I continued our #Back2School tour in Scranton today. @sftlocal1147 organized two different community events.
At the first event, we gave out books and school supplies, children had face painting and games. The joy for #BAck2School was clear.
I especially loved that both events had vaccine clinics. Free vaccines and information on the vaccines for parents and eligible students. #VaccinesAreSafe
At the second event, we had the West High School band and cheer squad. Students are ready to go back to school and while we're still dealing with the pandemic, we know that in-person learning is what they need.
We're working hard to make sure schools are safe and welcoming and we know that with vaccines and layered mitigation we can do that.
This is a great example of how our unions are working with the community to ensure that we're ready for the new school year.
Congressional action is important. AFT has also been pressing @Meta to put kids before profits including asking union’s pension trustees, who oversee our members approximately 30 million shares of Meta, to demand accountability & transparency of @Meta. aft.org/press-release/…
New to this issue? A year ago AFT led a discussion with Facebook whistleblower @FrancesHaugen. I will never forget the anger I saw when she explained how easily @Meta engineers could fix the code that is harming our kids, but they chose not to.
Under @GovRonDeSantis:
🚨Floridians pay 3x national avg. for insurance
🚨Insurance costs will rise 40% this year, on top of the 50% increase since DeSantis took office
🚨DeSantis approved rate increases of 79%
🚨Insurance companies received $2B from taxpayers #DeSantisSoldOut 2/5
At the same time Florida’s homeowners were getting hurt by the insurance industry, @GovRonDeSantis received $3.9M in campaign donations from the insurance industry. 3/5
PolitiFact | Here's what AFT’s Randi Weingarten said about reopening schools during COVID-19 politifact.com/article/2023/m…
Their conclusions:
•“During the early COVID-19 pandemic, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten advocated for schools to reopen for in-person learning, provided they use safety precautions…
•
•She often referred to a reopening plan the union released in April 2020. It prioritized maintaining physical distance between people, establishing COVID-19 testing protocols and involving school staff and parents in decisions about reopening.
You know what’s dangerous, Sec. Pompeo? Weapons of war that kill Americans on our streets, classrooms, grocery stores ,houses of worship & nite clubs. That's why teachers fight for gun safety laws that will outlaw weapons of war like AR-15's. My thread 🧵americanprogress.org/article/guns-a…
What's dangerous is hate speech & rhetoric like this — calling what teachers’ teach “filthy” and comparing them to a cruel dictator who has engaged in genocide. That's why teachers press for & create safe & welcoming school environments 4 all our students nbcnews.com/news/us-news/n…
Disinformation is what's dangerous. Denying our kids an opportunity to learn honest, accurate, age-appropriate history, which their parents overwhelmingly say they want them to learn…even when the topics are challenging. time.com/6172216/public…
I know that Mike Pompeo is running for president, and frankly I don’t know whether to characterize his characterization of me in the @daveweigel interview as ridiculous or dangerous.
At the state department, Pompeo defended Middle East’s tyrants & undermined Ukraine. He was more focused on pleasing Trump than fighting 4 freedom, national security & democracy. To compare us to China means he must not know what his own department says state.gov/reports/2021-c…
So Mike, let me make it easy for you. We fight for freedom, democracy, and an economy that works for all. We fight for what kids & communities need. Strong public schools that are safe and welcoming, where kids learn how to think & work with others. That’s the American Dream!
At #ituc22 I thought it important to honor the traditional custodians of the land, elders past present and emerging as well as those murdered and injured in yet another mass shooting, this time at an LGBTQ club In Colorado on Trans Remembrance Day
At #ituc22 in speaking about the new social contract, I recalled the first ever lesson taught was Locke’s theory of a social contract- how government needs the consent of the people to protect basic rights and the common good.
As a global labor movement we dream of a *much richer and far bolder* social contract with workers’ voice, social equality and climate justice at the center.