Union representing 43,000 teachers backs Malloy

 

Sheila Cohen, president of the Connecticut Education Association Board of Directors announced this morning that the 43,000-member teacher union has endorsed Governor Dan Malloy for re-election.

 “The CEA leadership and members took great pains to examine the records and positions on education of all the candidates for governor,” she said in a statement. “We looked at their past statements and actions, at their questionnaire responses, and their comments in various forums and debates. We did what teachers do: We examined the facts. Issues such as public education funding, teacher pensions, and collective bargaining are the priorities we used to examine candidates’ positions. On these issues, Tom Foley sets the state on a path to education disaster, while Dan Malloy provides a better direction for students, teachers, and public education. We went into this process with our eyes wide open. Initially, not everything we saw was our vision of what was best for teachers, children, and public education. But when we saw how he’s made his door open to us, and taken strong stands on important issues, we felt Malloy/Wyman was a better direction. Dan Malloy has increased education funds by half a billion dollars, including millions into underperforming schools. He’s the first governor in state history annually to fully fund the teacher pension plan during his term in office. And Governor Malloy would protect our collective bargaining rights completely.”

Malloy has come under a variety of criticism from public school teachers over education reforms and teacher evaluations. Many are still stung by his remarks during a state-of-the-state speech that tenure can be gained by merely “showing up.”

Cohen said that Republican challenger Tom Foley supports a “money follows the child scheme that would have enormous consequences for students, families, teachers, and communities.” A union analysis found that Foley’s plan would take away $35 million from public schools that would result in teacher layoffs and larger class sizes.

“Foley elaborated on his scheme while presenting at this month’s CEA Education Forum in Wallingford,” the union said. “He said that he envisions apportioning different amounts of money for different children in his money follows the child plan. Foley’s vision for a new kind of Connecticut extends well beyond funding. The public record indicates he’s supported a Wisconsin moment coming to Connecticut, whereby collective bargaining rights for teachers would be eradicated.”

“Our members have never hesitated to share their sentiments, for example, feelings ranging from lingering hurt to lasting indignation about the tenure comment the governor made a few years ago,” Cohen said. “As a teacher, I feel what so many teachers feel. But the facts are the facts. And, as the state’s largest teacher organization, it is our responsibility to not sit on the sidelines at this critical time, but to take a stand—a stand that is dictated by what is in the best interest of students, teachers, and public education.”