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IFT endorses Quinn

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Illinois

* Not unexpected…

By a vote of its Executive Board today, the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) unanimously endorsed Governor Pat Quinn (D) for reelection.

Elected leaders of the 100,000-member organization said that Quinn is the only candidate who will fight for the high quality public schools and services our children deserve.

“Strong schools start with a strong investment, and Governor Quinn is the only candidate with a commitment to ensure that all students have the resources to succeed from their first day of school through college graduation,” said Dan Montgomery, President of the IFT and a high school English teacher. “Governor Quinn respects and understands working families, and supports our fundamental right to speak with a collective voice on behalf of our communities.”

The IFT Executive Board also expressed outrage over Bruce Rauner’s efforts to demonize teachers and public employees and dismantle the unions who fight for our rights and the communities we serve.

“Given the fairy tales he tells in his commercials, we are committed to making sure voters know how out-of-touch the real Rauner is. He may be a billionaire, but his ideas about what’s best for education and Illinois families are completely bankrupt,” Montgomery added.

Rauner’s financial “plan” would blow a hole in the state budget billions of dollars wide and force layoffs, larger class sizes, and devastating cuts to public education. He has advocated for lowering the minimum wage, destroying unions, and stated that the public employees who work in our classrooms and communities are overpaid by nearly 25%.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 2:26 pm

Comments

Is Sen. Dan Kotowoski a total media guy or what? He loves being in the limelight.

Comment by curious Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 2:31 pm
Bodies and cash, well before Labor Day.

Everyone is taking the “threat” of Rauner very seriously.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 2:33 pm
PQ is the cleanest dirty shirt in the closet.

Comment by facts are stubborn things Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 2:40 pm
When a union endorses a candidate, vote for the other person, as it will eventually cost you the tax payer, more in taxes!

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 2:45 pm
In other news, the Sun came up in the East this morning and the Pope is reportedly Catholic.

Comment by Adam Smith Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 2:46 pm
Curious: to answer your strange and out of place question — no.

Certainly not more than any other person in office. He does get much more done than most Senators, and makes those announcements. What did he do for you to call him out like that? Anything to do with this thread?

Comment by walker Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 2:52 pm
Yep IFT, Pat Quinn is “all that”.

+”Governor Quinn is the only candidate with a commitment to ensure that all students have the resources to succeed from their first day of school through college graduation,” said Dan Montgomery, President of the IFT and a high school English teacher” +

I bet your rank and file will buy this completely.

Comment by A guy... Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 2:55 pm
Just too bad for Rauner;

He clouts his Winnetka living, denied daughter with the “Perfect” test score to be taught by public school teachers, only to be seen as worse than Pat Quinn.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 2:59 pm
If our current education system in Illinois what you end up with when you have a governor…

“with a commitment to ensure that all students have the resources to succeed from their first day of school through college graduation”

Then I guess we are toast…

Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 3:02 pm
The Governor has to have this, he had it in 2010.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 3:05 pm
==Quinn respects and understands working families==

Except the families where one or more of the family members are teachers trying to earn a living for their own children (family).

Comment by Geronimo Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 3:19 pm
@A guy:

When you have bad and worse to choose from you choose bad. Education dollars have already dwindled under Quinn and it will be worse under Rauner (based on his tax plans).

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 3:22 pm
Stockholm syndrome.

Comment by Befuddled Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 3:40 pm
===Stockholm syndrome.===

Really? How so? How is Bruce better than Quinn for teachers?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 3:46 pm
“In a shocking turn of events…”

Comment by steve schnorf Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:08 pm
Quinn has cut education funding and tried to wipe out teacher pensions. But at least the teachers like Paul Vallas… LOL!!!

“His leadership style was very troubling….I’ve never encountered anyone with so little tolerance for criticism or even input or suggestions from people closely involved in the schools,” Julie Woestehoff, executive director of Parents United for Responsible Education told the Sun-Times in 2002.

According to Substance magazine,”Other principals and other administrators with long and distinguished careers of service to Chicago’s children were driven into early retirement by Vallas’s personal attacks on them. Vallas punished teachers and principals who chose to work with the neediest and lowest scoring children.”

SunTimes: Yet, when it comes to some of the most important issues in education today, Quinn’s running mate in the November election — the former Chicago Public Schools chief executive Paul Vallas — appears to have plenty in common with Rauner.

Comment by 4 percent Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:17 pm
Yes, Willy, Quinn is worse than Rauner for teachers. That is if by teachers, you mean residents of Illinois who would like their economy to grow, who would like there to be increasing tax revenues because more people are working and moving to Illinois, who want their kids to be able to find jobs in Illinois, and who would like to break the cycle of self-serving politics in Springfield, then, yes, Rauner would be better for teachers than Quinn.

If by teachers you mean people who would like more money taken from people’s paychecks so they themselves can work less, retire earlier, meet no meaningful professional standards, and never be held accountable, then Quinn’s their man. And I hope they are very proud.

Que Willy’s histrionics in three, two, one…

Comment by Adam Smith Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:22 pm
He tried to wipe out pensions. …PQ knew that his fix was unconstitutional. …he stated it in the past. Move on

Comment by foster brooks Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:23 pm
A union backing a democrat - not news yawn.

Comment by anon. Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:25 pm
===That is if by teachers, you mean residents of Illinois who would like their economy to grow, who would like there to be increasing tax revenues because more people are working and moving to Illinois, who want their kids to be able to find jobs in Illinois, and who would like to break the cycle of self-serving politics in Springfield, then, yes, Rauner would be better for teachers than Quinn.===

Rhetoric does not solve anything, but your talking points are as Dopey as they are relevant to a Union “knowing” a candidate that wants to break Unions is good for them, lol.

===If by teachers you mean people who would like more money taken from people’s paychecks so they themselves can work less, retire earlier, meet no meaningful professional standards, and never be held accountable, then Quinn’s their man. And I hope they are very proud.===

Union bashing at its finest!

Lemmings don’t get the “treatment”…

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:29 pm
OW… I think when you hear Union Bosses from the farmer… It’s because he may be on to something… In November, we will see who was right. Rauner who is clearly showing the Union Bosses are not representing their workers? Or will rank and file teachers carry PQ? My guess is many rank and file teachers see the landscape in education like me, broken. Not our fault. But we have to do something different. I think that sentiment will be tested by the regular voters as well.

Comment by Walter Mitty Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:33 pm
Willy,
Nobody knows if Rauner is better than Quinn for teachers. That’s an unknown.

Here is the known: Quinn has been terrible for teachers. He’s cut education funding, despite a huge tax increase. Even after he said he would only support raising taxes “for education”.

He’s mismanaged the state finances so badly that additional funding for education looks like a pipe dream - even if taxes are raised, as both guys look like they are ready to do.

Poverty is up under Quinn, which hampers teachers’ abilities to get results in the classroom.

He signed a bill to slash teachers’ already earned pension benefits, when he could have alternatively taken their side, protected their pensions and just funded the pension systems with his $8 billion tax increase. But he didn’t.

He’s abused them. And they are cozying back up to him and protecting him because they fear the unknown. Stockholm Syndrome.

Comment by Befuddled Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:35 pm
===My guess is many rank and file teachers see the landscape in education like me, broken. Not our fault. But we have to do something different. I think that sentiment will be tested by the regular voters as well.===

Did you miss the 2014 Primary?

Just sayin…

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:35 pm
===Nobody knows if Rauner is better than Quinn for teachers. That’s an unknown.===

The Union seems to think so, especially in the 2014 Primary, with the bashing and “breaking” of Unions.

I have yet to hear a Union endorse anyone whose goal is to dismantle the Union.

The role model of Bruce Rauner is Scott Walker. That ain’t teacher friendly, or pension friendly. That is real.

===He’s abused them. And they are cozying back up to him and protecting him because they fear the unknown. Stockholm Syndrome.===

“He’s what’s best for them. And they are cozying back up to him and protecting him because they fear Wisconsin-style Union handling and a revenue problem in his plan to the tune of $4-6 Billion, not even close to Stockholm Syndrome.”

Better.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:41 pm
“Is Sen. Dan Kotowoski a total media guy or what?” Senator Kotowoski is the “or what.” If there are such people as gun nuts, then Kotowoski must be the ultimate anti-gun nut. Kotowski was totally obstructionist in relation to passage of concealed carry legislation and voiding Chicago’s illegal gun registration laws. SB3659 which Kotowoski is the sponsor would ban possession, delivery, sale, and purchase of guns deemed to be assault weapons in Illinois, it is dying in Assignments.

Kotowoski also was a big proponent of budgeting for results, which has produced almost zero results for our state. The 28th District he represents does not include the City of Chicago, but he often talks about gun violence in the City as if he represents the City. It has amazed me that communities like Elk Grove Village, and Des Plaines which do not have a history of restrictive gun laws voted Kotowoski in.

Comment by Rod Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:48 pm
In any other election I would think this might be a potential game changer. In this one, I am not sure.

Comment by Yipperdo Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:51 pm
Agreed that this is not Stockholm Syndrome, but a very real threat to public employee unions and teacher interests. Rank and file have been exposed to the “sausage making” lately, and while it’s a lesson in politics for some, it becomes an invaluable lesson for all when weighing interests. In this case, teachers have to look at their total interests, not just pensions (that’s what the Constitution is for!) or other issues. I’m not minimizing the pension fight, it’s clearly crucial, but a vote for Rauner is a total vote for the end of public employee unions.

Still, it boggles the mind why the ILGOP cannot put a moderate Republican with wide appeal on the ticket. Both the IEA and the IFT (well maybe not the IFT) would endorse such a candidate over PQ in nanoseconds.

A Rauner loss, heck, even a win, is bad for the ILGOP.

Comment by Now What? Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:55 pm
Teacher unions really don’t have a choice. Rauner is the antithesis of everything they stand for.

Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 4:55 pm
Yes Adam, Rauner is better for teachers because teachers are demanding lower wages, no healthcare, retirement accounts raided by fees from vulture financial firms, overcrowded classrooms, and massive cuts in money for curriculum.

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 5:01 pm
c’mon, Befuddled.

I groan whenever someone says Rauner wants to lower the minimum wage.

Accusing Quinn of cutting education funding is even more ridiculous.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 5:02 pm
IFT members should be asking their leaders why they are endorsing a known pension thief.

Comment by aunt_petunia Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 5:07 pm
===IFT members should be asking their leaders why they are endorsing a known pension thief.===

…because the other choice would like to break the Union altogether?

Pretty good reason.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 5:08 pm
Of all the constituencies which Gov. Quinn would understandably like to have behind him, the “endorsement” of the executive board of IFT is among the most meaningless in practical terms. I know several teachers very well and have been in the company of many many others at events over the past year. They are to a person worn out and fed up. Fed up with Quinn, with their union leadership, with some of the curriculum they’re forced to teach, with the top heavy administrative bureaucracy, and with the lack of interest and support by way too many parents toward their students. These teachers are college educated and can assess for themselves what’s going on in their neighborhoods and schools without the executive committee’s unanimous endorsement –and it’s not just about money. For their own reasons some teachers are going to vote for Rauner and some are going to vote for Quinn. To pretend that they’re going to vote as a bloc is silly.

Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 5:12 pm
From dictionary.com
“Stockholm syndrome: an emotional attachment to a captor formed by a hostage as a result of continuous stress, dependence and a need to cooperate for survival”

Sounds exactly like Quinn’s relationship with the IFT. Sounds exactly like Stockholm Syndrome.

Comment by Befuddled Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 6:49 pm
==I bet your rank and file will buy this completely. ==

==For their own reasons some teachers are going to vote for Rauner and some are going to vote for Quinn. To pretend that they’re going to vote as a bloc is silly.==

Whether or not the IFT members vote as a bloc depends on Rauner. So far, he has promised to cut their pay, increase class size, cut the pensions, and get rid of public employee unions. If he continues to make these kinds of promises, they will vote as a bloc. The IFT will make sure the membership knows what Rauner has promised.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 7:28 pm
Ho Hum…

Comment by Along 64 Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 8:10 pm
Stockholm Syndrome to me is a ticket to visit the ancestral home of my paternal family.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 8:19 pm
We’re leaving out an issue here that’s important to teachers — Rauner comes out of the corporate school reform movement, and he’s on record that “I don’t know and I don’t care” about school kids who don’t go to his charters. “They are not my problem.” Elect him, and we’ll see a lot more than 50 neighborhood schools closing in Illinois.

http://dianeravitch.net/2014/01/16/candidate-rauner-in-illinois-supports-charters-lower-minimum-wage/

Comment by olddog Wednesday, Jul 30, 14 @ 8:45 pm
Personally, I don’t like either option, which is why I started looking at Chad Grimm, the libertarian candidate. Not fond of him much either, but hey, he is an option to consider. Of course, voting 3rd party tends to be a throwaway vote, which really stinks. If I had no choice but Quinn or Rauner, I have to admit I’d go with Quinn. Frankly, all of Rauner’s talk about this, that, and the other scare me. Quinn is at least a known quantity. In this scenario, I’ll take the lesser of 2 evils for $200. :/

Comment by fed up teacher Monday, Aug 4, 14 @ 4:25 pm