FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 20, 2022
CONTACT: Rob D’Amico, 512-627-1343, rdamico@texasaft.org
Texas AFT President Zeph Capo commented today on Gov. Greg Abbott’s political theater over a Parents Bill of Rights:
We’re all for full parental involvement in their kids’ education, families engaging in their school communities, which is why we already have a Parents Bill of Rights passed by the Legislature back in 1995. Those comprehensive rights and additions to them through the years have given parents greater access than ever before to curriculum and all decisions made in schools. What we won’t agree to is a phony, politicized storyline from the governor that ends up targeting and vilifying teachers and schools.
What’s needed now is respect—mutual respect between school officials, teachers, and parents—that understands we all want the best for our students. At a time when teachers are literally exhausted to the point of collapse and dropping out of the profession in droves, we have a governor who isn’t providing them any respect and certainly no support. Instead, Abbott is fighting hard to keep local leaders from making schools safer for children and teachers and inflaming lies about roadblocks to parental involvement. Our schools are in chaos and despair from the onslaught of this latest COVID surge, and our governor is playing politics.
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The Texas American Federation of Teachers represents more than 65,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, support personnel, and higher-education employees across the state. Texas AFT is affiliated with the 1.7-million-member American Federation of Teachers and AFL-CIO.