American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten isn’t a fan of the Republican vice presidential nominee.
In a released statement, Weingarten listed her grievances with Donald Trump’s running mate Mike Pence.
“Pence is an enemy of public education,” said Weingarten. “His extreme obsession with vouchers and tax cuts for the rich starved public schools in Indiana of funding, and helped to create a privatized system of winners and losers. Budgets signed by Pence shifted money away from racially and socio-economically isolated children—kids whose futures most deeply depend on a high-quality public education.
“Rather than work with the state superintendent elected by Hoosiers—a nationally respected teacher—to improve public education, Pence did everything in his power to undermine her authority and credibility,” continued Weingarten’s statement. “Under Pence’s leadership, the state of Indiana received an F rating from the Network for Public Education—and he has done virtually nothing since to reverse course.”
The AFT president’s statement echoes what Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said during the union’s biennial meeting in Minneapolis earlier this week.
“Neither Mike Pence nor Donald Trump should be anywhere near our children’s education,” said Clinton at the gathering. “Mike Pence is one of the most extreme vice presidential picks in a generation. And he’s one of the most hostile politicians in America when it comes to public education.”
Clinton spoke for half an hour and addressed everything from education to the recent shooting of Philando Castile during a traffic stop. But Clinton also made sure to remind AFT’s membership how bad she thinks a Trump/Pence White House would be for them.
“I know that you have some of the hardest, most important jobs in the world, and I want to say right from the outset that I’m with you,” said Clinton to the crowd.
Weingarten, in her statement, further outlined her issues with the Republican ticket.
“In Mike Pence, Donald Trump has found a running mate who reflects his failed economic views,” Weingarten said. “Both oppose the minimum wage, both regard unions with contempt—and both support massive tax cuts for the wealthy that would further tilt the playing field against ordinary Americans.”