Teachers union explains endorsement delay

Posted at 11:37 AM on March 16, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The state teachers union held a news conference today to address two proposals for closing the achievement gap in Minnesota schools.

Education Minnesota is urging the Pawlenty administration to try again for federal money under the Race to the Top initiative. It's also supporting legislation to help persistently low-achieving schools.

There were also some questions about politics, specifically why Education Minnesota has not yet endorsed a candidate in the crowded DFL race for governor. President Tom Dooher said his organization is making progress but isn't ready to make a decision.

"We are going through a very exhaustive process of interviewing the candidates, looking at their campaigns, looking at the political landscape," Dooher said. "And we want to make sure that when we make our endorsement that it is based on the research that we see, the polling that we see and what our members believe is really going to be an effective partner in governing the state."

Education Minnesota won't get another chance to endorse before next month's state DFL convention. Dooher said the union's endorsing committee isn't scheduled to meet again until May.

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