(Las Vegas, NV)— Democratic candidate for Nevada Governor, Chris Giunchigliani, has fought for public school students for more than four decades as a special education teacher, union leader, and legislator. Her Democratic opponent, Steve Sisolak, has a much shorter and less consistent record on K-12 public education.
Before last night’s announcement, Sisolak’s most recent engagement on education funding issues was to scuttle a proposal by Governor Sandoval to include a .12% room tax for education along with the stadium proposal. Sisolak did not offer any alternative to fund public education at the time.
Virginia Mills, President of ESEA, represents education support professionals across Clark County. “While we appreciate Commissioner Sisolak’s recent statement in favor of properly funding public education, his most recent action on the issue actually stopped new revenue. In politics, as in anything else, it’s important to look at what people do, not just what they say,” said Mills.
“Chris Giunchigliani knows first-hand the issues facing our schools,” said Washoe Education Association President and English teacher Natha Anderson. “Her focus will be on fixing school funding and bringing in new resources for our kids, not on corporate giveaways.”
Chris Giunchigliani’s deep roots in public education in Nevada started as a special education teacher in the late 70s. “Chris G.” earned her Master’s Degree in Education in 1978 at UNLV. Chris served as the President of the Clark County Classroom Teachers Association and founded the Teachers Health Trust, one of the nation’s first teacher-controlled health trusts in the country. While NSEA President, she led the statewide unification of teachers and education support professionals under the NSEA umbrella. In her 16 years in the Assembly, Giunchigliani was a relentless advocate for public education, leading the effort to pass mandatory kindergarten.
“There has never been a candidate for Governor with such a lifetime commitment to public schools and a quality public education for every Nevada student,” said special education teacher and NSEA President Ruben Murillo, Jr. “Chris G. was a leading voice for public education when she recruited me into the union in 1988, and she has never stopped her advocacy for public schools and our students. NSEA is 100% committed to making sure Chris Giunchigliani becomes our Education Governor.”
