Not Teachers’ Pet, But CEA Endorses Malloy

The relationship between Governor Dan Malloy and public school teachers has at times been like nails against a blackboard, but today the powerful Connecticut Education Association that represents them announced its endorsement of Malloy over Republican Tom Foley, stating “A CEA analysis indicates that Foley’s scheme would drain more than $35 million from local public schools, causing teacher layoffs and larger class sizes.”

Malloy’s embrace of common core standards and charter schools alienated public school advocates. He’s backed away from some of his initiatives in recognition of his shaky standing with some teachers. Given the chance not to endorse at all this cycle, the CEA went with Malloy.

In the release CEA president Sheila Cohen states:

“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. 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.”

Full CEA news release:

CEA President Sheila Cohen announced today that the Connecticut Education Association Board of Directors has endorsed Governor Dan Malloy for re-election this November 4th.

Said Cohen, “The CEA leadership and members took great pains to examine the records and positions on education of all the candidates for governor. 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.”

Cohen continued, “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.”

Cohen explained, “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,” Cohen said.

Tom Foley supports a money follows the child scheme that would have enormous consequences for students, families, teachers, and communities. A CEA analysis indicates that Foley’s scheme would drain more than $35 million from local public schools, causing teacher layoffs and larger class sizes. “While a loss of $35 million would be the initial impact, the long-term consequences would even be deeper. Simply put, they would be absolutely destructive,” said Cohen.

Foley elaborated on his scheme while presenting at this month’s CEA Education Forum in Wallingford. He said that he envisions apportioning different amounts of money for different children in his money follows the child plan. He added that “high-performing kids are not expensive to educate,” so the amount of grant that would move with the high-performing student would be lower. “In public education in Connecticut, we’ve never had the kind of conversations that Tom Foley is bent on having. We’ve never had them because they would lead to chaos and destruction,” said Cohen.

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. Cohen explained, “Tom Foley’s comments show he won’t stop at creating chaotic school funding and eliminating teachers’ rights. All indications are that he would eliminate teachers’ pension guarantees and replace them with an alternative, privatized system.”

CEA leadership consulted thousands of teachers through polling, internal groups and large-scale meetings, and conducted an unprecedented forum with the candidates this month.

Cohen added, “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. 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.”