Teachers endorse Connealy in 1st District race
Democratic congressional nominee Matt Connealy won the endorsement Thursday of the 25,000-member Nebraska State Education Association.
Connealy has compiled "a sterling record of support for children and public schools" as a state legislator, NSEA President Duane Obermier said, and would help "fix and fund" federal education policy as a member of Congress.
The endorsement of the state teachers association will help fuel the Connealy campaign with volunteers and funding in the final month of this year's general election campaign.
Connealy is matched against Republican nominee Jeff Fortenberry and Green Party candidate Steve Larrick in the 1st District House race. The winner will succeed Republican Rep. Doug Bereuter, who left Congress to become president of the Asia Foundation.
Standing in front of Lincoln High School with teachers, education officials and school board members, Connealy pledged to help fund and improve the No Child Left Behind education reform act.
In Nebraska, he said, the collection of new federal mandates and testing requirements represent "a solution looking for a problem."
What is needed here is "resources, not more tests," he said. The federal government should "lend a helping hand or get out of the way."
Obermier praised Connealy, a Decatur state senator, for "making education a priority" during Nebraska's recent state government revenue shortfall and opposing sharp cuts in school funding.
â€"We'll take some political hits for that," Connealy said. "They will call us names (like) big taxers and big spenders. But I stand up for education."
Lincoln school board members Kathy Danek, Jim Garver and Don Mayhew joined Connealy at the Lincoln High School event.
Marcia Benner, a teacher for 29 years, said Connealy "did not back off his promise to help our kids" when he faced tough decisions in the Legislature.
No Child Left Behind is "causing me and other teachers to miss valuable classroom time to set up tests, test and grade tests," said Kate Connealy, a Gretna teacher and the candidate's daughter-in-law.
As Connealy accepted the teachers' endorsement, the National Federation of Independent Business announced its endorsement of Fortenberry.
"Jeff Fortenberry is the pro-small business candidate in this race," said Jack Faris, federation president. The national organization cited Fortenberry's support for tax relief and tort reform.
Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or dwalton@;journalstar.com.
Connealy has compiled "a sterling record of support for children and public schools" as a state legislator, NSEA President Duane Obermier said, and would help "fix and fund" federal education policy as a member of Congress.
The endorsement of the state teachers association will help fuel the Connealy campaign with volunteers and funding in the final month of this year's general election campaign.
Connealy is matched against Republican nominee Jeff Fortenberry and Green Party candidate Steve Larrick in the 1st District House race. The winner will succeed Republican Rep. Doug Bereuter, who left Congress to become president of the Asia Foundation.
Standing in front of Lincoln High School with teachers, education officials and school board members, Connealy pledged to help fund and improve the No Child Left Behind education reform act.
In Nebraska, he said, the collection of new federal mandates and testing requirements represent "a solution looking for a problem."
What is needed here is "resources, not more tests," he said. The federal government should "lend a helping hand or get out of the way."
Obermier praised Connealy, a Decatur state senator, for "making education a priority" during Nebraska's recent state government revenue shortfall and opposing sharp cuts in school funding.
â€"We'll take some political hits for that," Connealy said. "They will call us names (like) big taxers and big spenders. But I stand up for education."
Lincoln school board members Kathy Danek, Jim Garver and Don Mayhew joined Connealy at the Lincoln High School event.
Marcia Benner, a teacher for 29 years, said Connealy "did not back off his promise to help our kids" when he faced tough decisions in the Legislature.
No Child Left Behind is "causing me and other teachers to miss valuable classroom time to set up tests, test and grade tests," said Kate Connealy, a Gretna teacher and the candidate's daughter-in-law.
As Connealy accepted the teachers' endorsement, the National Federation of Independent Business announced its endorsement of Fortenberry.
"Jeff Fortenberry is the pro-small business candidate in this race," said Jack Faris, federation president. The national organization cited Fortenberry's support for tax relief and tort reform.
Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or dwalton@;journalstar.com.
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