The Connecticut Education Association has announced the endorsement of Governor Ned Lamont for a third term. CEA’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to back Lamont in his reelection.
“When educators have a seat at the table, students win,” said CEA President Kate Dias. “Governor Lamont has shown a genuine commitment to listening to educators, supporting our public schools, and advancing policies that help students succeed. His partnership with the education community has strengthened our schools and our profession, and we are proud to endorse him for a third term as the leader our state needs.”
CEA highlighted Lamont’s efforts to improve public education, including creating a Blue Ribbon Commission to modernize how schools are funded, leading the effort to ban cell phones and other classroom distractions, supporting legislation to strengthen privacy protections for educators, upholding collective bargaining rights of educators, advancing the Multi-Language Learners Bill of Rights, and increasing state financial support for districts to help with rising special education costs.
“Leadership is measured by the choices made when it matters most. Governor Lamont has consistently demonstrated through his actions that he values public education, supports educators, and understands that strong public schools are the foundation of a strong Connecticut,” said Dias. “His actions have earned our trust and endorsement for another term.”
CEA’s Political Action Committee (CEA-PAC) recommended the endorsement and CEA honor roll designation for Lamont based on his collaboration with educators and support for education priorities as well as his answers to a CEA questionnaire highlighting his advocacy for CEA priority issues. In the questionnaire, Lamont stressed his continued commitment to working with CEA and its members on federal education issues, higher teacher salaries, paid student teaching, a bell-to-bell cell phone ban in schools, improving school climate, protecting the release of teachers’ personal information, investing in schools and increasing funding for special education, and other priority issues for educators.
In the gubernatorial race, Governor Lamont was the most responsive to CEA’s endorsement process, taking the time to thoroughly complete CEA’s candidate questionnaire. He was also the only candidate who accepted our invitation to meet with members, where he emphasized his continued commitment to working with educators.
The governor also expressed his opposition to tax credits and other school voucher-style schemes that send public tax dollars to private schools.
“I remain steadfast in opposing any initiatives that divert critical resources from our public education system,” Lamont wrote in his questionnaire and reinforced during his interview with members.
CEA also endorsed Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Attorney General William Tong, Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, State Treasurer Erick Russell, and State Comptroller Sean Scanlon for reelection.
“During their years in office, these incumbents have demonstrated a genuine commitment to working alongside educators and standing up for Connecticut’s public schools. They have fought to protect critical federal funding by challenging actions that threatened our students, worked to safeguard the retirement security educators have earned, and consistently supported policies that strengthen public education. Their leadership has made a meaningful difference for educators, students, and communities across our state, and they have earned our endorsement for another term,” said Dias.
CEA’s Political Action Committee (PAC), which is made up of CEA members from around the state, spent weeks this summer evaluating all the candidates. In addition to conducting personal interviews, they examined candidates’ voting records, accessibility and advocacy at the state and local levels, responsiveness to members and local leaders, responses to a comprehensive questionnaire, and more. CEA-PAC presented their recommendations to CEA’s Board of Directors, which voted unanimously to accept those recommendations on July 27.
The Board also accepted CEA-PAC’s Honor Roll designations for legislative candidates who are committed to public education and the teaching profession. Members can review the Legislator Report Card and Honor Roll. See which lawmakers are not just talking about education but backing their words with actions that support and uplift educators, students, and strong public schools.
