Commentary: Dr. Christine Blasey Ford today voluntarily, credibly, and courageously appeared before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and, under oath, told heart-wrenching and vivid memories of her sexual assault at the hands of Brett Kavanaugh when they were high school students. She is the first of several women who have come forward with disturbing allegations.
The following is a statement from NEA President Lily Eskelsen García:
“Despite Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s courageous and 100 percent credible testimony, coupled with growing, new allegations surfacing from several more women, Senate leaders are blindly moving forward with Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, risking along the way the integrity of the nomination process and our democratic institutions.
“More importantly, however, is the message that Republican leaders are sending to women and survivors of sexual assault. Our students and their parents are watching. It is tragic that Republican leaders did not take these allegations seriously. Sadly, as millions of Americans watched, they missed an opportunity to send a powerful and unequivocal message that we believe and support survivors of sexual assault, including Dr. Blasey Ford.
“While the National Education Association already is on the record opposing Judge Brent Kavanaugh on the merits of his troubling record, Judge Kavanaugh today proved our suspicion that he is unfit and lacks the character to serve in the U.S. Supreme Court. What America witnessed during his testimony today is that he lacks the temperament and disposition to be elevated to one of the highest unelected posts in our democracy, a lifetime seat on the Supreme Court. We again call on the Senate to reject his nomination.”