By Corinne Murdock |
The nation’s second-largest teachers union, American Federation for Teachers (AFT), awarded its Arizona chapter an undisclosed cut of $1 million to end school choice and fight climate change in classrooms last Friday.
The AFT funding was part of its Powerful Partnerships Institute (PPI) initiative Real Solutions for Kids and Communities campaign, which aims to boost grassroots efforts that “rejects the culture wars and the toxic attacks against teachers” while making “real solutions for kids.” AFT PPI issued $1 million total in funds to 38 AFT state and local affiliates.
“The Arizona Federation of Teachers will work with partners in immigrant and Latinx [sic] communities to increase culturally relevant books and curricula in classrooms,” stated the AFT Arizona initiative snapshot. “Together, they will push back against the privatization of public education through vouchers and charters [sic] schools.”
In April, BASIS Tucson North became the first charter school in the state to unionize with AFT. They declared themselves a branch of AFT Arizona: the Arizona Federation of Teachers Arizona Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff (AFT-AZACTS).
In a press release, AFT noted that this year’s funds would also go toward “tackl[ing] climate readiness in school buildings” to make them safer for learning. AFT President Randi Weingarten rejected the notion that student success hinged on prevailing culture war issues, calling proponents “extremists” that haven’t offered solutions.
“It’s these programs—not book bans, censoring history and demonizing teachers—that will help young people succeed. As extremists try to divide Americans, attempting to destroy public schools and the opportunity that brings, we know that public schools unite us—it’s why 90 percent of parents send their children to public school,” said Weingarten. “The ruthless and brutal attacks on teachers and schools are in clear contrast to the reality that educators work every day to help students get and stay on track and thrive. While we are promoting and investing in real solutions, the other side hasn’t offered a single suggestion to meet the needs of kids or families.”
This $1 million made up the second year of the PPI funding initiative.
The AFT Arizona president, Ralph Quintana, has consistently opposed the state’s school choice program over the years. In a 2019 statement expressing dissatisfaction with the state legislature’s funding for public education, Quintana said that low funding to public education was the only reason that the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) Program was a preferred option for parents.
“We must stop the flow of public tax dollars to the privatization of education around the country,” said Quintana. “Perhaps, if ALL state leaders were actually properly funding our public schools there would be NO NEED for ESA vouchers.”
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
