More. Peopleinterview the two who will be asking big questions. Stephen, youre up first. Stephen great to see you. Were interested about the deal that was struck in illinois. Chicago is home of your thirdlargest affiliate. For viewers, essentially the legislature agreed to put more but one of thes tradeoffs was to create a tax fellowship program. Also for viewers, this is a program in which corporations or where youdividuals can get tax dollars for stews to go to private schools. We wanted to ask you what do you think of this was it a deal worth making . Hour the democrats did not want to make this deal. They do not get an override of the governors veto. I think it is one of these things where the Chicago Public schools were in desperate need of the money that was sent to them from springfield. The deal that actually got crafted initially before the governors veto was a really good step because what illinois has done is that even though chicago taxpayers pay as much if not more because of the wealth of chicago to the treasury of isinois, what has happened that chicago has gotten shortchanged. Essentially the governor held the Chicago Schools and Chicago School kids hostage for program that allows discrimination of children and a program that none of the student represented entities and agencies like a stand for children which has not often been on our side, we all opposed the Voucher Program because it is not about equity. It is essentially about getting toh folks a tax credit offset their taxes. We were really disappointed about the hostagetaking that was there knowing full well that the schools in the chicago and the kids absolutely needed the funding. Frankly, what the legislature did was they almost overrode the governors beutel. Is you saw aseeing person running for governor who saw what was and said yes, chicago really needs this money but will not pursue policies that are discriminatory to the very same children they are be protecting, which were the vouchers and tax credits, just to give basically a tax cut to billionaires. Stephen is this important as to things to come in other states. There are people interested in pushing these kinds of programs. We dont know if the Trump Administration will try to do this at the federal level. Isr the Trump Administration randi 34 states still spend less on Public Schools than they spent in 2008. Half the kids in Public Schools are poor. As kids are getting poorer in Public Schools that are being asked to do more and more in terms of helping kids become and get ready for sedition ship, for life, for jobs. There is less funding. T happened in illinois law illinois because you have a governor who essentially has shown a tremendous antipathy towards Public Schools, he created that kind of hostagetaking. At the same time, in nevada, after they had done something similar a couple years ago this year they walked away from it because it does not work. Kids who are the getting vouchers are actually doing worse than the kids who are in Public Schools. Are seeing is when you look at the evidence, there is a difference between a sales job or says looking at the evidence in terms of privates quote vouchers. The piece i am most worried about, because at the end of the bowsher k the will rise and fall. The schools discriminate against kids and they do not actually do what they say they are going to do. Very sames, at the time as some of these people talk about choice, choice, like at the device, they are actually handicapping parentss choices. Most want very good neighborhood Public Schools. When you disinvest in the Public Schools and when you do what device has done in the budget, andsummer programs afterschool programs and cut development, you are taking those schools and putting them to the brink of starvation and then blaming them for not being able to do what they need to do and still even with all of that, if you ask parents but they want, they want safe, welcoming Public Schools in their neighborhoods. The people who say they are for choice, they are not for choice, they are provided as they should privatization. If they were for choice, they would be disrupting Public Education, which is what parents want. That is why this is a hoax. Kimberly betsy devos issued a same praising what happened in illinois. He praising what happened in illinois imprisoned what happened in florida. She doesnt spend any time in Public Schools or engaged in Public School students my point is this. Hererly during confirmation process, you are the one saying that she was public enemy number one to Public Education because of her views on school of choice. Has she gained ground on the School Choice of front since she has taken office . Randi she has given it oxygen, and there is a real existential threat in terms of education illinois is actually the only state this year that move towards an ad tax credit or a voucher system. That is the first state this year and they did it because literally the kids in chicago ly shortchanged. Hr the people who voted for said we have to get kids books and teachers and tools to help them. What happened is you had hostagetaking and at the same time i think what is happening is that betsy devos has given oxygen to this movement to privatize. The reason she has not gained ground is that on the flipside, i see more energy and focus on saving and protecting the Public Schools that ive seen before. What she has done, is she has actually moved parents and teachers who were never active the four to say, wait a second, this is what supports democracy. Rural areas that are in, people ask what can we do to help to make sure Public Schools are the schools that kids deserve and that Public Schools teach about democracy and tolerance and are safe and welcoming . Polls seen several where there were a significant higher number of people who were saying they have saved Public Schools. Her excesses in terms of fundamentally focusing simply on disrupting the places that 90 of kids go to instead of helping them i think is backfiring. , she haser own devices called Public Education a dead end. Saw that test scores went down significantly in michigan based upon not only the advocacy but the ability for her to get her policies through in michigan. I think people are saying, we dont want it. Will there be some states with republican governors that are elected by the tea party and who want to have tech cut tax cuts for the wealthy . Whether be more of these kind of things . Im sure, but what is happening is that people are saying we need to have Public Education. We need to be focused on equity and success for all. Phen the Supreme Court is case whereking up a successful would prohibit fees. About how manya you could stand to lose if this goes a true and what you are doing to prepare for it . We have been preparing for these kind of assaults since waiting for superman because it is from the same it is the folksiew that regular kind of have power through two things, actually three things, Public Schooling gives families opportunities to climb a ladder voting, and labor unions. When labor unions were at their ascendancy, so was the middle class. People had Retirement Benefits and people are making wages. What has happened is as we have diminished, the economy has gotten bigger and our politics have gotten rate. We have seen that the right wing is pretty unbridled these days in guarding an article couple days ago that they are doing this purposely not to protect individuals, but so that they can defund, their words not mine, and defanged labor unions because they dont want to share in the wealth or share in prosperity. Would that be a problem . Yes, it is going to be a problem. I assume they went for this new case. They went for the new came as soon as Supreme CourtJustice Gorsuch was confirmed. I assume they believe gorsuch has consistently favored wealthy interests over individuals like the case of the driver on a highway who was about to freeze to death and he left his truck and the corporation fired him and gorsuch actually said the corporation had a right to fire him and that he should have frozen to death rather than leave his truck. I assume they think gorsuch will vote for them. This, wemline is will, regardless of what happens in this case, we will fight for the freedom for people to have workplace balance, for the freedom to have people to fight for a living wage. If ceos can have contracts, than regular working folks can have contracts. We have seen across america that we are growing right now, even with all the assaults that are going on. The teachers in puerto rico just joined us. We have another Charter School in washington, d. C. There have been 41 Charter Schools that have joined us because they wanted a voice to helps help them kids. We have a nurses and health care professionals. What we are seeing that at the same time the right wing does not want regular folks to have a voice, we are seeing that millennials and others really are starting to understand why we have unions. Are we perfect . No, but lots of institutions arent perfect. I dont ever see anybody saying throw the baby out with the bathwater. Get rid of all of them. Doing need to actually do more number engagement . Yes, and that is what we are doing. Doing need to be more solution driven . Absolutely, but every thing that happens in the United States have happened because of civil rights movements and because of labor movement. To have a weekend off. To have paid sick leave to fight for health care. To have a retirement. That is what we are about. And in school and what we are about is making every single Public School a place where parents want to send their kids, Educators Want to work, and kids are engaged. We have been preparing by talking to our folks and leveling with them. Most people are saying to us, we we canwe have resist and reclaim the future when we are together. It will be a challenge, but we are up for it. In gaugentioned member meant percentage of membership do you estimate is a troop supporter . 30 of our members are republicans. Voted for voters hillary clinton. We engaged based upon values. Let me say it this way. We outsource our values to the Political Parties as to fighting for our values people at the a ft is doing is making sure we have economy that works with all, that there is a living wage. Goodke sure they have Public Schools. Not just members, but everyone that help kids really dream and succeed. We have health care so that when we are not one illness away from bankruptcy. You cant have economic vasa much have a thriving democracy here you cant have a thriving democracy without the fight for bigotry and hate. Those voters and then in ban were ohio voted for trump. Suburbs of pennsylvania voted for trump and i talk about those as much as i do in washington, d. C. Or in california where i was. We talk to people about values and how you get there and how you activate that. We look at politicians to the lands of those values. Then you see a really different future. That is what we are trying to do. We saw that frankly in one of our activists who won a School Board Seat in birmingham, alabama. She won a state legislative seat. It does start with really focusing on what are the issues that people care about . People are frustrated that washington doesnt care about their issues. They want to shake it up. What donald trump did better than almost anyone else is he is a great marketer and he figured out how to hijack the message and how to actually say trust me. What is happening more and more, and we are seeing it with our members, even trump or republican supporters are saying wait a second, i knew i didnt like his misogyny in his racism, charlottesville, not taking on the supremacists. Deporting kids who came to the by. With nothing to do themselves. If you talk about in terms of values, that is what i think the union is about. I am a longstanding democrat, but my view is we have to talk to the lens of values and actions and where people stand, not simply be reflexively democratic or republican. We only have five minutes left. Other questions. Stephen a colleague of mine on a report that was female traditionally. It does not reflect diversity of the student population which is now over most of stints with color. What are they going to do to especiallyteachers, the black male teachers who only make up 1 of the Teaching Force right now . Thei well before department of education put those figures out, two years ago the shanker institute, which is connected to the a ft put the figures out. Had been fighting to diversify our workforce and to have the terms and conditions and they support that people need so that they come in and they teach. We have been working with the hb bcu which is historically black, and frankly would talk to local leaders to have grow your own programs. I was very proud of the new york city parentteacher program. What is happening is that we are seeing this Teacher Shortage throughout, and we are seeing people generally dont to become teachers, not because they dont want to make a difference in the lives of kids, because there are seeing how teachers are treat ed. We have to make the conditions better so we can attract more people. We have been working by our selves and we have been working on diversity and fighting for this in our contracts and as you and others know, i called a lot of this out this summer how we have to take on segregation for lawn and discrimination full on. Kimberly you engaged directly with betsy devos. The two of you are still planning to visit a school of choice together. Has that date been set and can you please tell us what your relationship has been like with secretary devos since then . Am more disappointed than i could convey on tv. We have really different ideology. We are both fairly religious. She is a protestant. I am jewish. We both very much, she says, care about kids and schools. Neither one of us are shy. I actually asked her to come to thatool because we believe everyone is to couple. If you actually see good practice, how do you ensure that the 90 of parents who send their kids to Public Schools have the schools their kids deserve . , and we from that visit spent the whole day in a republican area that loves their Public Schools. Promises toing people you why cant we find Common Ground . Why cant we stop the paperwork issues . Why cant we help the special needs parents . Grow earlye childhood . I heard her say words to that effect in these different meetings. She has not followed up on one thing. Would do,mised her i because i feel like you can learn in all sorts of ways, i promised her i would go to a school with her. She asked me about a school, and frankly i will not Cancel School visit i already have to do the visit with the secretary of education and we set up another date in washington and she canceled it. I have not heard from her. After charlottesville, a secretary of education has to convene the educational stakeholders like after sandy hook. Whether republican or democrat, how can we Work Together to move with schools and stop bigotry and hate . We have tried to do that with southern poverty law center. After harvey, dont bring people together bring people together and help the school and kids in houston. We are doing that ourselves. We are raising money. We are talking to the superintendent. What she is not doing, she is not doing what any republican or democratic secretary of education would have done which is to help all kids regardless of ideology and help teachers help kids. That is why i am so disappointed. I think her ideology is broad. It does not work for kids. Anyone who says Public Education is a deadend doesnt understand the democracy and foundational angling. But that aside, do your job. Bringse kind of moments, people together and actually help on the ground so we help principals and parents and kids get through these moments of anxiety. We have to leave it right there. Thank you very much. The American Federation of teachers. Very critical of the secretary of education, you are here in washington, d. C. What is it like under a two device . Isi think the one thing that particularly interesting is clearly this is not a warm relationship. On theare to set people street and say betsy devos, they might know who she is. Before devostaries , i dont know that your average american would know who they are. Becausesomewhat curious powerms of the degree of that secretaries have, it is not much to start off with and it is less for devos and predecessors did because changes were made. Pointed out, she has not managed to get very far with her School Choice program or a private school, what we call it Voucher Program yet. Just to supplement one thing rabndi said, is we dont have te know if thee dont cuts will make we dont Charter Schools will get more money. A lot is still up in the air. Most of what devos has done has not been through action that through rolling back various regulations that were put in under the Obama Administration. I know kim specializes in that more than i do. I wanted to ask you about the budgeting process. Everything will be changed because of the hurricane with the budgeting isnt it . Kimberly that will be a big factor in this. Put out the budget on education and it called for severe cuts. There were a few things that would encourage school of choice. However, House Republicans rejected most of those changes except for additional money for Charter Schools. It will be interesting to see what the senate does with that. All signs ahead are that congress will not necessarily give the administration what it wants on School Choice. Earlier in the show, people are watching to see if there will be a federal tax credit scholarship component as Congress Addresses tax reform. That is one thing that could get included in that. If that is the case, that would be money that would go potentially do a tax credit scholarship to private schools to pay for tuition for low income students to go to private schools. That is one way through the tax Reform Efforts that you could see School Choice get what they want. Schools are operating on a federal level right now under the law that was passed at the end of the Obama Administration in the summer of 2015. How has it changed . We talk about schools that they stateok and locally and governed, how has that changed and the 2015 while . Stephen most people remember was hotel left behind. It will give more flexibility in how tote to design measure whether schools are making progress and intervene in schools that are struggling. I can see that being good for them because unions tend to be much more powerful at the state and local level then they are federally. Now, i believe 17 or 18 states have submitted their plan to the education department. And still need approval, there been hiccups about whether it apart is interpreting the law correctly and holding the state plans to the right set of guidelines ultimately, i think we will see the next batch that once it is all in we will see the patterns and what kim and i need to follow up on. School is starting this year, concernedd they be about and think about decisions in washington that might affect the outcome . About thehe is right asset plan. That is a big part of where education is headed. Unfortunately, it is a slow process to really know. It continues to be an issue. The emphasis was taken away through accountability changes, but there is still annual testing in schools. That is an usher another issue parents care about. Thank you very much for being here. We appreciate your questions. Thank you for having me. Stephen thank you. Tonight on q a we take a look at anthony clarks book the last campaign, how president s rewrite history. Every single comment i have received has been one of either two topics, how angry people are to learn what happened or how flabbergasted they are to learn what is happening. I have not received any kind of mild, i read it and it is ok. They are angry about the fact have ways to house records. We are paying for celebration and a legacy. Tonight at 8 00 eastern on cspans q a. Tonight on afterwards, talk radio host mark live in on the expansion of the federal government and what the country must do to move back to it the founders intended, in his book rediscovering americanism. He is interviewed by a former South Carolina senator. What is the point if we cant back . Ck last government, utilitarianism of the smothering of individualism, has it become so entrenched in our institutions that there is no way to rip it out . I say this, we have to do everything we can to confront it and debated and explain to our fellow citizens what is taking place. We simply have no choice. Watch afterwards tonight at nine teaspoon at nine clock eastern on cspans book tv. Now a panel of political analyst discuss the future of the republican party. The form was posted by political square. This is just over an hour. Atthank you for joining us the National Center for the preservation of democracy. I am the