/i\ Governor ) CLEMENTS Campaign Governor Clements Campaign 805 Brazos Austin, Texas 78701 512 472-1982 August 13, 1982 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUSTIN--Governor Clements' Campaign Manager Jim Francis says he is "completely shocked" by today's revelation by the unionized teachers ofthe Texas Federation of Teachers. "I just can't believe it.," Francis said. "They said their first priority over the next three months will be to elect as many Democrats as possible. With school starting soon across the state, you'd think their first priority would be the education of our children." "The statement by Texas Federation of Teachers President John Cole has shown once again that this AFL-CIO union is more concerned with furthering its own political aims than with educating the children of Texas," Francis said. "It makes you wonder what will be going on in the classrooms and on the campuses while these union members devote their energies to politics." Francis said, "This admission by this small minority of unionized teachers just shows the great difference between their peculiar views on education and the education outlook of the Governor, the majority of Texas teachers and parents across the state." He continued, "Their first priority is politics and unionization of the public schools. Our first priority is a quality education for the children of our state." Francis said, "The truth is that during Governor Clements administration the average teacher salary has risen 45 percent and the Governor is on record favoring increases to bring our teachers above the national average during his next term." During the last session of the legislature, Governor Clements won passage of five important elements of his education package including curriculum changes to get back to teaching basics, laws allowing school districts to remove disruptive students fro the classroom, a pilot program to help students who fail to achieve minimum levels and a .law establishing competency testing for new teachers. "We need to give children the tools they need to succeed. . . and unionization of th public schools is not the way to do it," Francis said. Francis concluded, "It is no surprise to us that unionized teachers would oppose Governor Clements since he is adamantly opposed to allowing collective bargaining, union organizing and teacher strikes in Texas." -39- Contact: Mary Jane Maddox 512/472-1982 evvs ws Mew! Poi act,/ paiJ by The Governor Clements Comm.ttee, lorn B Rhooes, ?reels 807 Brazos, Auson, Texas 78701