WASHINGTON - October 19, 2016 -

“As an educator, I shivered when I heard Donald Trump declare his model Supreme Court justice was Antonin Scalia. He wants a Supreme Court in the image of a man who believed African-American students should go to “slower-track” schools, who loved voucher systems that decimated public schools, and who discriminated against women. Hillary Clinton knows that one Supreme Court justice has the power to determine if our education system discriminates or ensures equal opportunity for all students – no matter your race, gender, or zip code. For our kids’ sake, Donald Trump cannot appoint our next Justice.” – Karen Ladd, High School Teacher, Manchester, NH

THE FACTS:

• Donald Trump has said his model Supreme Court justice is the radical conservative Antonin Scalia – the same justice who last year said African Americans would be better off if they went to “slower-track” schools instead of top colleges and universities.
  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/12/12/what-scalias-controversial-remarks-about-african-americans-expose-about-u-s-higher-education/
• Antonin Scalia represents the radical right wing of American thought. He was in favor of vouchers, against the use of affirmative action to racially balance universities’ admissions policies, and consistently took positions that aimed to turn back the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case.
  http://www.ontheissues.org/Court/Antonin_Scalia_Education.htm
• These are Antonin Scalia’s own words: "There are those who contend that it does not benefit African-Americans to get them into the University of Texas, where they do not do well, as opposed to having them go to a less advanced school, a slower-track school where they do well. One of the briefs pointed out that most of the black scientists in this country don't come from schools like the University of Texas.” He then went on to suggest he wanted schools like the University of Texas to have less black students.
  https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/02/15/scalias-record-higher-education-and-pending-affirmative-action-case
• Scalia was the only justice to dissent in U.S. v. Virginia. He argued that Virginia Military Institute ought to be allowed to continue its practice of denying admission to women.
  https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/02/15/scalias-record-higher-education-and-pending-affirmative-action-case

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing nearly 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers. Learn more at www.nea.org.

CONTACT: Richard Allen Smith, NEA Communications  202-716-6461 cell, rasmith@nea.org