During the online “Overtime” segment of Friday’s broadcast of HBO’s “Real Time,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) denied the Democratic Party is too influenced by teachers’ unions and argued the party “cares deeply about making sure these children get a shot in life.” And “there [are] ways to work with the teachers’ unions to make progress for our children” like he has done as Governor of Pennsylvania.
During a discussion on the federal Department of Education, Host Bill Maher asked, “Is the Democratic Party too much in the pocket of the teachers’ union?”
Shapiro answered, “No. I think the Democratic Party cares deeply about making sure these children get a shot in life. I certainly care about that. And I’m not suggesting that everything the Department of Education does is right.”
Maher then cut in to say he’s talking about teachers’ unions “because I think, like, during COVID, didn’t the teachers’ union keep the schools closed way too long?”
Shapiro responded, “Look, we partnered with our teachers’ unions in Pennsylvania to increase the number of teachers we have in the classrooms, to reduce class sizes, and to improve outcomes for kids. I think there [are] ways to work with the teachers’ unions to make progress for our children.”
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