“This bus is something that educators across New York have been calling for, a different kind of politics where our candidates are Americans first, and Republican and Democrat second,” said NYSUT President Melinda Person.

Riley, who grew up in the Southern Tier and fondly recalled his days at Union-Endicott Central School District, said he was eager to hear from educators about the issues most important to them so he can champion them in Washington. His sister is a teacher in the North Country, and he said he knew going into this discussion that he should expect homework.

During his career, Riley has focused on childhood poverty and said he knows just how detrimental income inequity can be on a child’s academic performance.

“We've got to make sure kids are not worried about the roof over their head or the clothes they're wearing or getting food in their bellies, so they can focus on school,” Riley said.

“That’s where your role in the federal government will be,” Joe Herringshaw, president, Vestal Teachers Association, told Riley, “to be a voice of reason, and to say, it’s not just numbers.”

After the round table, Riley hosted a rally and addressed a team of volunteers who were phonebanking for him at the NYSUT Vestal Regional Office.

“We are all in this together,” Riley said, “and that is the American democracy I want my kids to grow up in.”

“I need you guys to get me prepared to go into the rooms where the negotiations are happening, and I need to be equipped the same way I would be to go into a courtroom and make a case,” he told the group of 10 local presidents. “Help me get super smart on this stuff so that I can be the best, most effective advocate.”

The assembled educators obliged, bringing him up to speed on many of the issues they’re confronting in their classrooms daily, including rising ELL numbers, child poverty, state aid cuts and the important role Career and Technical Education play in revitalizing the local economy.

Educators expressed frustration over projected cuts to state aid and said that shortfalls this past year already prompted schools to lay off educators and trim local programs. Declining student enrollment doesn’t mean costs go down, they explained.

“I just see all of this as a false choice,” Riley responded to the educators. “We shouldn't be making these kinds of trade-offs in our public education and in our schools.” Riley said the country is spending billions in subsidies and tax breaks for the oil industry and hedge funds while teachers pay out of pocket for student school supplies. “We're doing everything wrong if our teachers are the ones making trade-offs instead of the hedge fund managers,” Riley said.