Statement from Jonathan Pelto, exploring gubernatorial candidate on American Federation of Teacher’s Connecticut Legislative and Political Action Committee (LPAC) endorsement of Dannel Malloy.
Without providing gubernatorial candidates with any opportunity to fill out a questionnaire or present their case, the members of the American Federation of Teachers’ Connecticut Legislative and Political Action Committee (LPAC) voted last night to endorse Governor Dannel “Dan” Malloy for re-election.
“I am deeply disturbed that the leadership of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Federation of Teachers would deny me, or any other candidate, an opportunity to present our case. If there is any organization left in America that should be open, fair and transparent it should be a union that represents teachers,” Pelto said.Pelto added, “The decision to endorse Malloy without an open process is a sad commentary on the state of politics. Putting aside the work I’ve done to speak out for teachers and their unions over the past two years, and my lifetime commitment to public education, Governor Malloy has proven himself to be the most anti-teacher Democratic governor in the country. There is not a teacher in Connecticut who has forgotten that Malloy proposed ending teacher tenure and unilaterally repealing collective bargaining for teachers in ‘turnaround schools’ when he put forward his Education Reform initiative.”
“The AFT-CT’s premature endorsement is insulting and inappropriate. While friends can disagree on even the most important issues, it is shameful that Malloy’s challengers weren’t given the opportunity to make their case to AFT members as to why students, parents, teachers and all of public education would be better off with a new governor,” Pelto concluded.
According to the union’s by-laws, the recommendations by the Legislative and Political Action Committee will now go to the AFT Connecticut Executive Committee for final action.
Pelto’s words seem to lose a good deal of power when he does not lash out at individuals who are receiving money, positions, or note with which he finds fault. No names mentioned, just a rant on an organization not following the “by-laws” or not.
Screed power loses when you cannot put a living breathing human being in the target sight. Who wants to go to the barricades for some unfair union representation? What about the majority of local teachers who contribute funds to their official representation body and have no clue how many hundreds of dollars each year are directed by a small number of executive leadership? Unfair and unjust? Seems so, but just have to speak up, I guess. Wouldn’t teachers be better off commissioning a statement by fellow professionals about how to repair our school system today and the full role teachers will play? Might cost them $100,000 or so, but it would let the public know where they stand and what they are willing to do, across all subjects, the easy ones and the complicated ones. Uphill with a vision in mind? Time will tell.
Does this mean Pelto is upset the AFT-CT got theirs, left a $20 on the dresser and went back to their husband? I wonder if we’ll be seeing his cross-hairs shifting to new targets.
Pelto is blind to the fact as important as education is, there are other issues. And Malloy as bad as I think he is on public education he is certainly friendlier to public education than Foley would be. I can easily see Foley giving vouchers for schools that teach the Bible in science classes as a lot of GOPers all over the country do.
And Malloy is certainly better on labor issues. He supported a large increase in the minimum wage that was long overdue. Amazing, the GOP is against the minimum wage increase despite the fact it helps get people off govt assistance and puts money in people’s pockets.
All Pelto is going to do is siphon votes away from Malloy. And if he thinks he is going to change the discussion, all he will end up doing is putting a man like Foley who has screwed over employees at companies he reorganized. The people in CT who are at the bottom are the ones who will suffer from a Foley governorship, not Pelto. They can’t afford to worry about whether or not Malloy is pure as the driven snow.
Your minimum wage theory has yet to be proven. Will people go off benefits, reduce their hours or quit altogether? If you look at charts of minimum wage vs. people on welfare there seems to be a direct correlation between the two. As one goes up so does the other. This could be a result of decreased employment opportunities.
You are correct about Pelto stealing votes from Malloy.
As for Foley’s company reorganization, you could argue he strengthened the company and kept it competitive. The choices may have been fewer employees gainfully employed or no employees employed. Over the last several years the city, BOE and state have been reorganizing and reducing their workforces and this was under Democrat leadership.
It appears Mr. Pelto feels he should have gotten the endorsement and is overwhelmed with disappointment. The one thing he stated I agree with is “he is deeply disturbed” and that he is–very disturbed.