John,
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, AFT members sprang into action, and we have continued to work throughout to keep every child safe, nurtured and engaged. We know better than anyone how vital education is, and particularly how essential in-person learning is for our students’—pre-K through postsecondary—academic and social-emotional development. As more people get their vaccinations, and as the Biden administration and Congress have made more resources available, we now have a unique opportunity to ask: How can we help students not only recover, but thrive?
We have the rare opportunity to rethink public education in America—in the wake of the crises brought about by the pandemic, and with the possibilities created by an unprecedented infusion of federal funding into our schools and communities. That’s why I’m giving a speech today at 11 a.m. EDT, to outline our vision for public education as we emerge from the pandemic.
Click here to watch the speech on AFT.org.
Click here to watch the speech on Facebook.
This year has been one of the most challenging we’ve faced as a union and as a country. But with the challenges of COVID-19, economic dislocation, the Jan. 6 insurrection, climate change, racism and inequality, the importance of public schooling has never been clearer. We can and must take the necessary steps to safely, physically return to full in-person learning. We must put in place the support systems to help students recover socially, emotionally and academically. We must reimagine what and how students learn, so we can create opportunities for every child. And we must support educators.
We’ll be streaming the speech on our Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages, so sign up, save the date and be sure to tune in.
In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT president
