Topic: Press Releases

Retired teachers to urge state trustees not to increase health-care premiums, and will ask Lt. Gov. for rollback of benefit cuts

Publish Date: September 18, 2018

News Conference: Thursday, 11 a.m. Teachers faced significant premium increases and benefit cuts under Lt. Dan Patrick’s control of the state Senate What:  The Texas AFT Retiree Committee is in town to testify at a Teacher Retirement System Board vote on increasing premiums $50 a month for retired teachers and school employees (not yet on Medicare) starting in January, 2019....

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Texas AFT and TSTA file lawsuit against education commissioner

Publish Date: August 29, 2018

Download the Lawsuit FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 29, 2018 CONTACTS: Rob D’Amico (Texas AFT), 512-627-1343, Ext. 1313 Clay Robison (TSTA), 512-476-5355 News Conference: Thursday, 10 a.m. Teacher unions sue state education commissioner over faulty rules for partnerships between school districts and charter schools Education Commissioner Mike Morath fails to follow law—and his own rules—meant to protect the rights of teachers...

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Teacher retirees scraping by on fixed pension income and skyrocketing health-care costs await crucial decision by TRS board

Publish Date: July 23, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 23, 2018 CONTACT:  Rob D’Amico, 512-627-1343 Decision on rate of return Friday could further erode ability to offer cost-of-living increases What:  Retired school employees from across Texas will hold a news conference on the steps of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas building Thursday to highlight how a TRS Board vote expected the next morning on...

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AFT leaders respond to shooting at Santa Fe High School; Note on tomorrow’s Rally

Publish Date: May 18, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2018 CONTACT: Rob D’Amico, 512-627-1343 AFT leaders respond to shooting at Santa Fe High School Note: Texas AFT’s original advisory—that went out early today--on the Houston rally tomorrow is below. We will be mourning the victims of this tragic shooting at the rally. Included in an updated list of speakers are two Houston ISD students...

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Poll: 91% of teachers voting in the Republican Primary want to ‘can’ Dan Patrick

Publish Date: February 26, 2018

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 26, 2018 CONTACT:  Rob D’Amico, 512-627-1343 Poll: 91% of teachers voting in the Republican Primary want to ‘can’ Dan Patrick Educators and others polled favor Republican Scott Milder by a wide margin, Collier leads decisively in Democratic primary A Texas AFT poll of 1,863 Texans (74 percent of them teachers or other school employees) shows...

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Texas AFT endorsements for the March 6 primaries

Publish Date: February 14, 2018

(Updated, 02/21/18, 9:42 a.m.) For Immediate Release February 13, 2018 Contact: Rob D'Amico 512-627-1343 In the March 6 party primaries, Texas AFT’s Committee on Political Education is recommending 26 candidates in contested Republican races and 26 candidates in contested Democratic races. (Note: A few more late-breaking endorsements may be added to the list before early voting starts on Feb. 20.)...

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Statement on decision of Speaker Straus not to seek re-election

Publish Date: October 25, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 25, 2017 CONTACT: Rob D’Amico, 512-627-1343 Speaker Straus has been a strong supporter of public education and those who serve the children in our public schools. Texas AFT President Louis Malfaro commented today on the decision of Texas Speaker Joe Straus not to seek re-election. We regret House Speaker Joe Straus’s decision not to seek another...

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School district ratings reveal continuing trend of charters underperforming traditional public schools

Publish Date: August 15, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 15, 2017 CONTACT:  Rob D’Amico, 512-627-1343 Texas AFT President Louis Malfaro commented today on the release of school accountability ratings by the Texas Education Agency:   We’re pleased to see a decline in the number of districts rated as “Improvement Required,” but it’s also clear that charter schools continue to underperform traditional public schools, since charter...

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