#RaunerFailedMe: JB Pritzker and Downstate Educators Highlight Rauner’s Attacks on Public Education

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

 

Chicago, IL – Today, JB Pritzker held a press conference with Illinois educators who have been failed by Bruce Rauner in Springfield. They highlighted Rauner’s attacks on public education and the impact it has had on Illinois students as part of the #RaunerFailedMe series. Their stories and more can be found on the campaign’s website: www.RaunerFailedMe.com.

“Corina, Mike, Jill, and educators across Illinois represent the very best of this state, but instead of standing with them, Bruce Rauner has put every obstacle in their path.” said JB Pritzker. “When schools are forced into crisis mode because they don’t know if they will be able to open in the fall, the governor has failed. When the quality of a child’s education remains at risk simply because an upgrade to the school funding formula is held hostage, the governor has failed. And when education funding is held up because he wants to pit communities against each other, the governor has failed. We need a governor they can work with, not one they are constantly fighting against. I’m running for governor to put our state on a new path, and I’m ready to put Springfield back on the side of our hardworking teachers and the students they represent.”

“From my standpoint as a teacher, when Bruce Rauner got into office everyone put the brakes on everything because we had no idea what was going to happen,” said Mike Gudwien. “There’s no game plan with him – there’s just uncertainty because we never know if we’re going to have a budget. My school had to spend down our rainy day fund, and we’re at rock bottom now. We’ve got to rebuild, but we’re unsure of the future. We need a governor like JB who respects teachers and will prioritize public education so that kids get a good education no matter what zip code they grow up in.”

“I have personally witnessed the impact on students’ and professors’ lives since Rauner made us go two years without a budget,” said Jill Dupy. “Colleges were forced to make cuts after cuts and downsize. Every department had to cut spending, and that means cutting classes available to students, and cutting jobs for adjunct professors like me. JB has a vision for the state of Illinois, and I support him because of what he’s done—not just what he says he’s going to do.”

“Bruce Rauner’s failure to pass a budget has greatly impacted my ability to give my kids the tools they need to thrive,” said Corina Ousley. “We live in a technological age, and I can’t think of a class that’s more important than science, but too often my classroom is overlooked and given the short end of the stick. In Illinois, we aren’t adequately equipping our students for successful careers in technology and I’m really worried about their futures. I want somebody like JB, with a passion for our kids, a passion for education, and an understanding that young people do matter. They’re our future and we need a leader like JB who is ready to invest in their success.”

PHOTOS FOR MEDIA USE ONLY

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