WSTU Local 571

Head Start education program in jaws of US government shutdown Education, child care and nutrition services for tens of thousands of young American children will begin to be cut off on Saturday.

"Since the start of the Trump administration in January, Head Start, like many federally-backed programs, has come under the microscope of budget-cutters operating largely under the "Project 2025" governing blueprint that urged the termination of Head Start."

Scholarship Opportunities Scholarship Opportunities for Union Members!

Visit our site for scholarship links!

How U.S. Teachers' Job Satisfaction Stacks Up Against Their Global Peers The largest international survey of teachers provides new insights into teacher satisfaction.

"Only about 1 in 4 U.S. teachers believe that their profession is valued in society, a 10 percentage-point drop since 2018...

While educators may feel that their communities value their work “in a general way,” Kreamer said, many are “not feeling like they have a lot of voice in education policy.”

Wide Awake America - Why Fascists Fear Teachers Wide Awake America delves into why America's classrooms are the fiercest battleground in our democracy and more.

Looking for a listen? Hear AFT President Randi Weingarten speaking about her new book, Why Fascists Fear Teachers: www.wmnf.org/wide-awake-a...

Judge refuses to immediately block National Guard deployment to Illinois A federal judge said Monday she wouldn't hear arguments over Illinois' bid to block the deployment until Thursday, even after a Trump administration lawyer confirmed that Texas troops are on their way...

"Illinois’ new complaint details Trump’s rhetoric over the last month or so, including his social media post that reads “I love the smell of deportations in the morning” and adds that Chicago is “about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.”

Trump Is No Longer Denying Support for Project 2025 The President has changed his tune on the conservative policy plan after actively distancing himself from it in the past.

"Now, amid the government shutdown, Trump is moving to further fulfill Project 2025’s goals of reducing the federal workforce and extending his executive powers—and, it appears, openly embracing the plan.

Project 2025 is a sweeping policy agenda spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation."

"States that have weakened labor rights by enacting so-called “right-to-work” laws shed 179,000 union members last year and their workers now earn about 7% less than their peers in states such as Illinois — even after adjusting for cost of living."

Know Your Rights.

Why Fascists Fear Teachers Teachers are under siege not for anything they do wrong, but for what they do right.

"[Authoritarians] fear what educators do—the teaching of critical thinking, of honest history, of pluralism—because their brand of greed, power and privilege cannot survive in a democracy of diverse, educated citizens." More from @rweingarten.bsky.social: www.aft.org/column/why-f... @aft.org

Grateful to all who attended the 20th Annual Legislative Breakfast!

Trump administration investigates Medicaid spending on immigrants in Democratic states The Trump administration is investigating Medicaid spending in at least six Democratic-led states that provide comprehensive health coverage to poor and disabled immigrants living in the U.S. without ...

“Thousands of Illinois residents rely on these programs to lawfully seek critical health care without fear of deportation,” said Melissa Kula, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, noting that any federal cut would be “impossible” for the state to backfill."

White House's review of Smithsonian content could reach into classrooms nationwide Some history teachers are concerned about what may come of a White House review of the Smithsonian's public-facing content.

"Some teachers have out-of-date history textbooks, and online resources from institutions like the Smithsonian can fill the gaps."

Happening now! Join @rweingarten.bsky.social, @proftwolf.bsky.social, @afthighered.bsky.social, @aaup.org and more for a webinar discussing the current threats to higher education - and how we as educators, students, and activists can come together to protect it.

Follow along in the thread below!

What are your plans this Labor Day? Join us and stand up for what #WorkersDeserve:
Chicago RSVP: https://www.mobilize.us/mayday/event/806237/
Events around the state: https://www.mobilize.us/aft/?country=US&state=IL&tag_ids=26595

This Labor Day we will continue to stand strong, fighting for public schools over private profits, healthcare over hedge funds, shared prosperity over corporate politics. #workersdeserve
✍️ Register for Chicago's Labor Day event: https://www.mobilize.us/aflcio/event/806237/

Why America still needs public schools Two legal scholars argue that public education helps the US maintain the nation’s fundamental values of equality and fairness – and recent attacks put them at risk.

"We found that public education has been essential for not only creating an educated workforce but for inculcating the United States’ fundamental values of liberty, equality, fairness and the common good."

Unions aren’t just good for workers—they also benefit communities and democracy Rebuilding worker power by strengthening unions is not just good policy—it is a democratic imperative in the face of authoritarian backsliding.

"Unions don’t just improve workers’ paychecks—they shape the social and political fabric of the communities they operate in, lifting standards for union and nonunion workers alike."

New Teacher Collection: Free Lesson Plans and Resources for Back to School New teacher? Discover dozens of resources curated by the experts at Share My Lesson and confront any challenge when you go back to school this year!

Wishing all of our members heading back to school a wonderful year ahead!!

Workers over Billionaires · AFT The billionaires continue to wage a cruel war on working people, with their cronies in the administration, ICE and law enforcement backing up their attacks. This Labor Day we will continue to stand st...

This Labor Day is our chance to stand together with the people we fight for every day: our members, families, and communities. Across Illinois, educators and allies will be in parades and at events, calling for fairness, respect, and real investment in our public schools and public services.

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WSTU 571 represented at #TEACH25 where members collaborated with government leaders to strengthen public education, challenged efforts to undermine and underfund our public schools, and came home feeling invigorated and inspired for the year ahead!!

A District-by-District Accounting of the $6.2 billion U.S. Department of Education Has Held Back from Schools The Education Department is refusing to release billions of dollars for public schools. See the impact by school system and congressional district.

On July 1, school districts expected $6.2B in federal education funding—but the Department of Ed held it back.

That means less support for:
✖️English learners
✖️Teacher development
✖️High-poverty schools

Read the breakdown of who will be hardest hit and what’s at stake.

Supreme Court Clears Way for Mass Firings at Federal Agencies

This is shameful and puts the services that Americans rely on at risk. Thank you Justice Jackson for another powerful dissent. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/08/u...