ELECTION 2020 After spending time this summer as delegates to the GETTING Democratic National Convention (DNC) or as part of MEA/ NEA’s Battleground Summer (BGS) organizing effort, these MEA members and leaders know why this election INVOLVED is important—and why we all need to get involved. “As a mother of two daughters, I was “First of all, vote—don’t take it for “At the state level, this is the last election inspired and so hopeful watching granted. Your vote counts! We have cycle in which state legislators will be Kamala Harris as our female vice options to vote—use them. This seems chosen based on heavily gerrymandered presidential candidate. A Biden-Harris simplistic, but it’s so important. If you districts (drawn by GOP legislators, ticket ensures that we will have a don’t want to go to the ballot box, use traditionally hostile to traditional public president and vice president that cares the mail-in option. But vote! The second schools, after the 2010 election), so it’s about our public school education, our thing is make sure your family members imperative that MEA members support safety and well-being as citizens, health vote as well.” sympathetic legislators, even if they face care, and social and economic justice seeming insurmountable challenges. In for all of our people.” 2018 in my own state legislative districts, former teachers—despite the fact that their districts were drawn to favor GOP candidates—won both the state Senate and House districts.” Brian Stevens, BGS organizer and Coldwater AP Government/U.S. Sara Gieleghem, DNC delegate and Government teacher Chippewa Valley elementary teacher “I started with emailing my family and “From changing school lunch rules friends. I posted BallotPower.org on Jon Forslund, BGS organizer and away from nutritious food to recently my Facebook page. I have (virtual) Plymouth-Canton social studies teacher prioritizing private and religious conversations at my church about schools to get coronavirus stimulus exercising your right to vote and how money, Betsy DeVos has failed important it is to request your ballot “Currently the leadership of the state America’s public school children. In a and send them in early. We are all Senate and House do not ask public perfect world there would be no charter in this together; there are no excuses school teachers about anything that schools and no voucher programs. as to why we cannot accomplish this has to do with education and refuse to Schools thrive when families feel a sense common goal!” bring bills to a vote that would impact of connection to and responsibility for education in a positive way. We can their local school district. Voters must elect leaders that believe in education say no to DeVos so that she can no and support teachers and collective longer continue to wring resources out bargaining. There are many ways to of our public schools.” get involved —reach out to a campaign and let them know you want to help!” Chaunta R. Ford, BGS organizer and Bay City executive assistant Gretchen Contreras, BGS organizer and Ypsilanti Lincoln Consolidated science Renay Weiss-Stansell, BGS organizer teacher and Livonia school counselor 12 OCT–NOV 2020 ELECTION 2020 “Public education as we know it is “My greatest hope for the 2020 election “The stakes of this election are too on the ballot. I urge you to donate is of unity—the unity of educators high for you to not take action. to MEA-PAC, and find your local supporting candidates who will work to The more people participate in county party or local candidate, provide the funds and resources for great democracy, the more democracy and get involved. There are many public schools; the unity of Americans to works for the people. The future easy ways to do this through virtual prioritize the future we are building by must be better. It’s up to us to make phone banking to texting, to sharing providing a fabulous public education for sure it is.” your story on social media. Let’s all our children, regardless of their zip fight and win to restore the soul of code; and the unity of our nation coming this nation!” together around decency, kindness, and hopefulness.” Stephanie Sedlar, BGS organizer and Mt. Pleasant special education teacher Frank Burger, DNC delegate and Flint Carman-Ainsworth science Dan Love, BGS organizer and Walled teacher Lake third grade teacher Volunteer—Visit mea.org/volunteer to sign up for opportunities to help with Election 2020, including contacting fellow members from home about this critical election. Fire Betsy DeVos—Share information from mea.org/FireDevos about how Secretary DeVos’s agenda hurts public education and students. Join our Outreach Circle—Use your phone as an organizing tool, sharing content with people you know. Get started by downloading the Outreach Circle app on your Apple or Google device and enter WUV728 in the explore function to join the MEA Outreach Circle. Build a Vote From Home WAVE—Encourage fellow members, neighbors and the public to Vote From Home using our online WAVE tool. Contact Kevin Marvin at [email protected] for an online training session to get started with WAVE or Outreach Circle. Give to PAC—At MEAVotes.org, make one-time or recurring credit card contributions to MEA-PAC. These voluntary contributions are used to help friends of public education win elections (dues dollars cannot be and are not used for political candidate contributions). You can also get You can get involved in Election 2020 today! You can get involved information there about MEA recommended candidates and how to Vote From Home. MEA VOICE 13 EDUCATORS FOR JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS Why fellow members are supporting a new direction for the White House Educators deserve a president who Harris will reinvest in public educa- member—educators will have stead- listens to them. Who respects them, tion, make safety a priority, and en- fast friends in the White House who their expertise and their dedication sure students are ready to succeed in will be advocates for public educa- to students. Who will work to keep a modern economy. tion and students. everyone safe and ensure they have Making safety a priority amidst this Above all else, with compassion and the resources to succeed. pandemic is essential, which is why steady leadership, Biden will unite Joe Biden will be that president, Biden supports increasing funding the country—not stoke fears and which is why thousands of Michigan for classroom alterations, up-to-date further divide us. educators have committed to sup- and accessible technology, personal On every issue that impacts public porting him in this fall’s presidential protective equipment, and increased education and labor, the choice election, along with his running mate, sanitization. between Joe Biden and Donald Kamala Harris. Biden and Harris are committed Trump is clear—see the candi- Join them by becoming to attracting and retaining qualified date comparison for yourself at an “Educator for Joe” at educators by supporting pay raises, StrongPublicSchools.org. That’s StrongPublicSchools.org. improving emergency paid leave and why educators across the country As President, Biden’s first order of expanding student loan forgiveness are standing up as Educators for Joe. business will be to replace Betsy programs. Learn more at JoeBiden.com. DeVos with a qualified educator as Along with Dr. Jill Biden—a Secretary of Education. Biden and longtime teacher and NEA It’s time to FIRE DEVOS and hire a qualified Secretary of Education Siding with loan lenders and for-prof- it colleges over the students borrow- It’s been nearly four years since Gary Proposals to cut education fund- ing money to get degrees. Peters joined Senators from both ing and siphon taxpayer money to parties voting against Betsy DeVos’ private schools. Pushing blindly for reopening of schools, regardless of the advice of confirmation as the U.S. Secretary of Millions sent to failing charter health experts and educators. Education. schools—some of which never even Since then, we’ve experienced a opened in the first place. Learn more at mea.org/FireDeVos about why we must replace her this litany of attacks on public educa- Elimination of protections for sexual November by electing Joe Biden, tion coming from DeVos and her assault victims on college campuses. department. who will appoint a qualified educator as Secretary of Education. 14 OCT–NOV 2020 ELECTION 2020 Clear choice for U.S. Senate—An Advocate for Education or An Advocate for Betsy DeVos MEA recommends Sen. Gary Peters for re-election COVID” or someone who believes Senate leaders didn’t allow a vote on Betsy DeVos’s performance as sec- all summer). retary of education has been “very, On the other hand, Peters’ op- very good.” ponent—failed candidate and Throughout his time in public businessman John James—has service, Sen. Gary Peters has been continued to cozy up to DeVos a friend of public education, working and her family, taking in millions in with educators to get the resources campaign contributions and adver- necessary to provide students with tising support from them and even opportunities—from K-12 through hiring a DeVos family member to his higher education and skilled trade campaign team. Learn more about training. During this pandemic, his the ties between James and DeVos advocacy on those lines hasn’t wa- at JohnJamesRevealed.com. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters vered, following up that quote from For all these reasons and more, MEA a May education funding rally with and NEA support Gary Peters for non-stop pressure for the Senate to re-election to the U.S.