Standing Together for Education.
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
This week teachers in California are celebrated for their dedication to our students and their families. Every day teachers go above and beyond to meet the growing needs of our students, and work tirelessly to ensure they have the education they deserve.
Beyond the much-appreciated cards and gifts this week, there are two critical ways to appreciate teachers.
The month of May was chosen to commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, during the beginning of the California Gold Rush. It also marks the anniversary of the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869. Most of the workers who laid the tracks that connected the frontier to the rest of the country were Chinese immigrants.
CFT members from across the state were in Sacramento last week to formally launch AB 477 (Muratsuchi), a bill that would make transformational investments in school funding at a time when low wages are driving teachers and school staff out of the profession we love, and as attacks and threats from the Trump administration on public education are making our work even more difficult.
Hundreds of delegates at the CFT convention at the Westin San Diego Gaslamp debated and voted on resolutions like “Oppose All Efforts to Privatize Social Security and Support Efforts to Stabilize the System,” “Ending Tax Breaks and Subsidies for Fossil Fuels in California,” and “Increase Public Funding for the University of California.” They attended workshops such as “Education Code Basics,” “Bringing Resources to the Immigrant Community by Empowering our Members,” and “Winning Local School Board Elections.” They also heard from two panels — “Organizing to Win in Sunol Glen,” about the tow
Urge Governor Newsom and our elected leaders to stop massive cuts that could gut the University of California system
Our University of California system is at a crossroads. Governor Newsom has proposed an almost 8% cut to state funding to UC in the coming school year and a delay in the 5% increase in state funding he has promised to our students through the multi-year compact.
Near the end of her speech, Palm Springs City Councilmember and former Mayor Lisa Middleton quoted Anglo-Irish political thinker Edmund Burke, as a comment on the president. “Rudeness is a weak man’s imitation of strength.”
Middleton, a guest speaker at the CFT convention, came to talk about the challenges ahead – which are significant under the current Trump administration. Middleton knows a thing or two about challenges.
Women’s History Month provides us an opportunity to remind ourselves of women’s contributions to our culture and society and reflect on women who have fought for change in labor, education, science, the arts, and politics. Use the CFT’s curated collection to find lesson plans for your classroom and inspiration for your union, home, and beyond.
CFT has an emergency relief fund for members who have suffered catastrophic losses. If you have lost your home or other property because of the fires, please email us at disasterrelief@cft.org with your name and contact information. We can also assist you in applying for AFT disaster relief funds as well.
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