Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton with Marianne Walters, 12.
The theme of NYSUT's 2006 Representative Assembly is "Walking the Walk," and the message obviously got through to U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Instead of just talking about ways to make differences in the lives of children, Clinton actually went out and did it.
After a Friday speech to RA delegates that included standing ovations, Clinton was mobbed at a rope line, signing everything from placards to T-shirts. In the throng, she made time to visit with 12-year-old Marianne Walters, who was at the RA with her father, K.J. Walters, a member of the Rockland Community College Adjunct Faculty Association.
Marianne was able to meet former President Bill Clinton five years ago at the last NYSUT RA in Rochester, and she said she had the same message for both Clintons - she wants to be president some day. Marianne, who said she was "really excited" to meet both Clintons, said they both stressed the importance of a good education.
Improving education and health care were central themes in Clinton's address to 3,000 cheering delegates and visitors. Clinton expressed frustration with misplaced priorities on education in Washington, and pledged to continue fighting for full funding for No Child Left Behind.
Clinton railed against cuts to education and health care in Bush's proposed budget - including a $2.6 billion cut in education funding that she said is the largest in the history of the Department of Education.
Tammie Salvione, a high-school guidance counselor and member of the Webster TA, said she was particularly struck "that President Bush is not funding NCLB after he promised he would. We don't have the resources sometimes to let students successfully reach their goals."
Clinton said a partnership between educators, parents and communities is key to improving education nationwide, and preparing students to compete in an increasingly global economy. She praised NYSUT and NEA/NY for unifying and improving the influence of educators statewide.
"I think it's important that teachers have a unified voice, because, boy, do we need a unified voice," Clinton said. "We need to stand up and be heard in Washington."
NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi praised the senator just before she came to the podium.
"Hillary Clinton has been with us on our issues - education, health care, labor and the concerns of working families - during her six years in the Senate and, before that, in the White House as first lady," Iannuzzi said.
"We'll be there for Hillary, because Hillary has been there for us," added NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan Lubin.
Some members of the Professional Staff Congress, NYSUT's affiliate representing City University of New York faculty and professionals, and others held up signs during Clinton's speech demanding that the US remove troops from Iraq. Clinton said that eliminating dependency on oil from unstable foreign countries needs to be a priority.