Press

PFT PRESIDENT JERRY JORDAN ON FINALIZED PA BUDGET

August 3, 2023

On the finalized Pennsylvania budget, PFT President Jerry T. Jordan issued the following statement:

“We are pleased that the budget is now law and includes additional funding for public education. The misguided push to divert public dollars into private institutions was a distraction that diverts us from our collective responsibility to truly invest in public education. Now the real work begins to once and for all implement a system of school funding that not only meets our moral obligation but also meets the constitutional obligation as set forth in the February court case ruling. It is well past time for Philadelphia’s children to have the resources that students In wealthier, whiter school districts have.

PFT PRESIDENT JERRY JORDAN ON PA HOUSE BUDGET PASSAGE

July 5, 2023

PHILADELPHIA--"Our position has been clear from the start of budget negotiations: the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers remains unequivocally opposed to voucher expansion in any form. We have never wavered in this opposition because we know the truth about vouchers: they do not work and they siphon money from public education.

"As such, we are pleased that Governor Shapiro has promised a line-item veto of a deleterious voucher program that would undeniably harm public education. Further, we commend Democrats in both the House and Senate -- both Democratic leadership and Democratic rank and file members-- for holding the line throughout negotiations. Particularly in these last several days, House Democratic leadership has been instrumental in ensuring that a final budget package contains no voucher provisions.

UPDATED July 4, 2023

PHILADELPHIA--"Again and again, the devastation wrought by the scourge of gun violence continues to rip families apart and leave communities shattered. As we continue to learn more about last evening's mass shooting in Kingsessing, my heart just breaks for the now-reported five individuals whose lives were stolen from them and for their families and loved ones whose lives will never be the same. And I am so sorry for the two individuals wounded in this deadly mass shooting. Their lives, too, will be forever impacted by this devastating tragedy.

PFT PRESIDENT JERRY JORDAN ON HOUSE RULES' COMMITTEE REJECTION OF VOUCHER SCHEME

June 30, 2023

Following the House Rules Committee unequivocal rejection of the voucher scheme, PFT President Jerry T. Jordan issued the following statement:

PHILADELPHIA--"This afternoon, the Pennsylvania House Rules Committee led with courage and conviction and unequivocally rejected a detrimental voucher scheme that has no place in our great commonwealth. I thank each Democratic member of the committee and Democratic leadership team who took a strong stand in defense of one of the bedrocks of our society: public education.

PFT PRESIDENT JERRY JORDAN ON TODAY'S SCOTUS DECISIONS, STATE BUDGET, MOMS FOR LIBERTY

In the wake of today's SCOTUS rulings, amidst the backdrop of state budget negotiations and Moms for Liberty convention, PFT President Jerry Jordan issued the following statement:

PHILADELPHIA--"In two decisions this morning, SCOTUS continued to chisel away at the rights of our neighbors, our families, our students, our colleagues, and our loved ones. In a ruling favoring right-wing conservative Christian business owners, the court will now actively permit discrimination of LGBTQ+ individuals. And in another gut-wrenching ruling, the Court ruled to completely block President Biden's

June 29, 2023

In the wake of the SCOTUS ruling deeming affirmative action unconstitutional, and amidst the backdrop of state budget negotiations and decades-long underfunding of public schools, and this weekend's Moms for Liberty summit in Philadelphia, PFT President Jerry Jordan issued the following statement:

PHILADELPHIA--"I was profoundly struck by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's stirring dissent in today's SCOTUS decision (which reversed years of precedent and a modicum of progress towards racial justice), in which she wrote in part, 'With let-them-eat-cake obliviousness, today, the majority pulls the ripcord and announces "colorblindness for all" by legal fiat. But deeming race irrelevant in law does not make it so in life.'

"This deeply disturbing ruling upends decades of precedent that has moved us towards racial justice--a precedent that helped level the playing field ever so slightly for Black and Latino students, that moved us towards a more equitable society. A precedent that came nowhere near true equity in our society, but a precedent that nonetheless was a major stepping stone in our ongoing quest for justice.

Kirsch applauds Gov. Wolf's budget

AFTPA President Ted Kirsch applauded the vision and funding in the Governor's 2019-2020 budget proposal.

AFT leaders offer condolences to Pittsburgh synagogue attack victims, community

AFT leaders in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Washington offered their condolences in the wake of the mass shooting of 13 congregants at a Pittsburgh synagogue Saturday morning.

AFTPA President Ted Kirsch released this statement following the US Supreme Court's Janus v. AFSCME decision.

“The Supreme Court's decision makes it clear that unions are not only relevant but indispensable in protecting working people.

“Unions and their members, not the billionaires who bankrolled the Janus case, are committed to improving the lives of working families. Unions, not CEOs and the mega-rich, have fought consistently for adequate funding and equal opportunities for students in our public schools, colleges and universities. Unions, not hedge funds managers and Wall Street bankers

AFTPA marks the passing of leader Sunny Richman

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.