Thread by @AFTunion

AFT President @rweingarten is joined by @staceyabrams and @dsallentess for an important conversation about civic education, engagement and participation. Tune in to #TEACH21 now.

https://twitter.com/AFTunion/status/1413219442117517313

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess I'm just beaming with pride about our members. - @rweingarten #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess This is about the issue of American democracy. The AFT has been committed to American democracy since our earliest days: Our founding slogan was “democracy in education, education for democracy.” - @rweingarten #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess The concept of democracy is older than the concept of America. - @rweingarten #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess My love was teaching civics. Today, teaching civics is more than a personal passion. It’s a dire necessity. - @rweingarten #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess It's clear that teaching about civic responsibilities is crucial. - @rweingarten #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess The skills our students need today to be responsible democratic citizens are different than they were even 20 years ago. - @rweingarten #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess False information is insidious. - @rweingarten #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess .@rweingarten: Today, we'll be talking about why it’s so critical that all teachers, especially civics teachers, have the freedom to teach and engage their students in meaningful, memorable lessens about the world we live in. #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess .@rweingarten introducing @staceyabrams, who founded @fairfightaction to ensure every American has a voice in our election system. #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction .@rweingarten: @dsallentess, who founded the Democratic Knowledge Project Design Studio at Harvard University, is also with us. #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction Young people learn best how to be citizens in a democracy by actually engaging in the work of citizenship. - @rweingarten #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction .@rweingarten asks @dsallentess "How do we teach about democratic citizenship when democracy is at risk, when this political polarization basically is stopping us from doing the civic actions we know is necessary."

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction Civic education isn't for Red America or Blue America... it's for all America. - @dsallentess #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction Civics education supports people to participate and that requires intellectual freedom. - @dsallentess #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction .@rweingarten asks @staceyabrams: "How can we teach the importance of robust voter access for everyone?" #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction .@staceyabrams: We have decoupled democracy from how the world works. #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction Our responsibility is to take it outside of a conversation of partisanship and make it a conversation about citizenship. - @staceyabrams #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction We don't ask people who they want to vote for, we ask WHAT the want to vote for. - @staceyabrams #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction Slavery is not incidental to our history. - @rweingarten #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction For the first time ever, it is possible for us to tell complete and honest history. - @dsallentess #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction For every educator out there committed to teaching the complete and honest history: You are doing the good work and we are with you. - @dsallentess #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction It's so important for us as educators to ensure that our students know our history. - @rweingarten #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction In my family, we grew up believing in the responsibility of voting. - @staceyabrams #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction Children know when things aren't right and you all know that better than anyone - @staceyabrams #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction .@staceyabrams: One of the best ways to grow a voter is to connect the dots so children understand what voting delivers. #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction Voting is not the act of casting a ballot, it's the act of creating change. - @staceyabrams #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction Making sure we're taking the time to explain and explicate how things work depending on who you are, where you stand in spaces, makes it easier for people to understand why defending voting is so important not just for themselves but for others. - @staceyabrams #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction If we lose young voters, we don't get them back unless something catastrophic happens. - @staceyabrams #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction .@dsallentess says educators have a role in cultivating self-confidence and critical thinking. #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction .@staceyabrams My belief that having a more robust constitutional democracy means constantly engaging in the practice of democracy. #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction I would challenge every teacher to think about how in your classroom how do you take the larger construct of being able to vote being able to decision make being able to understand, how do you build it into your curriculum? - @staceyabrams #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction .@staceyabrams: We have to recognize that the rejection of the election on Jan 6 and the subsequent challenges are very closely tied to who lost in 2020 and 2021 and they are intrinsic of those who won. #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction .@dsallentess: If we want to fight disinformation and misinformation we have to support those who are finding ways to restore local journalism. #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction .@rweingarten: It's so important to have discussion like this and make sure people understand not just whats happening in terms of democray and civics, but all these other pieces and strands that @staceyabrams & @dsallentess laid out. #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction Voting is not magic, it's medicine. #TEACH21

@rweingarten @staceyabrams @dsallentess @fairfightaction It's not partisan, it's patriotic. Our responsibility as citizens to not just vote but to stand up so that everyone who is eligible can vote and that every vote is counted. - @rweingarten #TEACH21