There’s a significant crisis facing American students today.
Recent reports indicate that almost half of high school seniors struggle with reading and math. A startling one-third of eighth graders can’t read at a basic level. The impacts of school closures during the pandemic are still felt, with many students experiencing setbacks. One in four children is now chronically absent from school, a figure we haven’t seen in over 25 years. There’s a growing dependence on technology, lax rules around personal devices like smartphones, and reduced discipline standards have worsened focus, accountability, and genuine learning.
But it’s not just the students facing these hurdles. A significant majority of teachers, about 80%, are contemplating leaving the profession due to burnout, especially as their compensation has stagnated. The situation is challenging at all educational levels. Anyone familiar with the system can see that.
So, who’s really at the heart of this issue? The American Teachers Union. As students’ skills in reading and math reach historic lows, the union seems to be diverting its attention away from these problems. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and its president, Randi Weingarten, are more invested in ideological battles and political campaigns than in addressing the educational needs they are meant to serve.
Weingarten, leading the largest teachers’ union in the country, represents 1.8 million educators and should ideally focus on improving K-12 policies during this educational downturn. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case—her ambitions appear to lie elsewhere.
Instead of addressing the academic crisis, Weingarten has concentrated AFT’s efforts on political engagement, emphasizing rallies against figures like Donald Trump. She has made bold statements, openly challenging the former president, while seemingly dismissing the choice made by the American electorate.
This trend of focusing resources on political causes isn’t new for the AFT, which has a history of engaging in left-wing political campaigns that don’t necessarily align with enhancing student literacy or math skills.
Since 2022, AFT has funneled millions into political groups and campaigns, often confronted with efforts against Trump-era educational reforms aimed at empowering parental involvement and reducing political influence in schools.
Throughout the pandemic, Weingarten was an advocate for keeping schools closed longer than necessary, even with evidence suggesting it was safe to reopen. Consequently, the average student is still not fully recovering academically. In fact, chronic absenteeism is rising sharply, especially among low-income students. It’s predicted that learning outcomes will be 57% lower than pre-pandemic levels, and this has a lot to do with Weingarten’s decisions.
With around $200 billion in federal emergency funding directed at K-12 education, one might expect improvements. Yet, student performance has dropped across the board, particularly among weaker students, who are slipping further behind than they were three decades ago. National test scores are hitting historic lows, revealing a troubling gap between top and bottom performers.
Now, as we witness this dramatic decline in student achievement, it shouldn’t be hard to discern what educational leadership should prioritize—especially from someone like Weingarten. It ought to start in classrooms, equipping children with essential critical thinking skills, encouraging them to learn how to think, and supporting both teachers and parents in helping students reach their potential.
The American Parents Federation will continue to keep parents informed about the partisan actions being taken by educational leaders like Weingarten at the expense of children. There needs to be a reclamation of parental influence with a focus on academic success rather than divisive ideologies.
Children cannot afford to miss out on proper education. Their formative years are limited, and these ongoing setbacks will shape not just their educational outcomes but also their confidence, subsequent opportunities, and overall quality of life.
Randi Weingarten seems to prioritize her political agenda over the welfare of children. Her policies create distance between parents and their children’s education. It’s high time for new leadership that truly champions education and caters to the needs of students and teachers alike.
