Michigan’s Largest Teachers Union Endorses Kerry

[Renew Deal]

By The Associated Press

January 30, 2004, 12:09 PM EST

LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan's largest teachers union on Friday threw its support behind Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, sending Kerry's union support in Michigan past that of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.

The Michigan Education Association endorsement comes from one of the state's biggest unions, with 157,000 members. MEA President Lu Battaglieri gave the U.S. senator from Massachusetts his personal endorsement last July and has been working on Kerry's campaign, but the union stayed out of the race until now.

MEA spokeswoman Margaret Trimer-Hartley said the MEA polled its members before making the endorsement, and 88 percent backed Kerry.

Michigan holds its Democratic presidential caucuses on Feb. 7, and voters are free to cast votes now by mail or over the Internet. The state offers 128 pledged delegates, making it the biggest prize until states such as California and New York weigh in on March 2.
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http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usendors0130,0,244099.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-headlines

[quinnox]

1. Wow, great news for Kerry campaign

It will be hard to demonize school teachers, but the way this forum has been the last week, I await in anticipation.

[newsjunkie]

2. I really don't get this at all

Howard Dean was against NCLB from the beginning. Kerry voted for this stinker of a bill. What can they be thinking?
Every Washington Democratic Presidential candidate voted for the once popular No Child Left Behind Act, an unfunded mandate that has resulted in higher property taxes and financial strain on schools. U.S. Senator John Kerry said it gave him "great pleasure" to vote for NCLB, what he called at the time "groundbreaking legislation." U.S. Senator John Edwards called NCLB "a quantum leap forward for America's children." Both Kerry and Edwards also skipped the vote to fully fund the unfunded mandate.

Governor Dean, the only Democrat running for President who opposed NCLB from the beginning, would reform the Act by strengthening our schools with improved student health centers, a focus on parental involvement, recruiting and retaining outstanding teachers and administrators, and resources to fund key mandates. As President, Dean will fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, increase funding for elementary and secondary education improvement, and oppose efforts to gut vocational education programs. As a Governor, Dean pushed through strong accountability provisions, while ensuring that any testing the state required of local school districts was fully paid for by the state.