AFT Statement on Senate Actions to Fund Public Education, Reject DeVos’ Cuts

WASHINGTON—AFT President Randi Weingarten on this week’s important steps by senators to reject Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ education cuts:

“In an important step forward for teachers, parents and children, this week senators from both parties who are making the federal budget decisions decisively rejected Betsy DeVos’ attempt to slash public education to the bone. Senators clearly responded to the calls, letters, meetings, tweets and other efforts by communities across the country to demand lawmakers reject these cruel cuts to the public schools that 90 percent of America’s children attend and to programs that make a profound difference in the lives of kids. While this will probably not deter DeVos’ crusade to defund and privatize public education, the senators made clear the importance of investing in our public schools, in approaches like community schools and after-school programs, and in resources for teacher training and class-size reduction.”