Education Week (7/25, Sawchuk, Heitin) reports that the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers could be embarking on a new era of collaboration, noting that the unions are being driven by “a remarkable policy convergence.” The piece notes that both unions have recently “passed resolutions targeting US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan,” both have fought using standardized testing as a major component of teacher evaluations, and concerns about the implementation of the Common Core Standards. The piece concedes that there are “stark and many” differences between the two unions.
Teachers Hear Emotional Keynote, Thanks For Support At Presentation
Bloomberg BusinessWeek (7/15) reports that in “an emotionally charged keynote address” the American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten call on “American teachers to fight forward and fight back,” while alluding to “controversial court rulings threatening freedom of association and union rights” in front of 3,500 delegates. “Let there be no mistake about what we aspire to do: to reclaim the promise of America for our students, our families, our communities,” said Weingarten. At the same event General Secretary of Education International Fred van Leeuwen “brought a message of solidarity from the teachers of the world to delegates” as he thanked teachers for showing solidarity with teachers in conflict regions of the Middle East and Africa.
AFT’s Weingarten Joins NEA In Criticism Of Duncan
The AP (7/13, Blood) reports that American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said Friday that Education Secretary Duncan “has turned his back on the concerns of educators and parents, but she stopped short of calling for his ouster.” The criticism follows Duncan’s comments last month in support of a California court ruling “that struck down tenure and other job protections for the state’s public school teachers,” and follows years of tensions over Duncan’s support for charter schools and for using student test scores as part of teacher evaluations. Earlier this month, the National Education Association called on Duncan to resign. The AP quotes ED spokeswoman Dorie Nolt saying, “Secretary Duncan has said before that he doesn’t get involved in union politics. He is hopeful that after AFT wraps up their meeting, he and the organization can continue to work together to prepare all students for college, careers and life.”
The Hill (7/12, Sullivan) wrote that “with the teachers unions at loggerheads with the administration, Democrats are suddenly at risk of losing one of their most reliable allies and fundraising sources.”
Valerie Strauss wrote in the Washington Post (7/14, Strauss) “Answer Sheet” blog that Education Secretary Duncan’s relations “with the country’s largest teachers unions – which collectively have more than 4 million members – keep getting worse.” While delegates to the American Federation of Teachers convention this weekend did not join the National Education Association’s earlier call for Duncan’s resignation, the AFT “urged President Obama to put Duncan on an ‘improvement plan’” and said Duncan should leave if he does not change. Strauss says the “obvious hitch” is that Obama “hasn’t shown a single sign that he disagrees with Duncan’s education reform agenda.”
Politico (7/14, Grasgreen) reported that the AFT’s “‘improvement plan’ would include the requirement that Duncan enact the funding and equity recommendations of the Equity Commission’s ‘Each and Every Child’ report; change the No Child Left Behind and Race To The Top ‘test-and-punish’ accountability system to a ‘support-and-improve’ model; and ‘promote rather than question’ teachers and school staff.”
Stephen Sawchuk writes at the Education Week (7/14) “TeacherBeat” blog that the union “passed a resolution Sunday calling on President Barack Obama to put U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on an ‘improvement plan,’ and demand his resignation if he doesn’t change positions the union deems harmful.” Sawchuk considers whether the AFT’s resolution is stronger or weaker than the recent anti-Duncan resolution from the NEA, noting that “the AFT makes it explicit that the buck for the education secretary ultimately stops with the person who appointed him—President Obama.” The Los Angeles Times (7/14, Blume) also covers this story.
NPR (7/14, Westervelt) runs a Q&A with Weingarten in its “NprEd” blog. Topics include teachers’ frustration over such issues as the California tenure ruling, Common Core implementation, and evaluations, along with calls for Education Secretary Arne Duncan to step down.
