Behind."

[hr]
This is why any candidate we have is 10x the candidate the Republicans have.

[roguevalley]

100. local pres. vp secretary and state sec here for 20 years

For my aft local, I was pissed to see this. aft is a union tough and smart. This will not go well.

[JaneyVee]

125. Leadership never asks members, my union endorses who they think is best.

We even get letters sent home of all state races who our union endorses. This is how its always been done.

[Scootaloo]

2. What.

Y'know, I wasn't gonna comment on this endorsement. i had assumed that the mmbership was consulted. That there was transparency.

I guess not?

[cherokeeprogressive]

14. Wow. THAT'S interesting. n/t

[BrotherIvan]

141. Or the comments on Ravitch's blog

http://dianeravitch.net/2015/07/11/aft-endorses-hillary/

There are quite a few unhappy teachers on this issue. The press release said there was a poll but all over the net teachers were saying they did not participate.

[libdem4life]

3. I've been a good Democrat all my adult life. But my school district in California was the first one

they tried to unionize in 1975.

They closed down the beginning of school, wouldn't let the kids or parents on the school grounds. It had been decided at a Sunday rally, and almost no one else knew of it. They did it for a 2% raise. I'll not go into detail, but suffice it to say it was ugly, threatening, intimidating and downright illegal the things they did.

[zappaman]

4. Why do you say they didn't poll the membership?

Weingarten and Clinton have been personal friends for years and the union threw its weight behind the Democrat during her 2008 campaign as well. In the resolution declaring its endorsement, the AFT said it polled its members twice and held two town halls before deciding which primary candidate to back.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/11/american-federation-of-teachers-clinton_n_7777410.html

[HooptieWagon]

9. Members saying on FB no vote was taken.

Why would they lie? Probably the "vote" was just a board vote, not a full membership vote.

[SusanCalvin]

12. Interesting.

Thank you for the information.

[HooptieWagon]

19. One FB commenter...

...said he contacted 40 members of his local, and none knew anything about a vote.

[wyldwolf]

23. Over 500 FB users liked the endorsement.

[HooptieWagon]

25. FB likes are easily bought.

Hillary has bought a bunch of them.

[wyldwolf]

26. and anyone can post on that thread - teacher or not.

[HooptieWagon]

34. True. And it appeared many commenters weren't teachers.

Plus, word probably went out on the HRC FB page announcing the "endorsement" of teachers, and got a lot of likes from Hillary supporters who never heard of AFT or its presidents position on Hillarys Super PAC. FB "likes" can in no way be considered a "poll".

[wyldwolf]

159. Like wise word probably went out...

To the BS folks and they flooded it with negative comments

[BeanMusical]

83. Lots of people saying that they prefer Bernie in that thread.

I'm sure that they are all paid shills, that sure would fit the guy's reputation.

[nationalize the fed]

76. Here's one that offers 10,000 likes for $300

even takes paypal, which is interesting considering paypal just froze http://voat.co

http://www.buylikesandfollowers.net/buy-facebook-likes-cheap.html

what a joke everything has become.

[Agschmid]

108. The only "like" that matters is in the voting booth.

[wyldwolf]

162. so are facebook comments

[Exilednight]

161. Have you ever noticed that FB doesn't have a dislike option?

I'd be curious to see how many times that choice would have been made if available.

[riversedge]

186. Survey was done by Hart Research....

http://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/memo_presidentialsurvey2015.pdf

[SusanCalvin]

10. If they did, OK.

I'd like a link to the results.

[sabrina 1]

15. I am a teacher and know many, many other teachers. 2008 teachers were promised many things.

They were betrayed. You clearly are not up on this issue. I oppose this endorsement and don't know a single teacher so far who supports it.

They were NOT polled, so either a select few were polled, or someone is lying.

Meantime there is another way membership can endorse the candidate they believe best represents them. And that is what teachers and other union members are doing.

I see some very bad press for Hillary from this.

What are her educational policies? I can't find a single teacher who knows.

[SusanCalvin]

69. We all were promised,

or at least implied, a lot in 2008. We got the best our corporate masters would allow.

[NJCher]

44. I'm an AFT member

In the resolution declaring its endorsement, the AFT said it polled its members twice and held two town halls before deciding which primary candidate to back.

And I heard bupkus.

When I announced this to our local, within a few minutes I had this first email, and there have been others:

Little early for an endorsement????
Article says two member polls were taken.......We were not included in either poll. Who was part of the poll?
Nancy

Hey, Randi, you and your BFF can take a hike. I'm voting for Bernie.


Cher

[rhett o rick]

115. Yeah "the AFT said that they polled their members". Wow, now that's proof. nm

[zappaman]

134. So they're lying?

Got proof?

[Agschmid]

143. Nah they never do, but if they don't agree it can't be true.

[zappaman]

147. Sad but true.

[rhett o rick]

166. So you say that they did poll their members?

[zappaman]

173. No, they are saying that.

What evidence do you have that they didn't, Rick?
Maybe we should ask the OP.
Oops, he's gone.
Just another troll....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=324373

[Bobbie Jo]

192. Finally

Last edited Mon Jul 13, 2015, 01:34 AM - Edit history (1)

Obvious troll was obvious. Well, to some of us that is...

Thanks MIRT.

Correction: thanks Skinner?

[HooptieWagon]

5. AFT president is a board member of Hillary's Super PAC

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/01/23/expanded-priorities-usa-boards-strong-ties-to-labor-corporate-interests/

Although the claim is made 75% of member teachers support Hillary, it seems like no vote was taken. Looks like more Clinton dirty tricks, and a whole lot more votes for Bernie.

[sabrina 1]

17. What are Hillary's education policies? I keep asking but no one seems to know, or are ignoring

the question.

[QC]

20. She supports good things and opposes bad ones. n/t

[HooptieWagon]

22. No one knows.

Apparently the endorsement had nothing to do with candidates positions, and everything to do with AFT president being board member of Hillarys Super PAC.

[Chan790]

29. "4 legs good, 2 legs better."

Same as on any other topic...she's in bed with the people who are the problem and want to exploit her constituents so she needs to finesse her supporters to assent to the exploitation so they'll ignore her selling them down the river for her benefit.

[BeanMusical]

96. +1

[BeanMusical]

201. Can I use part of your post as a sig line? Please?

[Chan790]

202. Yes. n/t

[BeanMusical]

203. Thank you!

Did, it. Great thinking and writing.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

31. She supports charter school and testing veteran teachers.

She isn't much different than Arnie Duncan.

[dsc]

92. she doesn't support charters

that is a flat out, gold carat lie.

[Man of Distinction]

123. Google-fu says you are wrong.

A simple google of hillary clinton private charters Reveals this first item on the list...

http://www.publiccharters.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Who-Supports-Charter-Schools.pdf

I cannot tell a lie, it's right there in their own website.

[madfloridian]

130. She most definitely does.

[madfloridian]

32. Very much for Common Core, loves charters, doesn't like vouchers.

Doesn't want overtesting. Good things and bad.

[sabrina 1]

36. So basically for the privatization of the Public Schools. Because you really can't be for

Common Core and Charters and FOR the Public Schools.

Thanks, her supporters don't seem to know where she stands. Took a Bernie supporter to answer the question.

Something I have noted about her supporters here, they never talk much about Hillary, they talk about Bernie. But then EVERYONE is talking about Bernie! Lol!

[Agschmid]

47. Her supporters know, they just don't bother replying because they know you won't care.

We are all taking the bait in this thread, maybe they aren't?

[HooptieWagon]

74. She's for NCLB.

[Agschmid]

94. Except that she is not...

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2008/04/09/Both-Clinton-and-Obama-attack-No-Child-Left-Behind-Act/stories/200804090213

Mrs. Clinton, who voted for NCLB in 2001, has toughened her language on the law recently, moving from a pledge to "reform and fully fund" the act when she answered an American Federation of Teachers questionnaire in July to saying in recent months, as she did in Lancaster, that she will "put an end to the unfunded mandate called No Child Left Behind."

[madfloridian]

131. They substituted Race to the Top, but NCLB still in effect I understand.

Race to the Top is making education a competition, which gives a foot in the door to corporations bragging they can do it better through charter schools.

[Exilednight]

163. Actions speak louder than words. Those might be her words, but her action was her vote.

[SusanCalvin]

66. Support for charters

Can be good or bad, depending on whether one wants to hold them accountable, and whether one views them as laboratories or profit centers.

[Agschmid]

46. Try Google, it works.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/117989/hillary-clintons-education-policy-other-implications-2016

Where Hillary Clinton Stands

To some degree, Clinton has sought to triangulate between the two education camps in her party. She collected the American Federation of Teachers’ endorsement in 2007, pledging to “protect the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively.” On the campaign trail, she decried standardized tests (which provide much of the data reformers see as critically important), asking, “How much creativity are we losing? How much of our children’s passion is being killed?” However, like her husband, she’s been a steady backer of charter schools. She’s been open to linking teacher pay to student performance, though she prefers that student achievement be measured and bonuses be distributed on a schoolwide basis—not to individually successful teachers.

But Clinton’s future positions on education may have less to do with her past and more to do with the current political environment. For a variety of reasons—scorching conservative opposition, congressional inaction, implementation snafus, etc.—the Obama administration’s reforms have been extremely controversial. While opposition to the Common Core is both more complicated and less widespread than usually reported, it’s emblematic of a weakening American appetite for national education initiatives.

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/clinton-faces-questions-education-reform

Hillary Clinton told members of a powerful teachers union in Washington D.C. this week that organized labor has an important role to play in public education, and that critics of unions are “dead wrong to make teachers the scapegoats.”

The American Federation of Teachers, the nation’s second largest teachers’ union, met with all three declared Democratic presidential candidates to consider endorsements (former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee had not yet announced). Each candidate spent an hour meeting with the union’s executive council and members who were invited to ask questions.

Teachers unions have lately found themselves in the crosshairs of many education reform activists and Republicans, who see the unions as caring less about educating children than protecting themselves. Reformers tend to favor charter schools, which are often not unionized, along with stricter teacher testing standards, and less employment protection for educators.

In the meeting with AFT Tuesday, Clinton in particular faced numerous questions on hot-button issues in public education, according to AFT president Randi Weingarten. “Secretary Clinton got a lot of questions about testing, and about the very granular aspects of public education, and she clearly had spent a lot of time thinking about it,” Weingarten told msnbc in an interview Wednesday evening.

[hr]
Both of these articles list some policy positions and her website has others. Also note she met with AFT several weeks ago so this has been "in the works".

[BeanMusical]

85. What she "stands" for and her record are 2 different things.

[Agschmid]

89. I can't even believe I have to post this...

Her record and positions are pretty liberal...

Q: Has the debate so far in this campaign paid enough attention to education?

A: I don’t think it has. In the debates that we’ve had, education is an afterthought. But when I go out and campaign all over the country, it’s really on the minds of people. And I’ve outlined a very vigorous education agenda starting with universal prekindergarten, changing No Child Left Behind, making college affordable, finding programs for training and apprenticeship for kids who don’t go to college.

Q: Why has education not come along as fast as other societal changes?

A: I think it’s a combination of a lot of factors. Everybody is an expert on education because we all went to school. And therefore, local control means that there are millions upon millions of opinions in America about what we should do. I don’t think we have reached a consensus that reflects the reality today. Our public school system worked so well for America for so long. We’ve got to make sure it works as well for our future.
Source: Huffington Post Mash-Up: 2007 Democratic on-line debate , Sep 13, 2007

Universal pre-kindergarten; and make family the best school
[We should be] particularly focusing on kids who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, I think you have to start with preschool, even before pre-kindergarten. I’ve advocated universal pre-kindergarten. I think you have to start even earlier to try to help the family be the best school and teaching opportunity for their own children.
Source: 2007 Democratic primary debate on “This Week” , Aug 19, 2007

Establish right to education from pre-school thru college
Let’s recommit ourselves to the idea that every young person in America has the right to a high-quality education, from pre-school all the way through college. I have proposed universal pre-kindergarten for every 4-year-old. If we provide that, the evidence is overwhelming, children will stay in school longer, they will do better, and they’ll stay out of trouble. Because you know what? There are states in our country who actually plan how many prison beds they will need by looking at third grade reading scores. They look at the failure rates and they extrapolate how many prison spots they’re going to need in 10 to 15 years. Well, I think it is time that we had a real debate about that. And I, for one, would much rather pay for pre-kindergarten than for more prison beds. Let’s keep kids on the right track and out of the prison system.
Source: Take Back America 2007 Conference , Jun 20, 2007

Teachers need more peer consulting & more recognition
1 out of 3 new teachers leaves the first year, and in some urban areas it’s 1 out of 2. We’ve got to make sure that our newly minted teachers teach in fields that they are prepared in; and that we not give the toughest assignments to such young teachers. We also have to provide quality, ongoing professional development. And teachers need the time to prepare their courses, consult with their peers about the strategies that work, and be recognized & rewarded for your knowledge and your skills.
Source: Remarks to NEA in Orlando, Florida , Jul 5, 1999

And she was also endorsed by educators unions in 2007...

NEA-NH Endorses Senator Hillary Clinton

MANCHESTER, NH – At an event in Manchester this afternoon, the New Hampshire affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA-NH) officially announced its endorsement of Senator Hillary Clinton for President. With 16,000 members, NEA-NH is the largest union in the Granite State.

“I honored to have earned the support of this incredible organization,” said Senator Clinton. “Together we will work to strengthen America’s public education system, ensure that every child has the opportunity live up to his or her potential, and provide our educators with the resources they need.”

As an advocate, First Lady, and United States Senator, Hillary has fought to raise the education standards in our nation’s schools. Hillary is committed to both fully funding and reforming No Child Left Behind (NCLB). She is also working actively to secure additional funding for early childhood education programs, such as Head Start, that help prepare children to succeed in school.

“We are extremely proud to announce our support of Senator Clinton for president today,” said Rhonda Wesolowski, NEA-NH President. “Senator Clinton has been working to improve education for 35 years. She has laid out a plan to establish universal pre-kindergarten, and is committed to reforming and fully funding the No Child Left Behind Act. We believe that Senator Clinton will be a president who advocates on behalf of our nation’s educators and works to improve our public education system.”

As an advocate, First Lady, and United States Senator, Hillary has fought to raise the education standards in our nation’s schools. Hillary is committed to:

Closing the Early Achievement Gap by:

Investing in innovative nurse home visitation programs to help first-time mothers prepare for, and care for, their newborn children.
Expanding access to high quality child care by increasing funding for the Child Care Development Block Grant to keep pace with rising costs.
Expanding Early Head Start, which Hillary helped to create when she was First Lady.
Providing $10 billion in funding to states to establish high-quality pre-K programs. States would provide pre-K at no cost to children from low-income children and/or limited English homes, and could use the funds on a range of early childhood programs once they had reached that benchmark. Programs will be administered through existing community-based preschools to ensure that parents have a range of options.

Cutting the drop out rate among African American and Hispanic students in half over the next decade through:

Expanding mentoring and support programs to help one million at-risk youth aspire for college and job success.
Launching a $100 million Public/Private Internship Initiative to give at-risk middle- and high-school students job skills and work experience during the summer.
Investing in innovative initiatives like early college high schools and multiple pathway programs.
Doubling federal support for GEAR UP, an early intervention and college preparation program for at risk students.
Providing financial incentives to recruit and retain outstanding teachers in high-need areas.

Making college accessible and affordable for all Americans by:

Lowering the cost of college through a $3,500 tuition tax credit, enough to cover more than 50% of the cost of tuition at the average public institution for many families.
Increasing the Pell Grant.
Providing $500 million to strengthen community colleges.
Providing $250 million to improve college graduation rates.
Providing a $10,000 scholarship for people who complete a full years of public service.
Simplifying the federal student aid process.
Providing clear information about the real cost of college well in advance to help families plan.

This agenda builds on Hillary’s long record of support for education. In Arkansas, Hillary chaired the Arkansas Educational Standards Commission, which improved schools; as First Lady of the U.S., she helped grow the federal afterschool initiative from a $1 million pilot program to $1 billion program, reaching children in every state. As Senator, she created programs to recruit and retain teachers and principals to underserved areas; enacted legislation to eliminate environmental toxins in schools; helped write legislation to reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act; championed successful efforts to expand the number of math and science teachers and provide math and science educators with innovative teaching tools; and enacted legislation to create income-contingent repayment programs for student loans and to reduce student debt for teachers, child care workers, and other service professionals.

The New Hampshire for Hillary campaign has announced the names of over 500 educators from across the state who are supporting Senator Clinton. In addition, Dr. Lyonel Tracy, New Hampshire Commissioner of Education, recently announced his endorsement of Hillary for president.

[Cha]

151. Mahalo for Hillary's record on Education, Agschimd.. and, this little tidbit..!

"The New Hampshire for Hillary campaign has announced the names of over 500 educators from across the state who are supporting Senator Clinton. In addition, Dr. Lyonel Tracy, New Hampshire Commissioner of Education, recently announced his endorsement of Hillary for president."

[roguevalley]

110. linking pay to performance is bullshit. she supports that and she can take a hike

[wyldwolf]

180. the pollster ATF employed is Bernie Sanders' pollster

http://hartresearch.com/clients/

[HooptieWagon]

181. Your link doesn't state they conducted the poll.

Who conducted the alleged "poll"?

[wyldwolf]

182. this one does

http://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/memo_presidentialsurvey2015.pdf

[onehandle]

6. So some people on the Internets are 'angry.' 'Teachers,' I'm told.

I'm a teacher and I endorse Donald Trump!

No wait... I'm just a guy on the Internets.

[sabrina 1]

21. I'm a teacher, and I endorse Bernie Sanders, as do most of my fellow teachers, who are human beings

some of whom post on the internet, and some of whom do not.

[Enthusiast]

60. Huge +1!

[jwirr]

41. You are a teacher - did you get to vote on this?

[BeanMusical]

75. :crickets:

[SusanCalvin]

8. I'm pro union, but

not if they don't listen to their members! Otherwise what is the point?

[Thinkingabout]

55. They did two polls.

[SusanCalvin]

59. I'd be interested in details. nt

[HooptieWagon]

81. Maybe not.

Read the Twitter replies.
https://mobile.twitter.com/rweingarten/status/620004790584614913
Whole lot of members unaware of any polls. And don't know anyone who was polled.

[Agschmid]

106. Anecdotal at best.

[HooptieWagon]

109. Leadership won't produce the poll numbers...

The questions, or the methodology. I wonder why.

[aspirant]

116. It's time these unions are cleansed of the "Capitalists"

[Agschmid]

119. Yup because "cleansings" are typically wicked progressive, and have worked out so well in the past.

[aspirant]

124. The revolution is now, not in the past

[Agschmid]

126. Okay well then "cleanse" away.

NBC will not be able predict the winner at 8:32
Or report from 29 districts
The revolution will not be televised

[aspirant]

128. Thank you for supporting the cause.

[Thinkingabout]

11. Are you a member of the AFT?

[Agschmid]

48. No they are just barely a member of DU.

[Thinkingabout]

54. That is why I was wondering why they dud not know polling had occurred two times.

Most unions votes on things by membership. Gotcha on the rest.

[HooptieWagon]

79. Read the Twitter replies.

https://mobile.twitter.com/rweingarten/status/620004790584614913
Apparently members didn't know anything about any "polls" and don't know anyone who was polled.

[Thinkingabout]

164. I was a union officer, I heard this statement about members didn't know anything, I can tell you

many times the information is blown off and thrown in the garbage. They are notified and just ignore.


Randi Weingarten Verified Account

@rweingarten





@StevenSinger3 @AFTunion yes..2 polls-2d late June- 79% of union members say endorse;67% of those dem primary voters said @HillaryClinton


Most of the time the unions uses the most votes wins and though all member may not have voted it is still the majority rules just as in political elections.

[sheshe2]

97. Hey you~

On Sat Jul 11, 2015, 11:18 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

No they are just barely a member of DU.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=438597

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

Personal attack.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Sat Jul 11, 2015, 11:56 PM, and the Jury voted 1-6 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: This has to be one of the weakest challenges yet in this game of DU gotcha!
I'm a Bernie fan, but that question is not an attack. And to claim it is seems really kind of petty.

Let's stop this game of gotcha' and you can't post here anymore because you have 5 black marks on your record. What in the world is this about? This is a discussion board, not a sorority from which people can be blackballed.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: The kindest thing I can say is that this is a stretch if it's defined as a personal attack.
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No need to jump on someone just because they are new. Mods used to jump all over this kind of crap back in the day - which was a good idea then and still is.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: NO! Stop with the alert stalking. There was no personal attack by this poster. These alerts are childish. It is now perfectly clear, shut people up when you do not like the message. Funny thing, Agschmid is one of the most fair and balanced people on DU. Clue, they are a Bernie supporter blocked from the BS group for not toeing the line. You see, said poster does not bash Hillary. Leave It!

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[Agschmid]

98. Thanks, I've been getting alerted on quite a bit lately must have ticked someone off.

Appreciate seeing the results.

[sheshe2]

111. There is a lot of that going around lately.

I got your back!

[wyldwolf]

16. Yeah, let's look at that facebook thread of 'angry teachers.'

LOL! Teachers Union, is a freaking joke

none of the democrats are any good

I'm sad there is no one else to endorse.

How can you endorse someone when you don't even know who the other candidates are?

Can't believe you are those who are supposed to be teaching our kids but instead you are indoctrinating our children with your communist propaganda.

bernie sanders he is as bad as hillary, you people are crazy

etc.

Tons of angry right wing teachers in that thread based on the right wing memes in there, too.

[libdem4life]

24. I'm no longer active, but in my years of experience teachers tend towards liberal, can and

do think for themselves, and the benefits for the kids rank a close second. I cannot imagine an entire flock of right wing teachers. Maybe at the high school or higher eduction level, and maybe I'm a couple of generations away.

Once they literally forced a "new and improved" reading program on us...first of the year. I was teaching 1st grade that year..."the dawn of reading enlightment" which is why I loved it.

Not a one of us taught it...it was insipid and prominently stacked up in the corner by the sink...unused. And it was noiselessly withdrawn the next year. Same with tons of the other crap, and this was before the union. These were the years we had to buy EVERYTHING...Proposition 13 had gutted the budget. I learned how to make paste...truly...flour and water and some salt and food coloring. In fact we all did it together.

But no matter how bad it got, we could handle it and didn't need the well-dressed, well-paid District or Union folks telling us what we could do.

[sabrina 1]

27. I am a progressive Democrat and a teacher. I know what Bernie Sanders policies on Education

are, I have no clue what Hillary's are. Maybe you can enlighten those of us Democratic Teachers what her policies are so we can make an informed decision as to whether or not this endorsement represents the membership, the parents and the students who will be affected by it.

Teachers in this country are the least respected profession which is why many of the best leave and go on to other professions. Sanders knows this and has an excellent grasp of why this country is so far behind in so many areas of education compared to other developed nations.

I see your comment but it tells me nothing about Hillary's position on this most important issue, not just to teachers, but to the parents who feel betrayed by the policies that have subjected their children to a system that is failing so badly and for so long now, since Bush introduced his Business program cynically called 'NCLB' now enhanced and much worse, under this administration.

Teachers were promised many things during the 2008 campaign, now they feel betrayed as they watch the privatization of the Public School System for profit.

I do not know a single teacher who supports the current 'system' and I know quite a few who quit due to the fact that this privatization system makes education impossible for good teachers.

So, what are Hillary's policies on this most important issue? I don't have any idea so would like to know why this Union Leader saw fit to endorse someone whose policies are virtually unknown even to teachers, let alone parents.

[wyldwolf]

28. there is zero evidence that thread is full of 'angry teachers.' Anyone can post on it.

[sabrina 1]

39. What? I asked you where Hillary stands on Education and you respond with a reference to some

thread somewhere on the internet I have zero interest in.

Are you actually unaware of where she stands?

So let me ask you this, why would you support a candidate without knowing where they stand on one of the most important issues facing this country right now, one that will affect generations of Americans?

[L0oniX]

42. Nice non-answer.

[Duckhunter935]

43. Why don't you answer the question?

[Agschmid]

50. Beacuse... Google.

It's not that hard, and no matter what they say everyone is just going to have the same opinion. Some people will vote for Sanders, some will vote for Hillary, and yes even some for O'Malley... their opinions aren't going to be swayed here.

[Man of Distinction]

129. Google found me this...

http://www.publiccharters.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Who-Supports-Charter-Schools.pdf

And that was the first item from googling hillary clinton private charter

[Agschmid]

136. Yup.

Google found that for me too... notice I didn't say anything about Charters.

[madfloridian]

35. Actually the way that both parties have screwed career teachers...

teachers who have spent their years doing the best they can under tough circumstances..the way the first thing Arne and Obama did was diss the teachers' union...long sentence. BUT can you blame them for sounding disillusioned and angry?

I have posted a lot about their anger, and people here ridiculed or ignored me.

I don't blame them at all.

[cherokeeprogressive]

40. "How can you endorse someone when you don't even know who the other candidates are?"

That's somehow a rw question? AFT does not know who will be on the ballot during the primaries. How the hell do you endorse a candidate without knowing who the candidates ARE?

[Ken Burch]

49. "communist propaganda"? Seriously?

So anybody who disagrees with you from the left was duped by...well, who? Moscow isn't "red&quot actually, it hasn't been since Stalin took over in '24), Beijing is as capitalist as Beverly Hills now, Havana's just trying to feed its own folks...doesn't really leave anybody else to be the Big Commie Puppetmaster anymore, does it?

[wyldwolf]

160. That was a comment by a 'teacher' on the facebook thread

[Ken Burch]

189. Which was not clear from your post.

Wouldn't you agree, though, that it's silly to label anybody's campaign message this year as "communist propaganda"?

Nobody's a "red" in that sense anymore. We're all past that.

[bravenak]

30. Did they get a chance to vote on it? If so, what was the result?

[HooptieWagon]

37. It doesn't seem like there was a vote.

Looks like it was an Executive Council decision, of which most members unaware.

[bravenak]

38. That's really foul.

[Agschmid]

51. Then their members aren't paying attention, considering the meeting happened June 6th *ish*

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/clinton-faces-questions-education-reform

[HooptieWagon]

56. Last week of school?

Ok it was definately rigged. And that wasn't the "vote". No one recalls a vote, yet AFT claims they polled 1 million of their 1.6 million members, and won't (can't) produce results. This was a sham. More Clinton dirty tricks.

[Agschmid]

57. Please...

Lemme guess you miss a red light, that is also rigged?

Damn the system!

[elleng]

33. GOOD!

[Starry Messenger]

45. 67% of AFT Democratic primary voters polled selected Hillary

https://twitter.com/rweingarten/status/620004790584614913

The EC made its decision based on contact with 1 million AFT members, and polling. The info is in their press release.

I am one of the likes on the endorsement post on FB, it was not paid for. I did not leave a comment because I didn't want to get a nasty reply.

I am an AFT member and teacher.

[Agschmid]

52. Now how are we sure that Monsanto didn't reimburse you for the "like"?!?!?!

Prove it, and they didn't ask me!

I studied teaching for two semesters in college so obviously the poll is bullshit.

[BeanMusical]

61. What's the deal with mentioning Monsanto in many supposedly

sarcastic replies from Hillary groupies lately? This kind of "clever" trick have been used by the RWNJs ad nauseam for years now and it's very childish to say the least. Have you read the FB thread? Teachers are pissed.

[Agschmid]

64. My Mosanto comment comes directly from another thread in GDP, check it out.

And no I'm not a RWNJ but thanks, nor am I a Hillary groupie...

[Starry Messenger]

63. Haha!

I'll ask my yacht polisher if the check came, after he's done with the brasses. Those are always the tricky bits.

[aspirant]

99. Please provide a link with both poll results with number breakdowns by locals

[HooptieWagon]

62. One member contacted 40 others in his local.

None were polled. None of the commenting members were polled, and don't know anyone who was. Why doesn't the AFT produce the poll? Was it certified by a CPA?

[Agschmid]

67. Are union officials elected?

[HooptieWagon]

87. AFT president appointed to board of Hillarys Super PAC

Does that count?

[Agschmid]

105. Not for the questions I am asking, but yes it's good to know.

[aspirant]

101. Do members vote on national issues?

[Agschmid]

104. Depends on the set up.

Is it representative or direct?

[aspirant]

113. With no detailed results, obviously this is a set-up

[Agschmid]

114. You didn't understand what I meant.

No biggie though.

[OilemFirchen]

68. But but but...

On that other thread, there's a report from a "journalist" who was "contacted" by an "AFT member" who had to tell someone his or her question before "going in the cue".

That's all the proof I need!

[HooptieWagon]

70. Did you read the Twitter replies?

Teachers are calling bullshit.

[Starry Messenger]

78. Randi always has lots of feedback to her tweets.

I've tweeted her myself on occasion.

Hillary's tweet about the endorsement has over 500 favorited votes on it. There are several angry right wingers replying on her thread. I'm sure she's giving that about all the consideration that requires.

[BeanMusical]

102. So you call yourself a Socialist Progressive?

Nice to have a hobby then trow it away when things get real.

[Agschmid]

107. Ouch.

[Starry Messenger]

112. Being a socialist is about dealing with facts.

And labor organizing, which is what I do. Things are always real in my world. YMMV.

[BeanMusical]

117. You deal with the facts that are convenient when they fit your agenda, nothing more.

Things are always real in your world? Hum, I'm sure that YM is varying all the time... G'night now

[Starry Messenger]

118. What agenda is that Bean?

I don't recall that we've ever spoken before. I'm glad to see you guys out there representing your agenda in the way that you do. The results will speak for themselves.

[BeanMusical]

120. Indeed.

[Number23]

188. "The results will speak for themselves" Seems to me that's already the case.

How anyone could think that attacking you or anyone will somehow make their candidate more electable is just astonishing. The "quality" of that man's supporters will be his downfall.

On another note, for some reason it really makes me happy to see that you are a teacher. I was about to weep uncontrollably when I saw someone else announce that they were a teacher but seeing that you're one too has brought me back from the brink.

[Starry Messenger]

190. Aww, thank you!

Yep, I shape the nation's young. I teach ceramics.

[Number23]

191. Ha! Are you like that ceramics teacher on Community??

Do you have a staunch "no ghosting" policy in your classes as well???

[Starry Messenger]

194. I am! Lolololol

I teach teens too, and they've alllll seen that movie! Ack!

[JI7]

196. i saw that and had the same reaction

[madfloridian]

73. The members are only asking for poll results and how the questions were posed.

It's not an unfair request.

[Starry Messenger]

80. I replied to the OP, which says members didn't get asked.

[BeanMusical]

53. madfloridan Rocks!

[HooptieWagon]

71. +1000!

[99Forever]

58. Gee, what a surprise.

Not.

Typical Clinton shenanigans.

Tell us again why we should trust her.

[restorefreedom]

65. no matter who the leadership is for

come primary time, everyone gets to go into the booth

sadly, union leadership has a history of speaking for their members without actually asking them.

[Agschmid]

77. But they did...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=438590

And the union went with Hillary.

[Duckhunter935]

82. That link shows nothing

says two polls and the percentage. Lets see the poll itself, what questions were asked and how many were in the poll? Funny they do not show any of that.

[Agschmid]

84. Meh... let the conspiracies abound.

Nothing they could do could stop it with this crowd.

[BeanMusical]

86. AFT president is a board member of Hillary's Super PAC

Conspiracies my ass.

[Duckhunter935]

88. show the poll would help

They are afraid

[Agschmid]

90. Afraid of what?

It's a primary, it's not going to be easy for anyone?

[Duckhunter935]

91. Afraid of being cought in the lie

and in the bag for her friend Hillary.

[Agschmid]

95. Are union executives elected, are they representatives of the body of the union?

Do they act in that capacity?

[Agschmid]

72. Apparently after 101 posts, you sure know how to lay the bait around here.

Mission accomplished.

[rhett o rick]

121. Just exactly what is your accusation here? nm

[Agschmid]

122. That we are all fools for taking this on.

The OP walked away from the post... as we all should have.

[rhett o rick]

167. oh I get it. He made it thru the anti-Bernie gauntlet. nm

[Agschmid]

169. Actually he is gone.

"Previously banned"

[rhett o rick]

170. How did you pull that off? How does a DU member find out another member

was "previously banned"?

[sufrommich]

171. It says "previously banned" on his profile page. nt

[rhett o rick]

172. Yes I know what it says. I asked how did that transpire? nm

[zappaman]

174. Well Rick.

It's part of the "Bernie purge" that started with NYCSkip.
That's why there are no Sanders supporters here anymore.

[rhett o rick]

183. But this one got past 100 posts. How did you get him banned? nm

[zappaman]

184. You should ask the administrators about how this site works.

[rhett o rick]

185. My relationship with the Admins apparently isn't as close as some here.

[zappaman]

187. Bummer. n/t

[Man of Distinction]

133. This guy had me confused with a odd PM that states "Welcome Back"...

Now after this subthread, I can see why.

[Agschmid]

138. Yup.

[BrotherIvan]

144. You mean, like a double super secret agent?

Or a double double not so secret agent?

[Agschmid]

145. Remember Carmen SanDiego?

Many a good time was had playing that super secret spy game.

Again my vote my choice, although I appreciate and respect the fact that you can repeatedly question my integrity. It does get old, I support Bernie I just don't see a point in, well as they say in VT "Berning the Barn Down"...

Ugh, DU.

[BrotherIvan]

148. I question why you feel the need to go after new posters

And question their motives. People usually reveal their motivation through their actions. If this is a mole of some kind, I'm sure people will catch on.

[Agschmid]

149. Time will tell.

[Agschmid]

158. Time told.

[madfloridian]

93. Bernie's words to the AFT in June. Didn't pander.

Sen. Bernie Sanders:

"Thousands of schools across this country do not have enough money to provide quality education to our kids, at the same time that the Republicans have just given a huge tax break in their budget to the wealthiest two-tenths of 1 percent, over $200 billion in the next 10 years. The issue is getting our priorities right. You have 25 hedge fund managers who, a few years ago, made as much money as 435,000 public school teachers. Is that what America is supposed to be about? …

"I am calling for a political revolution in this country, and what that means in English is not arguing about whether we cut education by 3 percent or 6 percent, but we're arguing about changing fundamentally the priorities of this nation. We are the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. Today. Why in God's name is there any school in America talking about cutting back?"
- See more at: http://www.aft.org/node/10350#sthash.0fZdTpos.dpuf

[Agschmid]

103. Good read.

Thanks.

[Maedhros]

146. Straight talk from Bernie. As always. [n/t]

[cantbeserious]

132. Tragic Misstep - The Rank And File Will Revolt

eom

[LuvLoogie]

139. Lots of misogynistic comments and general Foxbottery on that AFT FB page as well.

Lot's of "Hillary is a crook." "Hillary is a Liar" It seems like Hillary's supporters are mostly hitting the like button and staying out of the muck. There are a couple brave souls in there taking the heat and being called shill and corporatist by people claiming to be progressive.

[Agschmid]

140. Yup.

people claiming to be progressive

[TM99]

150. So if I state that Hillary Clinton

lied about sniper fire in Bosnia which has been proven to be correct, I am now a misogynist?

[Agschmid]

152. No.

I encourage you to check out the comments, there is some next level shit there.

That really rises right past misogyny. If only someone could harness energy from the hate/vitriol/emotions people create...

[TM99]

155. I read them.

Some are extreme. Most are not.

People get pissed when their representatives are not transparent and act without their support.

Many do not trust Clinton as it is. Her favorability continues to fall....

http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/hillary-clinton-favorable-rating

You want endorsements that mean something? Then cut the bullshit, the manipulations, the lies, and wait for the primary to, you know, actually start.

[LuvLoogie]

153. Do I need to post a link on the definition of misogyny?

Part of your difficulty may lie in gleaning meaning from syntax and word usage. Start with a refresher in that area. Then perhaps we can move on to logic.

[TM99]

154. Look.

It is a smart ass!

[LuvLoogie]

156. Listen.

The "sure-footed" must also be aware of the ground upon which they would tread, Grasshopper.

[Agschmid]

157. This poster has left the building.

[OKNancy]

165. so obvious...

Lighting up the night sky with bitterness distinction
While I hold the wheel of fate, smell of burning friction

[sufrommich]

168. "Previously banned poster".

[zappaman]

175. Love the Recs for this drivel. n/t

[hrmjustin]

178. He was stalking the Hillary group.

[JI7]

176. where did "Man of Distinction" go ?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

177. He hit the road, Jack. Actually he Skipped away.

http://election.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=324373

[brooklynite]

179. AFT support for Hillary Clinton

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251439807

[frazzled]

193. Unions don't hold referendums to decide endorsements

That is, they don't hold a "vote" of all the union's members and then pick the winner. Sorry, but that's never done (or at least not in any large union). The union leaders decide, preferably with some transparent process and with input from membership.

This union seems to have done its duty by polling a fairly large sample of its members, and then having its leadership determine the endorsement. You may not like the result, but it's standard operating procedure.

This is a complete non-story.

[Thinkingabout]

195. Yes I saw my union donated to Bernie, I was not polled nor did I vote to donate the money.

[Art_from_Ark]

197. There's an online petition to ask AFT to withdraw its endorsement

So far there are over 3000 signatures

https://www.change.org/p/american-federation-of-teachers-withdraw-your-endorsement-of-hillary-clinton-for-the-democratic-presidential-nomination

[NCTraveler]

198. What is that. 3000 out of 1.5 million.

And it doesn't appear that one has to be a member to sign. Appears they made a move that an overwhelming majority of their people support. Good on them. Not surprising that a union would support such a great progressive. Wish they would have backed O'Malley. Either way, the union is backing an excellent progressive. Interesting how anemic support for this petition is, even considering their go around way of doing it.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

199. Why was the Man of Distinction sent into extinction?nt

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=324373

[NCTraveler]

200. A large union endorses a progressive.....

and a select group on du doesn't get it. lol. Said group has become a parody at this point. I am beginning to think some are going with a "Colbert from the left" mantra. Colbert they are not. Fuck anti-union assholes. The union should have backed O'Malley, but I understand them going with Hillary. The petition to undo this has also fallen flat on it's face. Seems they backed who their membership supports overall.