Press

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.

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.

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. 

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

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.

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