and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten visit with striking Chicago teachers at Oscar DePriest Elementary School on Oct. 22, 2019. At Weingarten’s direction, the AFT developed a model to transform teacher evaluations from a way of simply rating teachers to a tool for continuous improvement and feedback, and is using this model to align tenure and due process so that tenure serves as a guarantee of fairness, not of a job for life. She worked as a lawyer for the Wall Street firm of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan from 1983 to 1986. The union leader delivered her backing in a personal capacity, a break for now from the AFT's official position. Antonia Cortese and Lorretta Johnson were elected as secretary-treasurer and executive vice president, respectively. American Federation of Teachers president on safely reopening schools July 14, 2020, 12:00 PM American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten on options to … A teacher of history at Clara Barton High School in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood from 1991 to 1997, Weingarten helped her students win several state and national awards debating constitutional issues. The AFT has assembled close to 100 partners not only to improve the quality of education provided to children in the county, but to focus on jobs, transportation, recreation, housing, healthcare and social services. RANDI WEINGARTEN is president of the 1.7 million-member American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, which represents teachers; paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; higher education faculty and staff; nurses and other healthcare professionals; local, state and federal government employees; and early childhood educators. Weingarten spearheaded the development by the AFT and British partner TES Connect of Share My Lesson, the United States’ largest free collection of educational resources created by teachers, for teachers, with an emphasis on resources aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Weingarten led an AFT committee that called for all prospective teachers to meet a high entry standard—as in medicine or law—so that they’re prepared from the day they enter the classroom. The AFT and a broad array of parent and community partners have collaborated on events across the country to advance a community- and educator-driven agenda for public school reform. The AFT represents 1.7 million members from more than 3,000 affiliates. In 2012-13, Weingarten served on an education reform commission convened by New York Gov. Facin… Updated 0040 GMT (0840 HKT) March 1, 2020. David Selden (June 5, 1914 – May 8, 1998) was an American activist who led the American Federation of Teachers from 1968 through 1974.. As Director of Organization of the Teachers Guild from 1953, he was a main strategist in the creation of the United Federation of Teachers in 1960 and the winning of collective bargaining in 1961. She is an active member of the Democratic National Committee and numerous professional, civic and philanthropic organizations. In 2013, the New York Observer named Weingarten one of the most influential New Yorkers of the past 25 years. You can follow her on Twitter at @rweingarten or on Facebook. She created the AFT Innovation Fund, a groundbreaking initiative to support sustainable, innovative and collaborative education reform projects developed by members and their local unions. The United Teachers of Los Angeles, which is affiliated with the AFT, backed Sanders in November. AFT was founded in Chicago, Illinois, on April 15, 1916. Photographs and illustrations, as well as text, cannot be used without permission from the AFT. AFSA Statement — Election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris . The American Federation of Teachers announced Sunday that it has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for president in the 2020 election. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said people need to go out to vote because so much is on the ballot, including public education. First step in building back trust, honesty and respectability in our nation. Andrew Cuomo, which made a series of recommendations to improve teaching and learning. She was appointed to the Equity and Excellence Commission, a federal advisory committee chartered by Congress to examine and make recommendations concerning the disparities in educational opportunities that give rise to the achievement gap. By 1919, AFT had 100 local affiliates and a membership of approximately 11,000 teachers, which amounted to 1.5% of the nation's teaching force. American Federation of Teachers or AFT is a Union that is supposed to support educators and professionals. Weingarten holds degrees from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and the Cardozo School of Law. "I will vote for her in the New York primary on April 28.". AFT President . The AFT's second-ranking official, secretary-treasurer Lorretta Johnson, also made her decision public on Friday, announcing that she would endorse Biden. WASHINGTON-American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement in response to a projected 2020 presidential election victory for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris: 'On behalf of the 1.7 million members of the AFT, our officers and our staff, we congratulate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on securing enough electoral votes to win the presidency … The American Federation of Teachers is closing in on a final 2020 presidential endorsement, telling its 1.8 million union members that they … Weingarten and the AFT were asked to lead a partnership to transform McDowell County, W.Va., one of the poorest counties in the United States. President at American Federation of Teachers Washington D.C. Metro Area 43 connections. Joe Biden has secured endorsements from both of the nation's major teacher unions after the American Federation of Teachers on Sunday voted … Source: LM forms filed with the Office of Labor-Management Standards. The American Federation of Teachers is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities. Why the American Federation of Teachers endorses Joe Biden for President of the United States. Zeph Capo is the current President of the Texas American Federation of Teachers and the Houston Federation of Teachers. In 2020, the AFT has so far decided against lining up behind one candidate, though its local and state groups have been quicker to action. We are committed to advancing these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism, and especially through the work our members do. … In its early days, AFT distinguished itself from the National Education Association(NEA) by its exclusion of school administrators from membership. As the union leader of 1.7 million members, Weingarten has been critical of current Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. The president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) made it clear in a partisan speech on Thursday that the nation’s second-largest teachers union she heads is aligned with the Democrat Party and fully intends to attempt to defeat President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, joins Andrea Mitchell to discuss how teachers and students can return to face to face learning. The AFT endorsed Hillary Clinton in both 2008 and 2016, the two most recent contested Democratic primaries. © American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO. Both were re-elected to their posts at the 2012 AFT con… Former VP Joe Biden held a virtual roundtable discussion with healthcare professionals to discuss how COVID-19 is impacting their lives at work and at home. It is time Congress and the president support education with the resources needed during this COVID-19 crisis. Randi Weingarten, president of the prominent American Federation of Teachers (AFT) union, said there’s “no way” schools will reopen full-time in the fall, citing lack of funding. Two of our AFT nurse members were part of that discussion. [...] the President of t h e American Federation of Teachers, A lb ert Shanker, adopted [...] a supportive stance in relation to the school-site management from the outset and this was very influential in promoting restructuring in that country. The 2020 primary has seen a fierce fight for the support of teachers and their increasingly powerful unions. In 2011, following Cortese's retirement, Johnson was appointed secretary-treasurer and Francine Lawrence as executive vice president. The AFT’s executive council voted to support Biden after months of town halls and candidate interviews that drew thousands of its 1.7 million members. The AFT and its members advance these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism, and especially through members’ work. 121559647_10223782929098627_1483712678793247613_n.jpg. Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, will endorse Elizabeth Warren on Saturday night at a rally in Houston. screen_shot_2020-10-29_at_2.32.21_am.png. The AFT has also expanded its higher education and public employee membership as well as building strength in the South and Southwest. Capo believes that a quality public education and old-fashioned hard work are requirements for a robust economy and public schools are the key to a robust civil society.