Dear AFT Guild Members,
A lot of good information in the newsletter below:
· Fighting to take back Houston’s schools (which were taken over by the state for being too liberal)
· More than 1,300 workers strike at PeaceHealth
· AFT activists focus on human rights action
· An ‘Army of Temps’: AFT reports on contingent faculty
· Teaching about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
· Back-to-school grants provide real solutions
· ‘Union Talk’ podcast highlights social media
Fighting to take back Houston’s schools
AFT members and leaders lined the streets of Houston Oct. 20 protesting the state takeover of the Houston Independent School District. Since the Texas Education Agency snatched control from the elected school board, parents and educators have been shut out of decisions that are harming schools: Libraries have been shut down and turned into discipline centers, teachers have been required to teach from a script, and some have been fired or required to reapply for their jobs. “I’ve never heard of a district, much less a takeover target, that is doing everything possible to destroy schools, break teachers’ spirit and actually hurt students,” said Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson. “We can’t let it continue.”
Fighting to take back Houston’s schools
AFT members and leaders lined the streets of Houston Oct. 20 protesting the state takeover of the Houston Independent School District. Since the Texas Education Agency snatched control from the elected school board, parents and educators have been shut out of decisions that are harming schools: Libraries have been shut down and turned into discipline centers, teachers have been required to teach from a script, and some have been fired or required to reapply for their jobs. “I’ve never heard of a district, much less a takeover target, that is doing everything possible to destroy schools, break teachers’ spirit and actually hurt students,” said Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson. “We can’t let it continue.”
More than 1,300 workers strike at PeaceHealth
Thousands of respiratory therapists, radiology techs and maintenance workers from PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center and PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Washington went on strike Oct. 23. The members of the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals will be on strike for five days. They are demanding improved patient staffing and a better contract. OFNHP President Jonathon Baker made it clear why they’ve chosen this path: “We have been demanding a change for months, and yet management has ignored us. That is why we are taking action: to win a safe hospital for staff and patients.”
AFT activists focus on human rights action
More than 200 AFT members and allies gathered in Houston Oct. 20-22 to share the problems their communities are experiencing and, more importantly, to actively work together to fix them. “People want us to have solutions,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “That’s what the union is doing,” by supporting creative career and technical education pathways, strengthening community schools, bolstering reading and knitting together labor, education and activism. Through panel discussions, workshops and even marching for education justice, participants came away with plans to go home and work for change in their own communities.
An ‘Army of Temps’: AFT reports on contingent faculty
A new national survey of adjunct faculty underscores the continuing crisis faced by millions of contingent workers at the nation’s colleges and universities—with little improvement to poverty wages and untenable conditions in the wake of the pandemic. The AFT’s latest “Army of Temps” report, the third in a series, documents the troubling reality faced by millions of professional educators and illustrates how adjuncts struggle with low pay, inadequate access to benefits, little or no job security, and a lack of professional respect.
Teaching about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Teaching about what’s happening in the Middle East can be challenging for grades 6-12 educators and higher education faculty, given the complexity and sensitivity of the Israel-Hamas war. It’s important to approach the topic in a comprehensive way so that students can develop a well-rounded understanding of the region’s complex history and current events. Use this list of free educational resources from Share My Lesson to explore strategies for teaching about the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Back-to-school grants provide real solutions
“The right and the MAGA crowd portray teachers as bad, but it’s just not the truth. I don’t know one teacher out there, not one, who’s not trying their hardest to help the kids and close the gap that COVID caused. We will close that gap. We’re here to better kids’ lives. The AFT is stepping up to the plate to help us do that.” That’s Anthony Nicodemo, president of the Greenburgh-North Castle United Teachers in New York, talking about the grant his local just received from the AFT’s Real Solutions for Kids and Communities campaign. Read all about it.
‘Union Talk’ podcast highlights social media
In this excerpt from the “Social Media and Our Kids” episode of our “Union Talk” podcast, AFT President Randi Weingarten talks with Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen and two high school students—Lola Nordlinger and Devin Lee—about the impact social media has on the lives of teens and what steps they can take to use the platforms safely.
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