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American
Federation of Teachers (AFT)
About 1,000 educators
rallied in Austin on March 17
Texas teachers and their supporters rallied at the State
Capitol on March 17. The Dallas Alliance for Excellence sent three busloads
from their Oak Cliff union hall. In Austin, they were joined by buses from all
over the state. Legislators are using the current budget crisis in Texas as an
excuse to wreck the public school system. At the same time, they are proposing
increases in charter schools and a voucher program that would quickly spread
throughout Texas.
Teachers’ hours, working conditions, health insurance, and
safety are all under threat from the legislature. Even more than other Texas
unions, their right to organize was threatened. During the rally, Senator
Gonzalo Barrientos started a petition to stop a bill that would have virtually
ended teacher unions in Texas. He said that 11 Senators’ signatures would be
required to stop the bill, and he was the first to sign. By the end of the day,
the teachers had 13 signatures on the petition and one of their many challenges
had been successfully met!