AFT 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ENDORSEMENT

WHEREAS, members of the American Federation of Teachers are engaged participants in the political process that defines and strengthens our democracy; and

WHEREAS, the AFT and our affiliates are committed to advancing the American dream for the people we have the honor to represent and those we have dedicated our lives to serving—our members, our families and our communities—through educational opportunity for all students from birth to college; mitigating the circumstances of poverty; rebuilding the middle class; strengthening the institutions that serve our communities; improving the economy; valuing workers, and giving them voice through collective bargaining rights; fostering democratic principles that allow all who call America home to have access to the American dream; and

WHEREAS, the AFT and our members have a long and proud history of pushing against inequality and unfairness, and toward opportunity and equality for all; and

WHEREAS, the 2016 presidential election will be an opportunity to choose a candidate who shares the AFT’s vision for America’s future; and

WHEREAS, members of the AFT are engaged participants in the political process that defines and strengthens our democracy; and

WHEREAS, the 2016 race for the presidency already has begun with individuals announcing their candidacies, resources being raised to support candidate campaigns, and with candidates formalizing their positions on the issues of importance to AFT members; and

WHEREAS, the AFT not only has a proud history of engaging and listening to members, and a track record of researching issues important to our members; educating one another on those issues; and communicating those values aimed at giving everyone a fair shot at success; but our union also has a history of providing a guiding resolution for presidential endorsements in primaries and general elections:

RESOLVED, that it is premature to endorse a candidate for president of the United States, but because the 2016 presidential election process already has commenced, the American Federation of Teachers has a responsibility to begin a listening process with AFT members to learn about the issues that are important to them for the presidential election, and will seek to broaden the ways to do so; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT research candidates’ positions on issues that are important to our members, inform members about those positions, and take steps to engage members and affiliates in the presidential endorsement process.