AFT Pennsylvania President Ted Kirsch slammed the Senate Education Committee's approval of Senate Bill 2, a flawed voucher bill that would siphon millions of dollars from neighborhood public schools. Read Ted's statement and tell your Senator to vote NO on SB 2 should it come to the floor.
AFT Pennsylvania marks the passing today of a legendary PFT and PaFT leader, Sunny Richman. AFT Pennsylvania President Ted Kirsch was mentored by Ms. Richman and shared his thoughts on her contributions to our union.
AFT Pennsylvania President Ted Kirsch congratulated Conor Lamb, the apparent winner of a tight race for Congressional District 18 in Western PA.
U.S. Supreme Court refuses to block PA order to redraw voting maps. AFTPA President Ted Kirsch urges Republican lawmakers to work with Democrats to draw fair voting maps
AFT Pennsylvania President Ted Kirsch released the following statement about the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision to hear the school funding equity case. In a news release, Kirsch called it a win for students, parents and the commonwealth. A Commonwealth Court had rejected the case by six school districts, parents and organizations. Read Ted's comments.
The Trump administration plans to end a program that protects from deportation 800,000 students and working young adults who were brought to the United States as children. AFT President Kirsch released a statement to the media about administration plans to end DACA and asked union members to urge their Congressional representatives to pass the Dreamers Act of 2017.
A mid-state senator plans to push a bill authorizing education savings accounts, which are the latest iteration of school tuition vouchers. AFTPA President Ted Kirsch released a statement opposing this failed privatization strategy. “Let’s not waste time going down this road again – when 20-years of research has shown privatization schemes such as these fail to raise student achievement," Kirsch said. "All students and communities deserve good, neighborhood public schools with the resources to address children’s needs. That’s where we should focus our attention and invest our tax dollars.”
AFTPA convention delegates voted to endorse Governor Tom Wolf for a second, four-year term. The vote was unanimous.
AFT Pennsylvania delegates voted unanimously to endorse Robert P. Casey for a third term as U.S. Senator.
Gov. Wolf signed House Bill 1552, which amends the Public School Code to provide a student-weighted formula for disbursement of basic education funding. The vote was 188-3 in the House and 49-1 in the Senate. Read AFT Pennsylvania President Ted Kirsch's comments below: