Political conference energizes educators for 2010
Hundreds of Education Minnesota members are “fired up and ready to go” for Election 2010 following the union’s first Political Conference Nov. 20 and 21 in St. Paul.
More than 350 people attended the statewide training event, including 125 members who had never before been active in Education Minnesota or its locals. Nearly 200 took part in a lively mock political convention featuring a simulated subcaucus process – complete with posters, chanting and efforts to persuade other attendees to join groups such as “Gore – Health Care” and “Kucinich – Motorcycle Helmets.”
The goal is that this core of energized members will go back to their locals and help get their colleagues active in the Feb. 2 precinct caucuses and beyond.
Quoting President Barack Obama, Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher urged conference attendees to get “fired up” and get involved in a political process that will have a profound impact on K-12 schools and higher education. The key race in 2010 is the governor’s race, he said.
“The next governor must understand our issues and what we do on an every-single-day basis,” he said. “The future is at stake….We want to empower you this weekend to organize and mobilize. We need to get every single one of our members involved in this.”
U.S. Rep Tim Walz added: “You’re all staring zero and zero [two-year salary increases] in the face, you’re all staring levies in the face…. You know that none of that will change unless we organize, unless we talk passionately about why we need to elect people who will change these things.”
Breakout sessions offered practical advice in areas such as messaging; cost-effective campaign tools; organizing and working with communities, retirees and college students; and recruiting female and minority candidates and campaigners.
Special sessions were offered for people new to politics, Republican members and higher education faculty members.
November 23, 2009