News

Weingarten launches new campaign: ‘Real Solutions for Kids and Communities’

Photo of AFT President Randi Weingarten addressing TEACH 2023

The AFT has always been a solutions-driven union, and our new campaign, launched during TEACH on July 21, proves it once again with a fresh, practical approach to strengthening public education. As AFT President Randi Weingarten pointed out during her keynote speech, the $5 million, yearlong campaign, “Real Solutions for Kids and Communities,” stands up against attacks on public schools and offers real-world solutions to build up, rather than break down, our communities.

Randi Weingarten at a Massachusetts high school

Summer is upon us, and parents, children and teachers are winding down from what has been an exhausting and fully operational school year—the first since the devastating pandemic. The long-lasting impact of COVID-19 has affected our students’ and families’ well-being and ignited the politics surrounding public schools. All signs point to the coming school year unfolding with the same sound and fury, and if extremist culture warriors have their way, being even more divisive and stressful.

In AFT President Randi Weingarten’s latest New York Times column, she describes what it is exactly that unions do. Though unions are the most popular they have been in decades, anti-union sentiment still thrives in red states and across the nation. “Several years ago, The Atlantic ran a story whose headline made even me, a labor leader, scratch my head: ‘Union Membership: Very Sexy,’” Weingarten writes in the column. “The gist was that higher wages, health benefits and job security—all associated with union membership—boost one’s chances of getting married. Belonging to a union doesn’t actually guarantee happily ever after, but it does help working people have a better life in the here and now.” Click through to read the full column.

In defense of public education

Randi Weingarten and NYC teacher Tamara Simpson

Attacks on public education in America by extremists and culture-war peddling politicians have reached new heights (“lows” may be more apt), but they are not new. The difference today is that the attacks are intended not just to undermine public education but to destroy it.

Newtown: Supporting Survivors' Healing

The link below will take you to a video highlighting Randi Weingarten's visit to our district on December 2, 2014. It can also be found on our Videos page under the Resources tab. Thanks to Matt O'Connor from AFT-CT for the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApjEtNZ64RU&feature=youtu.be

NFT Update - April 2013

I hope this communication finds you all in a healthy place in your life as we get ready to take a much needed April break.

Donors Choose Training

Andy Wright, Teacher Outreach Manager from DonorsChoose.org, recently gave a presentation on how the DonorsChoose.org system works for Newtown Teachers.

You can watch the video here:

Click here to download a PDF of the Powerpoint presentation.

School Security Concerns Being Addressed

On January 25, I testified before the School Security Subcommittee of the Bipartisan Task Force On Gun Violence Prevention And Children's Safety. Included in my written testimony were initial concerns that had been raised by our teachers and, as I explained to legislators and some members of the media, many of those concerns had already been, or were in the process of being addressed and had not been verified by me or district leaders before being submitted.

As a member of the Newtown Security Committee, I can confidently say that we are working together to address all of the concerns that have been raised and keep everyone apprised of what has been done. This committee will continue to meet regularly and as updates become available we will post them on this website.

Tom Kuroski

President, Newtown Federation of Teachers

Newtown Teachers Pres. Kuroski Testifies Before School Security Task Force

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NFT Pres. Tom Kuroski testifies before the School Security Subcommittee.

Sandy Hook Advisory Commission Begins Work

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Newtown teacher Ron Chivinski (right) talks with former Newtown State Rep. Chris Lyddy and State Board of Education member and former technical high school teacher Patricia Keavney-Maruca.