Houston has become a top stop in the country for Democratic presidential candidates for policy forums, rallies, and fundraising. On Friday, many of the leading candidates are in downtown Houston to talk public education at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
The top candidates scheduled to attend include Joe Biden, Julian Castro, Kamala Harris, Beto O’Rourke, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren. The National Eduction Association, the nation’s largest labor union, is sponsoring and moderating the forum.
Yesterday, NEA’s president, Lily Eskelsen García, gave the keynote address to her organization’s 7,000 delegates.
“I hope I’m not being too subtle,” she said. “I want to be clear,” Eskelsen García said. “The United States of America must have a new president….I am not being partisan when I tell you that Donald Trump disqualified himself for our consideration many times and in many ways, but most particularly on education issues, he disqualified himself with two words: Betsy DeVos.”
Eskelsen Garcia is expected to ask the candidates, who appear one by one, about their plans for public education in the U.S., including teacher recruitment and retention.
The Texans in the race have outlined their values when it comes to public education. O’Rourke and Castro want to increase teacher pay, ensure kids are college and career ready, and not saddled with crushing debt.
The Signal will be reporting live from the NEA’s #StrongPublicSchools event.
