Vermont teachers' grudge haunts Dean

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Presidential hopeful Howard Dean backed a school-funding scheme when he was governor of Vermont that turned teachers there against him and is now being used to try to sway powerful teachers unions in key primary states.

Dean, who trumpets his liberal credentials on the campaign trail, was endorsed more times as governor by the National Rifle Association than by the Vermont affiliate of the National Education Association - which failed to endorse Dean in three consecutive elections, records show.

The reason, Vermont teachers told the Herald, was Dean's support for a plan that would have seized control of teacher salaries, ending local collective bargaining in a gambit to cut property taxes.

<snip>

Kathleen Lyons, spokeswoman for the National Education Association, said the issue would surely be raised when the NEA makes its formal endorsement in the summer - though she said the feelings of the Vermont NEA would be considered, too.

Manchester Education Association President Ellen Healy, a Kerry supporter, said she's using the issue to sway teachers away from Dean.

``I think it sends a clear message that he's not supportive of educators. That troubles me,'' said Healy, an English teacher at Manchester's Central High School.http://www2.bostonherald.com/news/national/dean11102003.htm

[Renew Deal]

1. They will endorse Bush if Dean is elected.

How much baggage does this guy have. I mean, we have problems with is record on all our Key issues. Medicare, social security, guns, the environment, affirmitive action and race. I know there are others I am forgeting. We need to nominate strong Democritic leadership. Not wishy washy, opinion a day type of people.

[blm]

3. This sounds just like the way he treated the Fire Fighters in Vermont.

Why did Dean treat the traditional Dem supporting groups so shabbily all those years?

The Vermont Fire Fighters said he would never meet with them about their concerns even AFTER 9-11.

[helleborient]

7. Why did Vermont Teachers endorse Howard Dean?

See below...

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Hep]

9. THey will?

They told you this? Or could you provide a source?

[9119495]

15. Not on your life

I'm NEA and there has been no more horrible legislation than NCLB. Even republican teachers in my building are bolting for ABB, including Dean.

[helleborient]

2. Dean already has the endorsement of the largest state teachers union...

Which accounts for over 10% of the members of the NEA.

The California State Teachers Association proudly endorsed Gov. Dean representing 335,000 members of the 2.7 million NEA.

[LWolf]

13. So they did.

They forgot one tiny thing, though. They forgot to ask us actual working CTA members what we thought about that before they made their endorsement. I would have said no.

Of course, I don't speak for all of CA's teachers. I just speak for myself. I do work for one of the largest elementary districts in the state...student population about 25,000. I haven't heard any teachers getting excited about Dean, or proudly endorsing him. And most that I don't know don't give a whole lot of weight to CTA's endorsements when they cast their votes, anyway. They tend to make their decisions independently. We'll see when the time comes.

I would have said no, not because I dislike Dean, but because there is a candidate with better positions on education, IMPO. And if CTA or NEA doesn't choose to see that, their endorsement doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot to this working member.

I don't know...who really values teacher's votes or opinions, anyway? I haven't exactly been feeling the love.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Duder]

6. Vermont NEA chapter votes to endorse Dean

'MONTPELIER - A statewide teachers' union that often refused to back Howard Dean's gubernatorial campaigns has endorsed his Democratic presidential bid.

The Vermont chapter of the National Education Association acknowledged the differences it had with Dean over the years but said it endorsed his presidential effort "for the principles he espouses on the issues affecting us as educators, as citizens, as Americans."

The NEA's 20-member board voted unanimously to back Dean during a meeting Saturday, committing the union's 10,000 members to the Democratic front-runner.

It's the second endorsement for Dean by a statewide teachers' union. The 335,000-member California Teachers Association offered its support last week.'

http://www.timesargus.com/Local/Story/74087.html

[Rose Siding]

12. That'll REALLY haunt him!

VT Progressives (really progressive) and VT repubs both experienced wins and losses on their issues when Dean was Gov. But now, he gets their support. They must really hate him :eyes:

[mzmolly]

25. Woop, THERE IT IS!

:toast:

[helleborient]

8. What did the Vermont Teachers do in the other 2 campaigns

That Dean ran for governor? It says they failed to endorse him in three..did they change their mind?

[9119495]

14. They don't endorse when an election is not competitive

I'm an NEA member and I know that the VEA only endorses in close elections. I got a call from the Kerry campaign that was essentially a push poll. I told them what the VEA does and they sounded shocked and quickly ended the call. It was not from a polling firm. It was from an NEA member.

[Egnever]

10. Nice selective sniping

Now, Bay State teachers backing U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry are trying to make sure the decade-old issue haunts Dean's White House run.

The memo on jordan aparently has not been recieved yet.

``Our worst fears are confirmed,'' Vermont NEA President Marlene Burke said when Dean backed the 1993 bill, which died in legislative committee a year later.

Burke, who now supports Dean, said it's not fair to turn teachers against him over one issue.

``On this one issue, which was a big issue to us, we had some issues with him about it,'' Burke said. ``But I wouldn't brush him aside on that one issue.''

Manchester Education Association President Ellen Healy, a Kerry supporter, said she's using the issue to sway teachers away from Dean.

More of the same from the Kerry camp

[killbotfactory]

11. Dean didn't give everybody everything they wanted as governer!

Burn the witch!

[no name no slogan]

16. IBM got everything THEY wanted

I guess we know where he gets HIS support from.

[LuminousX]

17. One of the largest employers in Vermont

Got concessions from the State government? No way?! The gall and corruption!

[Feanorcurufinwe]

18. Some politicians look out for employers, others for employees.

[roguewolf5]

19. The question is

Are we sure which one Dean is for?

[LuminousX]

23. Sometimes they are one in the same

[blm]

24. Most of the time they aren't.

.

[killbotfactory]

21. Did they ask for anything bad?

Like the firstborn child of every vermonter, or something?

If not, why should I care?

[Zynx]

20. Funny, what do these people know that the largest teacher's union...

in the country doesn't? No, that Dean sure isn't popular with educators, just some nice big teacher's union endorsments, but what does that prove?

*Sarcasm off*

You know, the Dean bashers on this board are going to end up like John Kerry when they can't open their mouths without saying "Dean this" and "Dean that". Eventually there may be a new mental disorder named the Multiple Dean Personality Disorder when people end up eventually saying "Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean" all day long while foaming at the mouth. There really aren't that many Dean bashers, but they are very vocal and they post all the time.

[dsc]

22. Typical of the press

Wouldn't it have been nice to know what the proposal was? I read the article and have no earthly idea. It seems to me that would have been worth a line or two in a several paragraph piece.