Every week, Texas AFT compiles important news, updates, and information on public education policy in Texas. The Hotline covers a wide range of topics, including statewide education news, updates from the legislative session, and our current union campaigns.
Friday, March 29, 2024 Why we keep going As has become the norm, much of the news we have for you this week is bleak. In times like these, as districts announce cuts and layoffs and as the attacks on education from the state government continue, many teachers and school staff members are finding it hard to keep going,...
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Friday, April 12, 2024 Despite recent claims that public education is at a "record high," the real data shows Texas schools are starving. Full Speed Ahead and No Sign of Relief Texans are still reeling from the tornado of bad policy that came out of last year’s record-breaking five legislative...
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Friday, April 4, 2024 April 3 tweet from state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, whose district includes the University of Texas at Austin. Happy Celebrate Diversity Month ... Though April is nominally Celebrate Diversity Month, its first week in Texas this year has been far from joyous. In response to heightening pressure...
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Friday, March 22, 2024 Corpus Christi AFT president Nancy Vera presents about unions, Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta and social justice to high school students at the Garcia Arts and Education Center on March 13. The Work Doesn’t Stop Here. At the end of the month we celebrate César Chávez...
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Friday, March 15, 2024 What’s Dunn Can Still Be Undone We get asked one question quite regularly by teachers, counselors, nurses, bus drivers, librarians and more: “Why is Texas like this now? Why isn’t anyone in charge listening to us.” Texas Monthly’s March edition has the answer in the form...
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Friday, March 8, 2024 This is what democracy looks like It’s been quite a week. On Tuesday, Texans went to the polls to vote in primary elections, setting up a muddled outlook for public education in the 89th Legislature next year. Yesterday, meanwhile, President Joe Biden delivered the State of...
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Friday, March 1, 2024 Fund our fight for a thriving public education system at the ballot box this year. Shop new voting merch at store.texasaft.org. Every purchase is a donation to our Texas AFT COPE political fund. Educators don’t vote? Prove them wrong Tuesday. With Election Day coming this Tuesday,...
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Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 Could you use some good news? Because we could use some good news. Here at Texas AFT, we bring you need-to-know information on the state of public education in Texas with every Friday’s Hotline. And we are acutely aware that, by and large, the news we...
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Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 Gov. Greg Abbott held yet another of his voucher rallies last week in San Antonio. Our members, active and retired, were there to greet him. Cut to the Bone Fact: Texas has a significant crisis of retaining teachers and qualified school staff. Another fact: Texas...
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Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 It’s fair to wonder why, after the catastrophic defeat after defeat (after defeat after defeat) of his signature policy priority last year, Gov. Greg Abbott is still pursuing a private school voucher program this election year. Texans don’t want it. Legislators in his own party...
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Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 “God bless the Texas labor movement, and God help Texas.” Last weekend, Texas AFT delegates attended the Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention, kicking off Texas labor’s political fight this election year for working Texans (more on that later). In his speech to convention delegates, President Zeph Capo...
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Friday, Jan. 26, 2024 Your Union, Your Voice After a turbulent and shamefully unproductive legislative session(s) in 2023, Texas politicians are gearing up for this year's general election, and public education will be a top issue. Your voice helps your union bring facts about the state of public education to...
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Friday, Jan. 19, 2024 Back to Basics Texas has the ninth-largest economy in the world and a $32.7 billion budget surplus, but our schools are starved for resources. How did this happen? What can we do to fix it? Can it be fixed? Educating Texas: The Levers of Power Tuesday,...
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