Kamala Harris’ First Speech to Lecturers as a Presidential Candidate
As a former instructor, I used to be thrilled after I heard that Vice President Kamala Harris could be talking on the American Federation of Lecturers Conference right here in Houston. Figuring out this was one in every of her first speeches as a presidential candidate, and understanding absolutely the prepare wreck of the state takeover of Houston I.S.D. this previous 12 months, I knew I needed to be there.
Dodging the rain, I headed to Houston’s George R. Brown Conference Heart early this morning and went by press check-in. Whereas ready, I chatted with fellow academics, AFT employees, and media personnel about their expectations for Harris’ speech. Many expressed a mixture of pleasure and curiosity about her plans for training.
Lastly, as soon as the delegates from the AFT conference had taken their seats, AFT president Randi Weingarten took the stage and launched Vice President Kamala Harris.
Listed below are my 5 largest takeaways from her speech.
1. Lecturers are prepared for change.
The power within the room was palpable. Harris’ acknowledgment of the struggles academics face and her name for systemic change resonated deeply.
“On this second, we’re in a combat for our most basic freedoms,” Harris stated. “And to this room of leaders, I say convey it on. Carry it on. Carry it on.”
The group’s chants of “Carry it on!” in response made it clear: Lecturers are prepared for change.
2. Harris isn’t any stranger to advocating for academics.
I knew Kamala Harris had a powerful historical past of supporting training initiatives. In her profession, she has advocated for common preschool, instructor pay raises, and free greater training. She’s been a powerful advocate for desegregation, and based on Schooling Week, “has endorsed payments to enhance STEM training for women and underrepresented minorities, and provides faculty districts funding to assist aligning the varsity day with household work schedules and constructing stronger relationships with households.”
In her speech right this moment, Harris centered on scholar debt forgiveness, significantly for academics struggling to repay scholar loans over many years. Quoting a instructor she spoke with, Harris stated, “Will I’ve to depart this job to pay the payments?” A sentiment almost each instructor I do know has grappled with at one time or one other.
She additionally talked about the threats to academics’ security, humanity, and professionalism within the type of gun violence, anti-LGBTQ+ laws, and guide bans. Clearly, Harris is aware of what academics are going through.
3. There was an enormous concentrate on the long run.
“At this time we face a selection between two very completely different visions for our nation, one centered on the long run and the opposite centered on the previous,” Harris stated. “And we’re centered on the long run.”
With a lot negativity in academics’ rearview mirrors these previous few years—going from heros to zeros throughout COVID, guide bans, hostility from communities, and even violence in some circumstances—academics are greater than able to look forward.
“We aren’t going again. No,” Harris stated. “We are going to transfer ahead.”
4. One other massive focus: our nationwide character.
Lecturers know higher than nearly anybody that achievements imply little or no in the event that they’re born from hate, hostility, or ignoring the principles. Harris spoke to this notion throughout her speech:
“We every in our nation face a query, that query being what sort of nation will we wish to dwell in?” Harris stated. “A rustic of freedom, compassion, and rule of regulation? Or a rustic of chaos, worry, and hate? The great thing about our democracy is that we every have the facility to reply that query once we vote. And once we vote, we make our voices heard.”
5. It’s vital that one in every of Harris’ first speeches as a presidential candidate was to academics.
I discovered myself getting choked up as I watched Harris within the last moments of her speech.
Lecturers aren’t used to being “seen.” Certain, we now have Trainer Appreciation Day and the occasional electronic mail from a former scholar. However most of the time, aside from the scholars whom we affect immediately, we’re form of within the shadows. I believe a lot of the public expects that we’ll present up, regardless of how insulting the pay is or how little assist we get.
To have the present vice chairman and presidential candidate handle educators immediately, Harris signaled to academics, “I see you. Your issues matter to me, and I hear them.”
Some say politics and political discussions haven’t any place in training. However that’s essentially unfaithful. Each a part of training—from our curriculum to our pay to the variety of college students in our school rooms and books in our libraries—is predicated on political choices. Educating in itself is a political act.
I gained’t inform you who to vote for. However I’ll inform you this: If training is a trigger on the poll that issues to you in any respect, please, please present as much as the polls in November.
I do know who has my vote.
