For me, at age 33, this truly is the most important election of my life. Today, like never before, the polarized nature of politics in the U.S. makes for a stark contrast between presidential candidates.
There is no doubt our choice in November will impact not only the next four or eight years but also an entire generation of people. It will determine the next (at least) three U.S. Supreme Court Justices, secretaries for the departments of Education and Labor, plus funding for public education, kindergarten through graduate school. It will also define how the U.S. engages globally, and for millennial voters it will serve as the moment when we decide to be part of a political process that establishes a government that works for a few wealthy elites or whether hard working union members can elevate the middle class in our country.
Our national affiliate, the NEA, has the fortunate opportunity to focus solely on public education when we interview candidates. NEA can look past party affiliation to ask simply whether the candidate will help advance public education in collaboration with NEA and how she or he will support organized labor.
To me, the choice is clear. I am proud and excited to support NEA’s recommended candidate for president, Hillary Clinton.
Secretary Clinton fully supports public colleges and universities, and understands that higher education is the foundation to advancing our country and a path for the American Dream. She has pledged to remove barriers to higher education, and will ensure students can graduate debt-free. She also has pledged to add $25 billion to support historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, and minority serving institutions.
Her history demonstrates a genuine commitment to students and public education. After law school, Secretary Clinton chose to join the Children’s Defense Fund where she went door-to-door gathering stories about the needs of children with disabilities. Ultimately, it was her advocacy that led to the passage of legislation to provide quality education for students with disabilities.
So, whether it is on overturning Citizens United, stopping privatization of ESPs and our education workforce, or addressing student debt and support for vocational and technical education programs, Secretary Clinton embodies the values of our union.
Our fight has been her life’s work, and we are confident that when she becomes the next president, she will enable the APA and NEA to have a voice like never before to help inform federal policies and initiatives.
On November 8th, I hope you will join me in casting your vote for Secretary Hillary Clinton as the next President of the United States!