On July 25, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to the American Federation of Teachers – the primary union to approach her after she announced her candidacy for president.
Although she spoke to many teachers, Harris didn’t concentrate on teacher-specific topics. Rather, she spoke about general guidelines That’s what working people wantcomparable to sick leave and paid family leave. She also spoke in regards to the labor movement more broadly. “When unions are strong, America is strong,” she said.
Harris' vp, Tim Walz, appeared on the Democratic National Convention in August proudly asserted his identity as a teacher. On Instagram he described himself as “I have been a dues-paying, card-carrying member of my teachers' union for years.”
Public school teachers are usually not often cited as a significant force in national politics. They are usually not wealthy donors. She rarely hold public office. Many congressmen claim to have been “educators”.“But this also includes law professors, school fundraisers and faculty district leaders.
But teachers and their unions can influence policy—within the U.S. and around the globe. Walz's candidacy is causing her role to be reconsidered. Whose interests do they represent? Can teachers really speak on behalf of a bigger community?
Our view based on political science research What we and others have found is that teachers today are top-of-the-line – if not one of the best – organized groups in politics to advocate for the economic interests of working people.
The rise of teachers as political candidates around the globe
Tim Walz taught social studies at Mankato West High School in Minnesota for 20 years. When he served in Congress, he was certainly one of just one Handful of K-12 public school teachers. The The overwhelming majority of members of Congress are lawyers and business people They predominantly come from higher-income backgrounds and a disproportionate number study at elite institutions.
There are few obvious precedents for Walz's candidacy as a highschool teacher and later high-ranking politician within the United States. But Walz is anything but unique on this planet.
In many developing democracies Colombia To Indonesia And IndiaTeachers are a big group of public sector staff organized into powerful unions. All over the world, teacher candidates have risen politically. In Colombia, for instance, the teachers' union did this 270,000 membersThis makes it the most important union on this country. Quite a lot of leaders on this union have moved from the union presidency to the Senate of the Republic.
The book 2024 “Mobilization of teachers“documents the rise of teachers as a political force in Latin America three many years ago.
Former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo is maybe best remembered for being ousted from office in 2022 after attempting to dissolve Congress. But its origins are remarkable. He was a humble elementary school teacher and a labor leader who improbably ascended to the presidency in 2021. In Mexico, national teachers union leader Alfonso Cepeda Salas became similar Senator from the ruling party in 2024.
Teachers unions are usually not all the time a force for good governance. Their use has been widely criticized in Mexico corrupt practices to influence politics, for instance by favoring teachers who’re near certain parties. However, within the Nineteen Eighties, teachers mobilized on the streets of Brazil, Chile and Mexico against military dictatorships and authoritarian rule, and Brazilian teachers' unions advocated for broader causes comparable to: the fitting to education and increased spending on public schools.
In the United States, K-12 public teachers don’t typically grow to be high-profile political candidates. However, within the late twentieth century additionally they emerged as necessary political actors in other ways. This was driven by economic changes comparable to automation and globalization, which affected the work of many unions – comparable to industrial unions – but not teachers. Today, Every fifth union member are teachers. And the teachers as an entire make it 8% of the college-educated workforce within the United States.
Through their unionsIn the United States, teachers are sometimes recruited as political candidates, particularly in state and native elections. However, their number is small. In 2018, for instance, teachers were on the ballot Record numbers but still presented fairly 3% of candidates.
Teachers and the general public interest
Teachers within the USA were criticized for this against reforms B. school alternative and linking teacher rankings to student test scores. Some scholars consider that these reforms could improve the standard of education.
In the US there are also concerns in regards to the strong influence on school board elections and Democratic Party primaries. Some researchers argue that teachers unions have disproportionate power because “they actively and intentionally participate in electoral efforts.” control their very own superiors” – school board members. In other words, unlike private sector staff, teachers unions use theirs political influence to decide on their very own bosses.
However, other researchers have shown that the policies teachers often follow oriented towards the interests of the scholars. Teachers' unions have long argued that higher working conditions for teachers also mean higher learning conditions for college kids, and that is precisely what they often advocate for.
Some states and cities have them serious teacher shortagewhich some analysts use to argue that teachers' low pay has made the career unattractive. These shortages not only impact the standard of education, but in addition reflect the economic concerns of the American middle class. Teacher salaries stagnatedalthough a Extensive economic research has shown that there’s a cause-and-effect relationship between increasing education spending and improved student performance, particularly when funding increases go toward teacher salaries.
In the last 16 years within the USA Teacher strikes have increased the salaries of teachers and other education staff comparable to custodians, bus drivers and administrative staff. Teachers have also highlighted the varieties of school quality concerns which might be top of mind for a lot of parents, comparable to: free school meals and set more Counselors, nurses and psychologists at schools.
The Role of Teachers in Upholding Democracy
Public school teachers are in a novel position to uphold democratic institutions – a For many scientists, that is the largest concern heading into this election. The teachers are deeply embedded within the local communities and organize repeatedly coordinate political efforts with other local nonprofits and grassroots groups. We consider that they’re certainly one of the few middle class groups that may still defend themselves against the growing power Large corporations, mega-donors and media corporations.
image credit : theconversation.com