Teachers union splits endorsement between Meek and Crist
by Michael C. Bender | May 22nd, 2010The announcement means local teacher unions will be able to support either Democrat Kendrick Meek or independent Charlie Crist.
The bigger remaining question is whether teachers will use their sway in the AFL-CIO to block Meek from receiving the umbrella group’s full endorsement. At this moment in Jacksonville, where the union is meeting, it looks doubtful that teachers will make that move.
From the Florida Education Association:
FEA recommends two candidates for U.S. Senate
JACKSONVILLE — The Florida Education Association announced today that it was backing both Gov. Charlie Crist and U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek in the race for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
“Kendrick Meek has always been a strong backer of public education and our positions for as long as he’s been a public service. He has always supported our schools and its employees,” said FEA President Andy Ford. “We wouldn’t have the class size provisions in the Florida Constitution without Kendrick’s tireless work to get that on the ballot and to win its approval. We know Kendrick would be welcome addition to the U.S. Senate.
“Gov. Charlie Crist took bold action this year in bucking the leaders of his former political party and listening to the teachers and parents of Florida when he vetoed Senate Bill 6 and set the stage for a better Florida application in the federal Race to the Top grant,” Ford said. “S.B. 6 energized teachers and parents throughout the state and Crist’s actions showed so many Floridians that their voices count. We think an independent Charlie Crist working for Floridians would also be a great asset in the Senate.”
Ford said the dual recommendation was what FEA would be conveying to its 140,000 members. Ford added that FEA would not be pushing the dual recommendation with the Florida AFL-CIO, which is also meeting in Jacksonville this weekend.
The Florida Education Association is the state’s largest association of professional employees, with more than 140,000 members. FEA represents pre K-12 teachers, higher education faculty, educational support professionals, students at our colleges and universities preparing to become teachers and retired education employees.
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May 22nd, 2010 at 1:36 pm
One hopes the rest of the AFL-CIO union members are smart enough to know that the teachers are too naive in actually believing what Shucking Chuckles says while campaigning. Or do all the unions harbor racist views and attitudes?
May 22nd, 2010 at 2:01 pm
I really hope they are not that dumb. As a Democrat and a FCAT teacher, I will be ashamed if the AFLCIO do not look at this man’s history.
You have to be kidding me. He decides to veto one bill and you forget his whole history.
No wonder why Floridians are so stupid.
May 22nd, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Major boost to Chain Gang by getting the co-endorsement.
May 22nd, 2010 at 2:54 pm
You have got to be kidding. Is Meek the best we Dems have? No. He is a crook. At least Charlie can walk the walk.
May 22nd, 2010 at 4:56 pm
They are just like Charlie, they leave the door open in case they need to go the other way!
May 22nd, 2010 at 5:08 pm
I was there when Bob Graham done an OJ commercial with Anita Bryant at 8 AM on a Sunday morning. He was so drunk it took two FDLE agents to hold him up.
then they braced him in front of the camera and he come alive like a sober man. We’d be better off again with a drunk for governor tha a wennie wagger.
May 22nd, 2010 at 7:06 pm
This means nothing–teachers can and do support and always have supported whoever they want–the union endorsement won’t change a single vote.
May 24th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Just goes to show you, the Teacher’s Union has nothing to do with the education of our children, just getting a cadidate to bail them out. Pathetic.