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Victory Won, New Battle Begins: What AFT’s Student Loan Win Means for Educators, Health Care Workers
After months of legal battles and thousands of borrowers left in limbo, AFT has claimed a hard-won victory.
Read MoreSBEC Recap: Discipline and Educator Preparation
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) met in Austin on Sept. 18 and 19 for a discussion-heavy agenda. The board’s legislative implementation load is significant after the 89th session and covers two primary lanes of rulemaking work for the body: educator discipline and educator preparation. Educator Discipline Senate Bill...
Read MoreTexas Election Preview: November 2025
On Tuesday, Nov. 4, Texans will head to the polls for an election that, while not featuring statewide executive offices, carries major consequences for public schools and communities. The ballot includes 17 proposed constitutional amendments, as well as numerous local races for mayor, city council, school board, and bond measures....
Read MoreHouston Federation of Teachers Secures Court Victory in Pay-for-Performance Dispute
Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson speaks at the No More Harm rally outside the AFT convention in July 2024. Houston educators scored a significant legal win this month when a Harris County judge issued a partial injunction against Houston ISD’s plan to distribute state-mandated teacher raises through a...
Read MoreFederal, State Policies Destabilize Higher Education Landscape
On Thursday, Texas AAUP-AFT, TSEU, and CWA members joined with the Texas State University and San Marcos community to rally in support of Dr. Tom Alter, a tenured professor fired earlier this month without due process at the urging of Gov. Greg Abbott. Courtesy of Texas AFL-CIO. Higher education has...
Read MoreSept. 26, 2025: Hands Off!
Friday, September 26, 2025 Hands Off! Texas politicians can’t help themselves but meddle in our public school classrooms (and our college and university classrooms too). The past two weeks of needless hysteria — firing professors for doing their job or launching a witch hunt for teachers and faculty who...
Read MoreEducators Denounce Latest Attack on Academic Freedom, Freedom of Speech – this time at Angelo State University
This week, the fight for the First Amendment runs through Angelo State University, the latest stop for the ongoing statewide assault on free speech, due process, and academic freedom.
Read MoreTexas AFT Joins Lawsuit Against Discriminatory SB 12
On Tuesday, Texas AFT joined ongoing litigation against Senate Bill 12, a new state law that bans gay-straight alliance (GSA) clubs, prevents educators from using students’ chosen names and pronouns, and prohibits diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts from public and charter K-12 schools. The lawsuit, filed by GSA Network and...
Read MoreFree Speech Crackdowns Across K-12 and Higher Education Intensify
As quickly as our union has been responding to the events from last week, it seems like state leaders are also working overtime to make educators’ lives harder. In just one week, two faculty members have been fired, the Lieutenant Governor established a new education committee in the House and...
Read MoreNEA/AFT Lawsuit over Sensitive-Locations Policy
On Sept. 10, 2025, the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers joined a federal lawsuit, PCUN v. Noem, arguing that protections long enjoyed by schools, hospitals, places of worship, and preschools against ICE enforcement should be restored. These protections were removed by the Trump administration, ending guidance that...
Read MoreSept. 19, 2025: Freedom of Speech
Friday, September 19, 2025 Freedom of Speech The headlines this week have been jaw-dropping. Educators in K-12 and higher education were subjected to baseless online smear campaigns, one university president resigned, and the Texas Education Agency (TEA) now keeps a list of educators reported for their social media posts. Within...
Read MoreSBOE Recap: Forging Ahead on Social Studies
The State Board of Education (SBOE) met in Austin last week to discuss and take action on several topics, the most visible of which was the new social studies framework. Social Studies Framework Adopted The board conducted two separate discussions on the topic of how social studies will look and...
Read MoreTexas educators join lawsuit against discriminatory state law, SB 12
Today, Texas AFT joined ongoing litigation against Senate Bill 12, a new state law that bans gay-straight alliance (GSA) clubs, prevents educators from using students’ chosen names and pronouns, and prohibits diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts from public and charter K-12 schools.
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