PITTSBURGH, PA. - For more than 15 years, I have covered Randi Weingarten, the president of the 1.7 million member American Federation of Teachers union, but I have never seen her as excited as when she got the news that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a social studies teacher and AFT member, had been selected as Vice Presidential candidate.
Behind the scenes, Weingarten had pushed heavily for Walz to be selected as Vice Presidential candidate. The first time that a non-lawyer had been on the Democratic ticket in 44 years since Jimmy Carter, who was a naval officer and peanut farmer.
While in Pittsburgh last week, Weingarten sat down with Payday Report to discuss the impact that Walz’s selection is having on the rank-and-file of her union.
She says that Walz has been able to connect emotionally with people because of the skills that teachers learn in the classroom.
“Every single day in a classroom, you are meeting the needs of the people in front of you, and you are understanding it's not what's said, it's what's heard, but you have to meet them where they are. That's what teachers understand,” said Weingarten.
“You can't teach people unless you understand who they are and you meet them where they are, and there's a sense of trust and confidence, and a willingness to create a community, that's who teachers are,” says Weingarten. “And frankly, that's what America needs.”
Weingarten told Payday Report that her rank-and-file and shop stewards feel empowered watching Walz, the first teacher ever on the ticket, become so popular.
“I've watched working people around the country, but particularly people in education, stand up a little taller and say, Wow, maybe, just maybe, I'm going to be respected for what I do and who I am,” says Weingarten.
She says that teachers, with Tim Walz as Vice Presidential candidate, are having a moment of recognition for their work nationwide.
“There's a quiet respect and a sense of gratitude. Teachers work their hearts out, they do, and look, I'm not surprised that we've turned around the culture wars,” said Weingarten. “I'm not surprised that when we can actually shine the light on what teachers do with kids and what their relationships and meaning are for parents, that people want the secret sauce that happens in education, particularly as we start a school year.”
For more, listen to our full interview with Randi Weingarten.
