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NEW w/ @akarl_smith: Republicans see an opportunity to begin winning back the suburban voters they lost under Donald Trump's presidency by capitalizing on widespread frustration with pandemic life and directing it at an old enemy: Teachers unions. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/openourschools-gop-targets-teachers-unions-bid-retake-suburbs-n1257899
New NRCC Tom Emmer told staff as soon as he took over to go all in on schools: "It's the teachers unions that want to keep the schools closed. Dems are ignoring the science, and they're standing with their special-interest donors instead of the students." https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/openourschools-gop-targets-teachers-unions-bid-retake-suburbs-n1257899
Going after public sector unions is a throwback to the last time the GOP was locked out of power in DC in 2009/2010 and it's a message that every faction in the party can get behind -- with the potential for crossover appeal to indies and some Dems.
The politics have changed since circa 2009, when the school reform movement was at its height w/ broad bipartisan support, including from the Obama admin.
Now, support for unions is at a nearly 20-year high and teachers unions favorability has gone up a bit during Covid, BUT...
Now, support for unions is at a nearly 20-year high and teachers unions favorability has gone up a bit during Covid, BUT...
But the frustration over shuttered schools is real and Republicans think they can channel that anger into a grassroots uprising to drive a wedge between suburban voters and the Democratic Party.
"This is the suburban-parent revolt," said Corry Bliss.
"This is the suburban-parent revolt," said Corry Bliss.
Dems say this won't work because schools will (hopefully) be open before voters vote.
AFT Pres. @rweingarten told me it's "a reckless and irresponsible exploitation of the fear and frustration that everybody feels right now" and attempt to "deflect blame" from Trump+GOP.
AFT Pres. @rweingarten told me it's "a reckless and irresponsible exploitation of the fear and frustration that everybody feels right now" and attempt to "deflect blame" from Trump+GOP.
The first real test will be in #VAGov, where GOPer @petesnyder has centered his campaign around " #OpenOurSchools."
"I think Virginia is the beginning of the nationwide earthquake on this," he told @akarl_smith.
It's not "conservative red meat,"he said just "common sense."
"I think Virginia is the beginning of the nationwide earthquake on this," he told @akarl_smith.
It's not "conservative red meat,"he said just "common sense."
A lot more, with polling data, more voices and other perspective in here: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/openourschools-gop-targets-teachers-unions-bid-retake-suburbs-n1257899
P.S. Politics is ALREADY determining school openings more than science, according to a recent study from @BrownUniversity's @AnnenbergInst, which found correlation btwn in-person learning and the district's pres. vote share + strength of teachers unions.
https://www.edworkingpapers.com/index.php/ai20-304
https://www.edworkingpapers.com/index.php/ai20-304
