RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

WHEREAS, the coronavirus has taken a huge human toll, with, as of June 22, 2020, more than 2,298,696 cases in the United States, and 120,225 deaths; and

WHEREAS, the coronavirus crisis has revealed a number of shortcomings in our society that were already present, such as unorganized workplaces, lack of universal high-quality healthcare, lack of affordable housing, and concentrated poverty; and

WHEREAS, the coronavirus crisis has underscored problems in our schools that were already present, such as unsanitary conditions in our buildings and chronic understaffing, including among special education personnel and nurses; and

WHEREAS, the coronavirus has hit many communities in the United States hard, but especially low-income communities of color, which are most at risk from the virus; and

WHEREAS, the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis is likely to hurt the budgets of social services, schools and our pension system; and

WHEREAS, everyone deserves the right to not only recover from the COVID-19 crisis but to thrive once the coronavirus subsides:

RESOLVED, that as a response to this crisis the American Federation of Teachers will advocate for policies that will protect our members and our students, such as safe working conditions; the right to housing; the right to water and power; high-quality universal healthcare coverage; and protections for documented and undocumented immigrants, seniors, people with disabilities and people who are incarcerated; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will continue to advocate for the high-quality schools that our children deserve—operated in a safe way for students and their families and for our members; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will demand that those wealthiest people who are most able to afford it share the burden in the form of fair taxation so that we can all take part in a just recovery.