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Walkout teachers now in a drive to win U.S. statehouse posts

By CAROLYN THOMPSO
Associated Press
Last September, school
speech therapist Kathy
Hoffman was settling into
the new academic year,
working with youngsters in
her small classroom behind
a playground at Sahuaro
Ranch Elementary School
in a blue-collar neighbor-
hood outside Phoenix.
This year, the political nov-
ice is gone from her class-
room and on the cam-
paign trail across Arizona
full-time as the Democrats’
choice in the race to be-
come superintendent of
public education, oversee-
ing the state’s schools. The
job is typically held by ca-
ers running for office, peo- EXTRA
reer politicians or political
insiders.
“My tipping point was real-
izing we need more teach-

ple who understand what
it’s like in the classroom, CREDIT
who have seen the effect
of having the lack of re-
sources from our lawmak-
ers,” Hoffman said.
Hundreds of current and
former educators, most of In this April 26, 2018 file photo participants in #RedForEd protest march in Yuma, Ariz. Associated Press
them Democrats like Hoff- the Democratic primary, funding have shaken up that drew support from par- the country, some edu-
man, are on general elec- the 32-year-old Hoffman November midterm elec- ents and school children in cators have already won
tion ballots from school beat a former state sen- tions around the U.S. Arizona, Colorado, Ken- primary races against the
board to governor — far ate minority leader, illus- She and the other teacher tucky, Oklahoma and West incumbent state legisla-
exceeding educator can- trating how much a surge candidates represent a Virginia and also focused tors they blamed for public
didacies prior to this year’s in teacher activism center- wild-card political move- on outdated textbooks, school spending cutbacks.
#RedForEd protests. ing on higher teacher pay ment following the teach- crowded classrooms and
In her first campaign during and increased educational er-driven #RedForEd effort teacher shortages. Across Continued on Page 3