Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance has once again come under scrutiny for his recent comments regarding Democratic leaders without children, particularly targeting Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers.
During the American Leadership Forum hosted by the Center for Christian Virtue in October 2021, Vance expressed his concerns, stating, 'So many of the leaders on the left are people without kids trying to brainwash the minds of our children, which really disorients and disturbs me. Randi Weingarten, who heads the most powerful teachers union in the country, does not have a single child. If she wants to influence and harm the minds of children, she should have her own and refrain from interfering with ours.'
Vance's remarks came in response to a question about addressing the crisis in American schools, following former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe's statement during the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial debate that parents should not dictate school curricula.
The Harris campaign's rapid response team shared audio of Vance's comments, prompting a response from Weingarten, who criticized Vance's remarks as 'sad and insulting to millions of modern families and school teachers, including Catholic nuns, who should not be targeted for their family choices.'
In defense, Vance's campaign spokesperson, Taylor VanKirk, emphasized that the real threat to American children lies in the left-wing indoctrination imposed by figures like Randi Weingarten, with the backing of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. VanKirk clarified that Vance's criticism was directed at Weingarten's actions and not at the teaching profession as a whole.
Since being named as Trump's vice presidential candidate, Vance has faced criticism for his previous comments suggesting that the US is being governed by 'a bunch of childless individuals who are unhappy in their own lives.' Reports from KFile have also highlighted Vance's history of making disparaging remarks about individuals without children, including fundraising emails referring to 'radical childless leaders in the country.'
