Educators’ Union Recommends Zuckerman and Slate of Candidates

VERMONT-NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

PRESS RELEASE                                                         

September 14, 2020

For Immediate Release

Educators’ Union Recommends Zuckerman and Slate of Candidates

Vermont-NEA Board Cites Support of Public Education and Working Vermonters

MONTPELIER – The board of directors of the state’s largest union this weekend strongly recommended the election of David Zuckerman for governor as well as a slate of other pro-worker and pro-public education candidates.

“What we have learned as a result of this once-in-a-century pandemic is that the needs of working families, public institutions, and people of color have been neglected for decades,” said Don Tinney, a high school English teacher who serves as the elected president of Vermont-NEA. “My fellow educators and I strongly believe this slate of candidates will work to reinvest in what really matters: people and the services they need to thrive, especially Vermont’s educators and the students they serve.”

In addition to recommending Zuckerman for governor, the union’s board is urging the election of Molly Gray for lieutenant governor; Beth Pearce for another term as treasurer; TJ Donovan for another term as attorney general; Jim Condos for another term as secretary of state; and Doug Hoffer for another term as auditor.

“At a time when our worlds have been upended by a pandemic that knows and respects no borders, it is vital that we have a team dedicated to a smart recovery at the helm,” Tinney said. “As an organic farmer who has dedicated over two decades to public service, David Zuckerman brings a keen understanding of the challenges we all face. He knows that we can’t return to the normal we knew but must recover in a way that rights many of the wrongs plaguing our society in Vermont and throughout the country.”

Tinney also pointed to Zuckerman’s steadfast support for public schools, public employees, and all working families. “David knows that Vermont does better when everyday Vermonters do better,” Tinney said.

He also noted that Gray has been an advocate for public schools and working families; Pearce is one of the most vociferous defenders of our state’s public pension systems; Donovan is pledging to ensure that rules protecting workers are enforced; Condos is a national leader in voter rights; and Hoffer continues to ensure public money is spent wisely.

The union does not formally make endorsements, and the board’s recommendations are based on interviews, questionnaires, and member-input. The union will also announce its recommendations in legislative races soon.

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