The American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts (until recently known as the Mass. Federation of Teachers) has voted to endorse Deval Patrick for Governor. This endorsement follows yesterday’s announcement by the Boston Teachers’ Union that they too would back Patrick. From today’s press release:
The American Federation of Teachers, Massachusetts Chapter (AFT Massachusetts) today voted to endorse Deval Patrick for Governor. In making its unanimous endorsement, the group cited Patrickâs broad leadership experience and commitment to local communities and schools.
AFT Massachusetts, with more than 20,000 members, represents union locals in numerous communities across the state, including teachers or other school professionals in Boston, Lowell, Chelmsford, Billerica, Lawrence, Lynn, Springfield and Fall River.
Thomas J. Gosnell, president of the AFT Massachusetts said, âWe endorse Deval Patrick because he has demonstrated clearly his commitment to the principle that students need resources to be able to learn and teachers need support in order to be able to teach. He has taken the time to listen to educators and to parents across the state about the many challenges that face our public schools in Massachusetts.â
Strikes me as an important endorsement from an important and politically active union. Let’s hope it reflects more than the various candidates’ positions on a single issue!
A plausible scenario:
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1. MTA to DP “We’re close to endorsing you. We appreciate that you already have fairly negative view on charter public schools. Now drop your previous stated support for teacher merit pay. We believe bad teachers should earn as much as good teachers, because there isn’t such a thing as bad teachers.”
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2. DP to MTA “How about you let me alone on that issue? I’m already at risk if I win this primary. Healey ads may go this way: ‘DP gets a scholarship to escape inner-city Chicago schools, goes on to great things. We commend him. But he opposes more charter public schools even in the worst areas, so that inner-city Boston and Springfield kids can’t escape their dreadful local schools. What about those black and Hispanic kids? What about giving them a fair shot?’
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“That kind of ad would be brutal to me. So how about you endorse me as is? Your union gains most if I win election – don’t pin me on the left.”
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3. MTA to DP “Um, I think we have Gabrieli’s phone number right here…….”
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4. DP “Okay, you have a deal. I’m now against merit pay. I’ve seen the light: bonuses for high-performing schools, nothing for great teachers, because every teacher is inherently great. That’s why my wife told me anyway.”
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It is not unlike Robert Reich early in his campaign in 2002.
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Prior to campaign, he had argued in Wall Street Journal that liberals (who cared about inner-city kids) and conservatives (who cared about choice) could unite in a program: super-size vouchers for inner-city kids. Suburbs and cities would compete to serve these students. But once he began seeking the primary, Reich disavowed centrist positions. Didn’t help: Birmingham won the MTA endorsement, O’Brien won the primary.
And he loves to imply teacher unions are bad for opposing this idea in the form of charter schools.
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What would happen if we relaxed sanitation regulations for new charter restaurants? I bet they could deliver delicious food even more efficiently than the current restaurants burdened by regulation and inspections! The free market wouldn’t allow bacteria to grow in that food!
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This sales-pitch emphasis of free-market choice is a diversion from what people really want: a good education for all children.
As with health care, I don’t need to pick from a lot of health plans–I need to be able to see a good doctor when I get sick, without worrying about going bankrupt.
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Recently in Minnesota, we see one side of the power of the free market in schooling:
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Among all the difficulties our public schools have, has the Globe ever found a Mass. public administrator who enriched himself with a half million dollars?
The more charter schools we open up, the more likely we are to see frauds like this and outright waste as in this New York charter school. Maybe, before we open up more of them, we ought to examine their practices and results in Massachusetts. A statewide study, along the lines of the national study which found public schools do a better job of educating kids than do private schools. It had this result from charter schools:
That’s a nationwide study, so it might be wise for us to examine our state in particular, using the same methods to control for socio-economic background of the students.
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Deval Patrick shows a good, conservative wisdom in not wanting to throw more public money at charter schools until we know exactly what they succeed at. This the solid judgment we need in a governor, not someone who just supports a policy because it polls above 60%.
“Among all the difficulties our public schools have, has the Globe ever found a Mass. public administrator who enriched himself with a half million dollars?”
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That’s a question, not a blanket statement.
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I googled “Barnstable School embezzlement” and got nothing obvious. I’d be interested in reading about it, if you have a link.
Shocked!
Serious Question. In Deval’s case. Do teachers’ unions’ endorsements bring him votes. Are there people that care about the teachers’ unions’ endorsement who aren’t ALREADY on board?
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Because Deval is getting bad advice yet seems like a nice guy I will give him a free tip. At No Charge. I am sure someone here can get the campaign the message.
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Ernie Guarentees 30,000 votes from people who will go to the polls just to vote because of this and another 30,000 from people currently contemplating voting for Gabs or Reilly. I’m talking 60,000 votes in the primary baby.
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It has the Ernie Boch, III Guarentee.
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Now, I can’t promise that another candidate beats Deval to the punch. So once I give it to you yu have to act fast. Real Fast.
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Not today. This is too Big. It will put Deval in the Governor’s Office for sure. Unless he continues to listen to bad advice.
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Oh yeah. If Deval wins Ernie wants some patronage jobs to hand out to his friends, including about half-a-dozen judgeships.
Don’t worry Deval. I won’t embarress you. Quality people.
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Coming this week! Wake the cult! Make sure Deval grabs this for himself. We know the other 2 have no shame.
Isn’t the Boston Teachers Union affiliated with the Mass. Federation of Teachers? Isn’t that the same thing, and not “another teachers’ union for Patrick”? Could the BTU endorse a candidate for Governor not endorsed by its parent union? I doubt it. I’m a Patrick supporter, but let’s not try to make something out of nothing.
are beyond my knowledge, but it does appear that BTU announced its endorsement separately from AFT-MA (two separate releases on different dates on Patrick’s website). In any event, AFT-MA’s endorsement seems more significant to me than BTU’s, and that’s what I posted on. If the word “another” in the post’s title was confusing, well, so be it.
but will likely be a great millstobne after the primary.