GLENDALE, CA – The California Teachers Association on Monday announced that they have thrown their support behind Glendale School Board Member Nayiri Nahabedian in her bid for the 43rd District of the California Assembly. After much deliberation, the CTA Board endorsed Nahabedian unanimously.
“Our members were impressed by the depth of Nayiri’s experience and the passion with which she has worked with teachers and students throughout her career,” said Bonnie Shatun, a member of the CTA Board of Directors and a 3rd grade teacher in Burbank. “She has seen what the deep cuts in education do to the classroom. We believe that Nayiri is the candidate who is able to protect our state’s public education system, and we know she will fight for schools, students, and teachers in the Assembly.”
“I firmly believe that teachers have an invaluable role in the growth of our children,” Nahabedian said. “The student-teacher relationship is the most vital part of the education process, and I am honored that California teachers have chosen overwhelming to endorse me.”
Nahabedian, who is a faculty member at Cal State Los Angeles where she has taught social work for the past ten years, has long fought for education causes. She was a co-founder of GenerationNext, a mentorship program for at-risk youth, and was a member of the Board for Community Action Against Bullying where she worked with community leaders and the police to reduce bullying in Glendale schools.
CTA joins other influential labor groups, including the California Nurses Association and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, who have come together to support Nahabedian’s candidacy. She has also been endorsed by Los Angeles Councilmember Paul Krekorian, Senator Carol Liu, and Representative Howard Berman.
For a full list of endorsements, please visit VoteNayiri.com.
California’s 43rd Assembly District spans the cities of Burbank and Glendale. It also includes portions of Los Angeles. A special election primary is scheduled for April 13th.