What have we learned so far from this year’s election cycle in Texas? Very little besides what we already knew: if you’ve got enough money, you can buy whatever seat you want. Mostly.
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Friday, May 24, 2024 Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson, AFT Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus, and Texas AFT President Zeph Capo at a fundraiser for the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) at HFT’s office on Wednesday. Never Back, Always Forward It was a remarkable week for...
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As the 2023-2024 academic year comes to a close, Texas public schools find themselves struggling with severe budget deficits that are jeopardizing their ability to deliver high-quality education to the state's 5.5 million public school students. In recent remarks quoted on Twitter/X, Gov. Greg Abbott sought to distance himself from...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 13, 2024 CONTACT: press@texasaft.org New Report Defines ‘Thriving’ Public Schools in Texas As school districts announce layoffs & program cuts, Texas AFT set to release report on the public education system that Texas’ record-breaking budget can and should buy. AUSTIN, Texas — The 88th legislative session...
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Texas AFT Retiree Pamela Davis-Duck provides public testimony to the TRS Board of Trustees. Watch her testimony, along with that of Texas AFT Retiree Phyllis Ruffin, here (about 10 minutes in). Last week, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) board convened for its quarterly board meeting. At the meeting,...
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In a defiant move against the Biden Administration's reinterpretation of Title IX, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have chosen to fight federal mandates that expand protections to include gender identity and sexual orientation. The administration's revised...
Read MoreOn Monday, the newly formed State House Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Emerging Technologies held its first meeting. The committee, which was formed to determine “the ways AI is integrated into our everyday lives and the potential security risks that come along with the emerging technology,” met to...
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In April, state leaders’ attempted stranglehold over the University of Texas at Austin, Texas’s premier public university, came to a head in several ways. The month began with the university laying off dozens of employees who formerly worked in positions...
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Governor Abbott's “School Choice” Claims Don't Hold Up to the Facts Gov. Greg Abbott has recently made some bold claims about the impacts of voucher programs like Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) on public school funding. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Abbott stated that, "In 97% of states with...
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In the latest of a long series of alarming attacks on educators, Gov. Greg Abbott has set his sights on transgender educators. During his keynote speech at the Young Conservatives of Texas convention this past weekend, Abbott jeopardized the livelihoods...
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 25, 2024 CONTACT: Nicole Hill, press@texasaft.org SBOE puts duty to donors over duty to schools and Texas taxpayers Texas State Board of Education Chairman Aaron Kinsey announced a reckless divestment of public school funds despite warnings from his own staff. AUSTIN, Texas — Last week, Texas...
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Gov. Greg Abbott’s “voucher revenge” primary election managed to unseat a handful of Republicans who defied him. But what do the results actually tell us?
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