Roseville Federation of Teachers: Be The Reason
Staff at Roseville Middle School presented handwritten notes to students who inspired them to come to school each day.
Pass Common Sense Gun Safety Legislation
Pam Pugh, President of the State Board of Education, and March for Our Lives called for common sense gun safety legislation at a Monday press conference. Victor Rodriguez-Pereira, Vice President of the Union of Non-Tenure Track Faculty, Local 1855. spoke eloquently about the tragedy and how MSU students, faculty and staff are trying to cope. MEA President Paula Herbart and I also spoke, along with students, State Senator Bayer and State Representative Carter who are leading on the issue, and David Hogg and Mariah Cooley of March for Our Lives.
The Democrats in the legislature are preparing safe storage, universal background checks and red flag legislation.
Reducing Gun Violence
The Detroit Branch of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom is hosting a discussion on reducing gun violence on Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 7:00 pm. Vicki Schroeder, of End Gun Violence Michigan, will speak about the latest statistics on gun violence in our state and give us a legislative update. Lauren Jasinski, a former Oxford High School teacher, will follow. Several bills are working their way through the Michigan Legislature. To support these bills, we’ll have a letter ready for you to send during the event. Register here to attend and receive a video recording of the event: bit.ly/3xujNhq
AFT Keeps The Light On At Ukrainian Schools
In October 2022, AFT President Randi Weingarten visited Lviv at the request of the Ukrainian teachers union. AFT had been working with the Polish teachers union around providing assistance for Ukrainian refugee children and educators. During that trip the mayor of Lviv raised the need for generators in the preschools and kindergartens. They were having, and continue to have, missile strikes in their city, along with rolling black-outs due to the damage to the electricity infrastructure in the country. That means that these schools can be without power for hours or days at a time, which means they may have trouble heating the building, making hot meals for the children, or lighting the facility, including the bomb shelters to which they must retreat whenever there is a threat of a missile strike.
Earlier this month, Cleveland Teachers Union president Shari Obrenski, representing our national union, traveled to Poland and the Ukraine to present forty generators so preschool and kindergarten kids can be warm, and learn in light, not darkness. At last week’s AFT Executive Council meeting Shari shared her experience and relayed the thanks of Ukrainian students and educators. This support of Ukrainian young children was made possible by the generous donations of AFT members to the AFT Disaster Relief Fund. Please consider contributing to this Fund so our union can continue to provide humanitarian aid to students and educators throughout our country and the world.
Queer Caucus Monthly Meeting – Wednesday, Feb 22
Interested AFT MI’s Queer Caucus? Join us for our next monthly meeting via zoom this Wednesday, Feb. 22nd AFT Michigan Queer Caucus is a space where LGBTQIA+2S union members join together to build collective power, develop organizing skills, increase dignity & respect on the job, socialize, and support each other as queer, professional workers. To receive the zoom link, contact Erin Lavin (higher ed staff rep) – elavin@aftmichigan.org or fill out this interest form: bit.ly/QueerAFTMichigan
WSU Labor Studies Center Spring WISE Conference
Thursday, April 20—Saturday, April 22, 2023 at the Hollywood Casino Hotel at Greektown
The Labor Studies Center at Wayne State University has created the WISE (Workers in Solidarity & Education) conference series that is committed to the teaching and learning of workers through innovative and advanced labor education programs. During the three-day WISE@Wayne conference, participates will attend one advanced labor education workshop and interactive general sessions that include speakers, panels and group exercises
Participants may register online or by calling the Labor Studies Center at 313-577-2191.
What’s Next for Labor’s Michigan Agenda
The political landscape has changed with the November 2022 elections. More pro-labor elected officials are now in control in Lansing, but only by slim majorities. What does this mean for Labor in Michigan? Join Labor and other activists from across the state for an interactive conversation on Labor’s agenda and ways to accomplish these goals.
See flyer for the zoom link and other information. Please share fare wide! You can also find the link on our homepage at https://clcs.umd.umich.edu/
Strategic Contract Bargaining
Thursdays 6pm-8pm
March 2, 2023 – April 6, 2023
This course will teach you effective techniques of bargaining local/main table agreements. Come learn the legalities and do’ and don’ts of the very legal document that dictates your wages, health care, safety, benefits and rights on and off the shop floor. Learn strategies of effective representation to ensure fair and equitable agreements for your constituency. Course is taught by veteran union bargainer Andrea Hunter.
Click here for more information
Contribute to the AFT Michigan PAC Today
AFT Michigan fights for our members, students and communities all year round and we need your help. Can you donate $1 a week to aid us in this fight? Please visit the AFT Michigan website to contribute and make a big difference in protecting public education and building a better Michigan future!
Professional Development
AFT Michigan Professional Development Virtual Workshop
Data and The Equity Lens
Saturday, March 11, 2023
8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
This workshop will introduce attendees to diverse ways of interpreting student data using an equity lens, and addressing the inequitable norms and patterns.
Participants will receive 6 SCECHs after completion of the workshop. Click here to register.
Strategies for Student Success Webinars
Register now for a new monthly webinar series, “TEACH-ify: A Great Teaching Strategy Playlist!” AFT members are invited to join national trainers from the AFT’s Professional Learning program to talk about great teaching strategies for supporting our students in grades K-12; the series started in January and continues through May.
These free Zoom sessions are a fun and productive way to meet colleagues from around the country and learn about teaching strategies you can use the next day. We will also offer office hours following each session to answer participants’ questions.
Check out upcoming sessions below:
- March 9: Social and Emotional Learning
- April 13: Differentiation: Tiering
- May 11: Differentiation: Choice Board
Sessions will be held the second Thursday of each month, at 7 p.m. Eastern time. Register for all sessions here.
In solidarity
David Hecker
President