Teachers’ Aides Stump for Kerry Via Postal Route
Politics comes naturally to veteran teacher’s aide Kris Schwarzkopf, so it was no surprise that she answered her union’s call to organize support for Sen. John Kerry.
It was a surprise, though, when the dozen or so colleagues she had counted on grew to a crowd of more than 40, who then scribbled and chatted their way through 513 handwritten postcards urging their fellow paraprofessionals to take a serious look at the Democratic presidential candidate.
Ms. Schwarzkopf’s postcard party last month in Toledo, Ohio, is one of about 25 taking place this election season under the auspices of the 1.3 million-member American Federation of Teachers, which has pledged its support to Mr. Kerry. It’s evidence, union leaders say, not only of members’ interest in the election but also of the important role that paraprofessionals—who usually take a back seat as...
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