My experience has been the same as yours re: unions and members in Virginia. The Virginia teachers “union” serves mostly as a professional association.

Most of the teachers I know in Va. are not union members either. Most who are members do so for the professional journals and articles, the liability insurance, and the discounts like auto insurance and Verizon (I’ve heard the discounts are REALLY good). I do know a few who are active conservatives and a few who are active liberals.

I like Mr Young am a conservative. However, unlike him, I believe this endorsement is yet another compelling reason to vote to return Delegate Miller! People looking for a reason not to vote for Delegate Miller are doing no one (except democrats & Ms. Rischell) a favor.

I like Mr Yound am a conservative. However, unlike him, I believe this endorsement is yet another compelling reason to vote to return Delegate Miller! People looking for a reason not to vote for Delegate Miller are doing no one (except democrats & Ms. Rischell) a favor.

http://www.vpap.org/committees/profile/home/518?start_year=2008&end_year=2009&lookup_type=year&filing_period=all

This wasn’t the big, bad union choosing Jackson Miller.

This was local teachers from our area who picked whom they support.

They chose the conservative Jackson Miller.

God forbid some teachers belong to a “union”. A Virginia union is nothing more than an association of professionals; it is powerless.

Republicans get all pissy about what unions try to get for teachers. Well, what unions and professional associations exist in Virginia to promote someone else’s interests?

Endorsements speaks more about Miller supporting public schools than anything at all about Rishell as she was never in contention (since Miller voted the way the union wanted him to).

How bad does a dem have to screw up in order to not get this endorsement from a teacher’s union?

I’d say they realize that having been beaten twice by Del. Miller, they prefer to ride a winning horse. Better to endorse someone who might vote their way come budget time, than to endorse someone who will never be in a position to vote on a state budget.

In other words, Jeanette Rishell the candidate just plain sucks eggs, although I imagine Jeanette Rishell the person is ok.

That is very unlikely. The firefighters union and the police union (really just the ffax police assoc.) are mostly interested in unionization ability something too wich Miller is very opposed. The teachers union is more interested in funding, class size, education policy, etc.

Without a doubt Rishell still gets the support of the unions.

Miller earned this endorsement, and it’s well deserved! Congratulations to Del. Miller!

Of course the paid union staff and most principals (not teacher union members) are liberals, but a huge number of teachers in our area are conservative.

Unfortunately, republicans have spent so much time painting teachers with the “ugly brush” that it isn’t seen as a positive when their endorsement is received.

Congrats to Jackson………

[Ed note: and removed as such…]