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U.S. NEWS Thursday 4 OcTOber 2018
Walkout teachers now in a drive to win U.S. statehouse posts

Continued from Front Experts say it’s too soon to practices at the local, state
say what sort impact the and federal level,” Riggs
“It’s about standing up for teacher candidates may said. “And to be a credible
what’s right and bringing have on policy if elected. advocate as our state’s
that teacher’s voice to that Republican State Leader- chief K-12 officer, it requires
position,” Hoffman said. “I ship Committee commu- a degree of legislative and
felt it should come straight nications director David political expertise, which
from the classroom.” James accused teacher I certainly feel I have as a
After years of dense educa- unions of fielding Demo- former member of Con-
tion debates over teacher cratic candidates who gress.”
evaluations and the Com- would use “their education Hoffman said getting her
mon Core learning stan- platforms to defend a Bol- campaign going was like
dards, the new teacher shevik monopoly, that turns starting a new company.
candidates’ simplified mes- to the Prussian model of Her campaign workers in
sage for higher pay and classroom teaching, rather the primary were all under
more funding for schools than new innovative tech- 40 and one was an Arizona
represent “talking points niques.” #RedForEd protest leader.
(that) are resonating,” said He also said “Republicans She had to learn about
Frederick Hess, director of have a sizable force of branding, logos, messag-
education policy at the educators that will win this ing and hone her public
conservative American En- cycle.” speaking and networking
terprise Institute public poli- Hoffman said she decided skills.
cy think tank. to run out of a feeling that “Every little piece of that
“What we might be seeing too many education deci- had to come together, and In this Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018 photo, Kathy Hoffman, a public
is the emergence of a num- sion-makers don’t under- I know I’ve grown so much school speech therapist, is a Democratic candidate running for
ber of individuals who will stand how public schools professionally and person- superintendent of public education, in Phoenix.
be an elected mainstream work. She was dismayed ally from this experience,” Associated Press
set of advocates for these with the confirmation hear- she said. as a key issue in November in these states, these can-
teacher issues,” he said. ing of U.S. Education Sec- But candidates like Hoff- — months after the #Red- didates for the most part,
In the state senate races retary Betsy DeVos, who man in states like Arizona ForEd protests demonstra- are still going to have to
in Maine and Minnesota, stumbled over questions that lean Republican must tions captured national at- overcome the partisan dis-
teacher candidates could about students with dis- not only get votes from tention. advantage that they face
help flip state legislatures abilities. Hoffman became Democrats, but also Re- “Even if the moment is ripe at the ballot box,” said
to Democratic control, more politicized after Arizo- publicans or independents. and even if the message Patrick McGuinn, a politi-
according to Mara Sloan, na state lawmakers refused And they are dependent resonates, and even if cal science and education
spokeswoman for the to grant the same 20 per- on voters who are still think- there is concern about the professor at Drew University
Democratic Legislative cent raises Arizona teach- ing about public education state of public education in New Jersey.q
Campaign Committee. ers got to school support
She said her group knows staff and a decision by the
of 650 educators running state’s outgoing education
for state legislative positions chief, Diane Douglas, to
across the country this year support an ethnic studies
and that more than 450 are ban that a federal judge
Democrats. ruled was discriminatory.
In Kentucky, at least 34 Douglas ended up finishing
current and former teach- third in a five-way Republi-
ers are on the ballot in the can primary.
general election for seats in Riggs is a three-term Re-
the state legislature, 29 of publican California U.S.
them Democrats. In Con- congressman who was the
necticut, former National CEO of a nonprofit com-
Teacher of the Year Jaha- pany that helps charter
na Hayes won the Demo- schools with financing and
cratic primary for a U.S. is the founding president
House seat. The Oklahoma of an online K-12 Arizona
Education Association said charter school.
55 educators are running in He has criticized Hoffman
the general election for the for being “inexperienced
state legislature. and extreme” and has said
As for the Republicans, she holds “radical views.”
Oklahoma City assistant In an interview, the 68-year-
school principal Sherrie old Riggs called Hoffman
Conley upset three-term “a very nice young person”
incumbent state lawmaker who is dedicated to edu-
Bobby Cleveland in a pri- cation but said she has lim-
mary runoff election. Cleve- ited teaching experience
land is one of six Republi- and no leadership creden-
can state House members tials.
in Oklahoma who lost their “The job involves high-level
jobs after voting against executive leadership. It re-
a tax hike used to fund a quires a deep knowledge
teacher pay raise. of education policies and