Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Senator and a Democratic presidential hopeful, seeks to win teachers’ votes through an intriguing ad. Bernie Sanders seeks to endear himself to teachers by amicably addressing the unrest witnessed in the American education sector in the last two (2) years.
Protests have been inevitable as American teachers have raised various concerns, such as class size, resources, pay, and charter schools.
Bernie Sanders digital ad
The new advertisement was filmed in Charleston, West Virginia, at a teachers rally. Notably, it depicts Bernie Sanders strategic approach in an area viewed as President Trump’s stronghold.
Since 1996, West Virginia has proven to be a Republican zone as no presidential hopeful from the Democratic Party has won.
Nevertheless, Bernie Sanders is hopeful that he can emerge victorious in this state as he is targeting white-working class and independent voters. This is founded on an online survey that he is touting, whereby he beats President Trump by two (2) percentage points.
Bernie Sanders addresses teachers’ concerns
In 2018, teachers working in West Virginia took part in a nine (9) day walkout, and their efforts ultimately paid off as the state’s lawmakers raised their pay.
This successful approach instigated similar strikes across the US, especially in swing and conservative states comprising of frail teachers unions. They included Oklahoma, North Carolina, Kentucky, Colorado, and Arizona.
Bernie Sanders has been calling for an overhaul of the education sector. For instance, he has stipulated that the starting salaries for teachers should be raised to sixty thousand dollars (US$60,000).
On the other hand, teachers have proven to be notable donors in Bernie Sanders quest for the presidency. For instance, teachers from the fifty (50) states have made at least eighty thousand (80,000) contributions in 2019.
Bernie Sanders has not been shying away from addressing some of the contentious issues affecting American society. For instance, he has been calling for college athletes to be paid. Additionally, he has aired his opinion that colleges should be tuition-free.
