Sugar Magnolias may not be a school, but it was packed with teachers on Thursday night, including a former teacher who many people came to visit.
Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz spoke at her first event in Augusta since her husband Tim Walz was selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate. Walz shared some of her experiences as an educator and used some of the shared practices and philosophies among educators to talk about a variety of issues, including campaigning.
“Teachers, do you know that you put your lesson plans together?” she said. “You put them together in three-minute, five-minute, seven-minute, and ten-minute increments. Right? You don’t waste a second. You plan everything. So I ask you to share that idea with other people around you, because every minute counts.”
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They weren’t the only campaigners in attendance, though. Across the street, several supporters of former President Donald Trump attempted to make their presence known by sounding sirens, chanting things like “Make America Great Again!” and playing various songs over loudspeakers, including Queen’s “We Are the Champions” and a few different Village People songs.
Walz had a lot of fun during the demonstration.
“Don’t worry about that noise over there,” she said to a laughing audience. “‘Cause this is what it tells me: You’re worrying them all!”
However, she also reiterated a message that she repeated throughout her speech.
“Teachers, we can’t help but see the potential in everyone and we want everyone to have the opportunity to reach their potential,” Walz said. “We don’t just mean those who vote for us. We mean all of us, including them. Those are the values that the vice president and my husband share. Everyone matters, everyone counts.”
This was a striking statement from former coach and assistant director Author Mitchell.
“It’s not about one group or the other, it’s about everyone, whether you like them or not,” he said. “I can still do my very best to make sure you’re the best you can be.”
Another teacher who was pleased with what she heard was Darra Ballance, professor and director of retention programming and technology at Augusta University.
“She seemed very human and relatable, she understood what a teacher’s job was like,” Ballance said.
Walz continues her campaign tour and her next stop is scheduled for Friday in Charlotte.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Gwen Walz Mobilizes Augusta Teachers for Presidential Election
