Featured News
This Week in the Legislature: ‘A Damn Sad Day’ for Public Education
Under normal circumstances, the Texas Legislature is a wild and weird place. But ‘Private School Voucher Day’ at the Texas Capitol truly took the cake, from far-right conservatives offering amendments that would have increased the basic allotment by more than $1,000 to one Democrat arguing against transparency and accountability for charter schools. President Trump himself entered the conversation with a...
Read MoreSBEC Preview: Certification, Sanctions, Standards Dominate the Agenda
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) will meet in Austin next Thursday and Friday, Sept.19-20. Some action items are anticipated, but most of the agenda will continue with discussions on topics that we have seen at the last few meetings.
Read MoreIn Presidential Debate, AFT-Endorsed Harris Presents Vision to Thrive, Trump Spreads Misinformation
The first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump was both exactly what you expected and a bizarre evening difficult to fully comprehend.
Read MoreSept. 6, 2024: ‘We are tired of losing’
Friday, Sept. 6, 2024 From Moms Demand Action 'We are tired of losing' Two educators and two students were killed Wednesday at Apalachee High School in Georgia in yet another preventable instance of gun violence on America’s school campuses. Nine of their fellow students and educators were wounded by a...
Read MoreSchool Safety Crisis: Texas Assistant Principal Blinded in Student Attack
On Aug. 15, a Texas assistant principal was the victim of a violent attack by a student in a case that has received nationwide attention and sent ripples through the public education community.
Read MoreSBOE Preview: Instructional Materials & the Right to Freedom of Religion
Next Tuesday, the State Board of Education (SBOE) will conduct a public hearing related to House Bill (HB) 1605 and the proposed instruction materials for mathematics and English and Spanish language arts and reading.
Read MoreTexas AFT Unveils Our Educator’s Bill of Rights for the 89th Legislature
On Tuesday, after several months of gathering our members’ input, Texas AFT unveiled our union’s agenda for the 89th Legislature in 2025: a real Educator’s Bill of Rights.
Read MoreAug. 30, 2024: Happy Labor Day!
Friday, August 30, 2024 50 Years in the Fight to Thrive: 2024 is Texas AFT’s 50th anniversary as a state federation. We’ve been fighting for thriving Texas public schools from the beginning. And we’ll be on the front lines in every fight to come over the next 50 years. Labor Day Seven...
Read MoreAction Needed: SBOE to Review TEA’s Bible-Infused New Curriculum
Typically, we would wait to preview the State Board of Education (SBOE) meeting in the Hotline edition closest to the date of the meeting. However, there is a hotly anticipated hearing happening at the board’s next regular meeting, Sept. 10-13, and we need our members engaged and taking action in...
Read More🥁 Drumroll please … Texas AFT’s Educator’s Bill of Rights Reveal
This spring, our members across the state gave us their feedback through in-person and virtual sessions on what they need in a real Educator’s Bill of Rights. Over the summer, we’ve been drafting ... This Tuesday, we will unveil our union’s ambitious but simple legislative agenda: a true Educator’s Bill...
Read MoreNew Poll Shows Houston ISD Voters Don’t Have Faith in Miles, State’s Management
Earlier this month, Houston ISD’s state-installed Board of Managers approved putting a $4.4 billion bond, the largest in state history, before voters this November. HISD leadership, all appointed as part of the Texas Education Agency’s takeover of the district, says the bond will be used to fund campus rebuilds, fix...
Read MoreWhere to Find Texas AFT at The Texas Tribune Festival
Texas AFT is a proud sponsor of this year’s Texas Tribune Festival, Texas’ breakout politics and policy event happening live and in person in the heart of downtown Austin. At TribFest, Sept. 5-7, you’ll hear from leaders, innovators and lawmakers who’ll give you an inside look at where we are...
Read MoreElection 2024 Spotlight: Lauren Ashley Simmons Offers a Hopeful Vision for the Future in HD 146
After the bruising battles of last year’s voucher-focused Legislature and amid an equally unsettling back-to-school season in Texas, we know how critical this November’s election is.
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