In remarks from 2021 that resurfaced on Tuesday, Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance of Ohio criticized teachers who do not have children following previous comments over “childless cat ladies”.
In his public remarks, Vance took particular aim at Randi Weingarten, the head of the American Federation of Teachers.
“Brainwash the Minds of Our Children”
Vance made the comments at a Center for Christian Virtue leadership forum in October 2021, which was moderated by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt and the group’s president, Aaron Baer.
“You know, so many of the leaders of the left, and I hate to be so personal about this, but they’re people without kids, trying to brainwash the minds of our children”
Senate Race
In Ohio’s 2022 Senate race, other Republican candidates ran alongside Vance.
At the point when the candidates were questioned about taking care of issues with schools and making them more receptive to parents, Vance focused on Weingarten, who has depicted herself as “a mother by marriage,” by saying she “doesn’t have a single child.”
“Leave Ours the Hell Alone”
In a 30-second clip that was republished on the liberal news website Heartland Signal on Tuesday, he stated, “If she wants to brainwash and destroy the mind of children, she should have some of her own and leave ours the hell alone.”
VP Kamala Harris’ campaign later reposted the clip.
Previous remarks from 2021 in which he referred to Harris as one of the “childless cat ladies” who “want to make the rest of the country miserable, too” drew widespread criticism from Vance.
Weingarten, whose union gave Harris its support a month ago, spoke last week at the Democratic National Convention in support of her run for president.
“Defend our Kids”
Taylor Van Kirk, a representative for Vance, said in a statement to NBC News on Tuesday that Vance “will continue to loudly call this crap out to defend our kids.”
Van Kirk stated, “There is no bigger threat to American children than the left wing indoctrination being peddled in our schools by radicals like Randi Weingarten, with the support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.”
“Insulting to Millions of Modern Families”
Weingarten provided remarks on the clip on X, which a spokesperson for the teacher’s union directed outlets toward when asked for comment.
“Gross! JD Vance’s comments are sad and insulting to millions of modern families, and school teachers including Catholic nuns, none of whom should be targeted for their family decisions,” Weingarten stated.
“Unprecedented Power”
National Education Association President Becky Pringle said in a release to NBC News that former President Donald Trump and Vance need to have greater respect for teachers who “dedicate their lives to serving students.”
According to Pringle, “Instead they choose to attack and demean us while pushing an extreme, unprecedented Project 2025 agenda on America that will fundamentally jeopardize our children’s futures and give Trump unprecedented power over our daily lives.”
Cotton’s Remarks
Vance isn’t the only Republican to criticize Weingarten’s parental status.
In a Fox News interview in 2021, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton for Arkansas stated, “Randi Weingarten is a joke. Randi Weingarten does not even have children of her own. What in the hell does she know about raising and teaching kids?”
Greene’s Statement
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for Georgia, made similar comments about Weingarten the last year.
Greene’s Democratic colleagues leveled criticism at the Representative when she told Weingarten that, “The problem is, people like you need to admit that you’re just a political activist, not a teacher, not a mother and not a medical doctor.”
AFT Support
In July the AFT became the first union to endorse Harris and passed their resolution unanimously by the union’s executive council.
The AFT stated on its website that they had “long championed the Biden-Harris administration for its support of workers, families, unions and democracy, and supporting Harris is an enthusiastic renewal of that commitment.”
Differing Positions
In the AFT’s statement supporting Harris, they compared Harris and Trump’s track record on education.
This included highlighting the investment in mental wellness, championing public schools, career and technical education, and community schools.
In contrast, they claimed that Trump and his secretary of education, Betsy Devos “sought to demonize, defund and destabilize” public education.
