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As President Joe Biden fought to remain in the presidential race this summer, advisers often argued there existed a “Biden coalition” — a cohort only the incumbent could hold together. A coalition of labor groups targeting union members in battleground states is pointing to Biden’s term in office. Coons noted the vice president has campaigned in Pennsylvania’s biggest cities, but also in places like Wilkes-Barre, Johnstown and Erie to reach the kinds of voters Biden has long considered his base. And for some voters whom Biden won in 2020, the message has shifted away from being about him. The union has held rallies and other organizing events there and in Michigan, Wisconsin and Nevada targeting its own and other union members.

Persons: Joe Biden, ”, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Trump, Biden, Tim Walz, Harris ’, Biden’s, Walz, ” Walz, Chris Coons, “ Kamala Harris, Harris, Coons, ” Coons, ” Harris, …, Randi Weingarten, ” Weingarten, aren’t, “, we’ve, “ We’ve, ’, Harris —, Sanders, Harris “, Shawn Fain, Lisa Blunt Rochester, “ Biden, Harris’s, Andrew Bates Organizations: Biden, Democratic, Harris, Major League Baseball, American Federation of Teachers, Task Force, Organizing, Empowerment, Trump, Republican, Culinary, United Auto Workers Locations: Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Scranton , Pennsylvania, Arizona, Lansing , Michigan, Pennsylvania’s, Wilkes, Barre , Johnstown, Erie, Scranton, Scranton that’s, New Hampshire, Nevada, Michigan, Pittsburgh, LIUNA, Michigan , Wisconsin, Wisconsin, Delaware

☆ Bulletproofing America’s Classrooms
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Emily Baumgaertner | Alex Kalman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

Ballistic armor companies are marketing protective products designed for the military to parents and schools. A snippet from a series of demonstration video on First Line Furniture's website. Bulletproof Collapsible Safe RoomsA snippet from a demonstration video on the KT Security Solutions website. Still, with another back-to-school season in full force, some educational leaders are deeply troubled by the proliferation of armored products. “Arm us with books, counselors and resources, not bulletproof vests,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.

Persons: ’, McGraw Hill, ”, Dewey Cornell, Steve Naremore, you’re, ’ ”, I’m, —, Kenneth Trump, “, Carrie Gaines, Gunnar, Hardwire, Trump, James Bond, Aaron Taormino, Seals, Mr, Daniel Leventry, ’ It’s, we’ll, J.C, Velazquez, Let’s, Ross Kaelin, Steven Lamkin, Randi Weingarten Organizations: National Institute of Justice, “, University of Virginia, Atomic Defense, Tuffy, New York Times, Lineville Elementary, KT, Solutions, KT Security Solutions, 3M, Covenant School, Salisbury Christian School, Police, American Federation of Teachers Locations: United States, Uvalde , Texas, America, Redding, Calif, Parkland, Tampa , Fla, ‘, Alabama, Nashville, Tenn, Maryland, Salisbury, Md, hardwirellc.com

CNN —The International Brotherhood of Teamsters declined to endorse a presidential candidate on Wednesday after releasing internal polling that showed a majority of its members supported former President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris. The Trump campaign highlighted that support from “rank-and-file” Teamsters members following the union’s announcement that it would not be endorsing. CNN previously reported that rank-and-file union membership had large pockets of Trump support, even as major labor leaders endorsed Harris. That survey also included Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who garnered about 6% of members’ support. While union members are thought of as a traditionally Democratic voting bloc, Trump has been working to make inroads among rank-and-file members.

Persons: Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, It’s, Sean O’Brien, “, Harris, Joe Biden, Trump, O’Brien, Hillary Clinton, Biden, George H.W, George H.W . Bush, ” O’Brien, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kennedy, Clinton, Tim Walz, CNN’s Kate Sullivan Organizations: CNN, Brotherhood of Teamsters, Big Business, Trump, Teamsters, Republican, Convention, Democratic, American Federation of Teachers, United Auto Workers, “, RNC, Minnesota Gov Locations: Harris, George H.W ., Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania

☆ Bipartisan group of lawmakers wants to eliminate Social Security rules affecting public employees. What could happen next.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The bill — the Social Security Fairness Act — would repeal two rules that reduce Social Security benefits for workers and spouses, widows and widowers who also receive pension income. If brought to the House floor, the Social Security Fairness Act may pass, based on the 327 co-sponsors who are currently behind the proposal. The government pension offset reduces Social Security benefits for spouses, widows and widowers who also have pension income. But if she retirees and begins collecting the pension benefits she earned, that Social Security income may disappear. Eliminating the rules through the Social Security Fairness Act would also cost the program at a time when Social Security faces looming trust fund depletion dates, he said.

Persons: Abigail Spanberger, Garret Graves, There’s, ”, Emerson Sprick, —, Sprick, Roger Boudreau, Boudreau, ” Boudreau, Paul Van de Water, Van, ” Van, Water, ” Sprick, it’s, ” Sen, Mike Braun, “ Organizations: Security, Social, Senate, Center, GPO, Social Security, Rhode Island American Federation of Teachers, Budget, Congressional, Republican

☆ Kamala Harris: How her warp-speed campaign launch has changed the 2024 race
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Eric Bradner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

CNN —The five days since Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign launched at warp speed have remade the 2024 race – and given Democrats new hope of preventing a second Donald Trump presidency. Fundraising exploded, with Harris’ campaign saying she raised $126 million between Sunday afternoon and Tuesday evening. And Democrats were more eager to devote their own time to working to elect Harris: More than 100,000 people signed up to volunteer for her bid, and more than 2,000 applied for campaign jobs, Harris campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a Wednesday memo. The strength of Harris’ launch has at times surprised even the former Biden campaign staffers who on Sunday suddenly found themselves working for what was converted into the Harris campaign. Biden’s campaign believed his path to 270 Electoral College votes ran through the “blue wall” states – Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Persons: Kamala Harris ’, Donald Trump, Harris, Harris ’, Jen O’Malley Dillon, Trump, It’s, Ron Bieber, “ I’ve, ”, she’s, Joe Biden, Biden, Harris hasn’t, “, Base Andrews, O’Malley Dillon, Biden’s, ” O’Malley Dillon, Douglas Emhoff, Erin Schaff, Howard University hoodie, –, Nancy Pelosi’s, dispirited, fraudsters, cheaters, ” Harris, Donald Trump’s, Charli XCX, ‘, ’, Jared Polis, Maxwell Frost, Tony Evers, ” Evers, ” Trump, Felita Daniels Ashley, Olivia Jessup, Anger, Natalie Jauch, Charli, Jessup, Taylor Swift, Kesha, ” Jessup, Kevin Mohatt, ” CNN’s Alison Main, Betsy Klein, Ebony Davis, Sam Fossum, Edward, Isaac Dovere, Lisa Respers Organizations: CNN, Democratic Party, Trump, Michigan AFL, Democratic, Biden, Convention, ABC, Base, Republican, CNN’s, New York Times, Siena, Electoral, Air Force, Joint Base Andrews, Naval Observatory, Howard University, Federal, San, Democratic National Convention, Democratic Colorado Gov, ”, Milwaukee, Heritage Foundation, California Democrat, Zeta Phi Beta, of Education, “, American Federation of Teachers Locations: Houston, Gaza, – Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Sun, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Maryland, Wilmington , Delaware, San Francisco, California, British, ” Florida, Milwaukee, “, West Allis , Wisconsin, Indianapolis, America, Lisa Respers France

☆ Harris blasts Trump vision of 'chaos, fear and hate' in fiery teachers' union speech
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

US Vice President Kamala Harris delivers the keynote speech at the American Federation of Teachers' 88th National Convention in Houston, Texas, on July 25, 2024. Vice President Kamala Harris in a fiery speech Thursday blasted the policy agenda of former President Donald Trump as one of "chaos, fear and hate," after telling members of the nation's second-largest teachers' union that she was running for president because of her first-grade public school teacher and "many people like you." Are you ready to elect the next president of the United States?" "Is because of Mrs. Frances Wilson and so many people like you that I stand before you as vice president of the United States, and because I am running to become president of the United States," she said. Harris said that teachers like Wilson "are visionaries, you have a vision of the future ... you see the potential in every child."

Persons: Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Harris, Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, Randi Weingarten, Weingarten, Frances Wilson, Mrs, Wilson Organizations: American Federation of Teachers, National Convention, Democratic, Republican, American, Trump, Oval Office, AFT Locations: Houston , Texas, Houston, United States, America

☆ Kamala Harris debuts official TikTok account as presidential campaign picks up
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers the keynote speech at the American Federation of Teachers' 88th national convention in Houston, Texas, U.S. July 25, 2024. Vice President Kamala Harris debuted an official TikTok account on Thursday, underscoring the social broadcasting app's importance to the 2024 presidential campaign as a way to reach voters. The vice president was referring to the widespread attention her recently announced presidential campaign garnered on social media platforms like TikTok. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump debuted an official TikTok account in June. Watch: "There is no rebranding Kamala Harris," former Trump aide.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Harris, I've, I'd, Charli, Joe Biden's, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Trump Organizations: American Federation of Teachers, Democratic, CNBC, Facebook Locations: Houston , Texas, U.S, America

☆ Harris Embraces Teachers’ Unions. Republicans Sense an Opening.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Dana Goldstein | Nicholas Nehamas | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“While you teach students about our nation’s past, these extremists attack the freedom to learn and acknowledge our nation’s true and full history,” she said to applause and cheers. “Including book bans. Book bans in this year of our Lord 2024!”But Ms. Harris’s speech to members of the American Federation of Teachers also ignored several crucial education issues that could put her on shakier political ground — and that Republicans are already seeking to tie her to. There was no mention of the long-term negative effects of pandemic-era school closures, which local teachers’ unions pushed to extend. She did not address whether families should have greater access to charter schools, private-school vouchers or public funds for home-schooling — all options that the unions argue reduce funds for traditional public schools.

Persons: Kamala Harris, ” Organizations: White, American Federation of Teachers Locations: Houston

☆ Energized Democrats quickly consolidate around Harris
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Eric Bradner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Democratic congressional leaders had remained quiet so far — but there were signs that could soon change. Massachusetts Rep. Katherine Clark and California Rep. Pete Aguilar, the second- and third-ranking House Democrats, endorsed Harris on Monday morning. The Clintons, in a statement Sunday, endorsed Harris; Obama did not, deferring to the party’s process. In those phone calls, Harris made clear that while she was grateful for Biden’s endorsement, she planned to earn the Democratic nomination in her own right. Longtime Democratic operative Donna Brazile said that she was in the process of gathering delegates to support Harris.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Harris, Lauren Hitt, —, West Virginia Sen, Joe Manchin, Andy Beshear, North Carolina’s Roy Cooper, California’s Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, South Carolina —, Ohio Sen, Sherrod Brown, Massachusetts Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Alexandria Ocasio, Katherine Clark, Pete Aguilar, Joe Biden’s, Biden, She’d, Harris —, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Obama, Amos Brown III, — Harris ’, “, ”, Harris ’, Donna Brazile, ” Brazile, Muriel Bowser, Joyce Beatty, Jasmine Crockett, Manchin, ” Manchin, Eric Adams, ” Adams, jockeying, Beshear, JD Vance, JD Vance ain’t, ” Beshear, Vance, “ JD Vance, ’ ” Beshear, isn’t, ” Cooper, I’m, Ebony Davis, Aaron Pellish, MJ Lee, DJ Judd, Eva McKend Organizations: CNN, Democratic Party, Democratic, West Virginia, Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Service Employees International Union, American Federation of Teachers, Convention, South Carolina, New York Rep, Massachusetts, California Rep, Howard University, Congressional, Texas Rep, Democratic National Convention, CBS News, New York, New York City Democratic, MSNBC, Republican, North Carolina Locations: North, Tennessee, North Carolina, South, Ohio, Massachusetts, Alexandria, Cortez, California, Washington, DC, Chicago, West Virginia, New York City, Kentucky

☆ AFT President on using AI in the classroom: The human can never be substituted by the machine
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailAFT President on using AI in the classroom: The human can never be substituted by the machineRandi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, joins CNBC's 'Squawk Box' to discuss the Federation's new guidelines on AI in schools, potential uses of classroom technology, and more.

Persons: Randi Weingarten Organizations: American Federation of Teachers

☆ An ALICE has $250,000 in student loan debt and left teaching for a stable job: 'There are many teaching college who are hungry and can't go to the doctor'
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The 51-year-old has about $250,000 in student loan debt. Like 29% of US households, Pizza lives paycheck to paycheck, but her income is too high for most government assistance, per Census Bureau data and cost-of-living estimates analyzed by the nonprofit United Way. AdvertisementTeachers and adjunct professors are especially vulnerable to being ALICEs. Sixty percent of adjunct professors make less than $50,000 a year, despite most of them holding at least a master's degree, according to a 2022 report by The American Federation of Teachers that surveyed 1,900 adjunct professors across the US. "There are many teaching college who are hungry and can't go to the doctor," Pizza said in an email to Business Insider.

Persons: —, ALICE, Pizza, She's, Paul, she's, Joe Biden's Organizations: Service, Business, The American Federation of Teachers, BI, SNAP Locations: Twin Cities, St

☆ 3 top Democratic lawmakers are calling for an investigation into a major student-loan company, accusing it of 'loan forgiveness mismanagement' for millions of borrowers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThree top Democratic lawmakers want federal and state officials to investigate a major student-loan company. AdvertisementThey called on the CFPB and attorneys general to "investigate MOHELA and pursue action to the fullest extent possible under the law. We’re standing with @theSBPC and @AFTunion in expressing outrage at MOHELA’s student loan mismanagement. Since student-loan payments resumed in October after an over three-year pause, federal servicers have been under scrutiny over their handling of the return to repayment. AdvertisementIn January, the Education Department withheld varying amounts of pay from the other three federal servicers for the same reason.

Persons: —, Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, MOHELA, they're, Biden, — Chuck Schumer, Warren Organizations: Service, Democratic, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Business, Protection, American Federation of Teachers, Sunshine Law, AGs, Education Department Locations: Sens, Missouri

WASHINGTON (AP) — As he looks past the GOP primary and towards a likely general election rematch against President Joe Biden, Donald Trump will meet with members of the Teamsters Union in Washington Wednesday afternoon as he tries to cut into Biden's support. Trump is hoping to cut into that support as he casts himself as pro-worker and tries to exacerbate longstanding divisions between union leaders and rank-and-file members. While the Teamsters endorsed Biden in 2020 and Hillary Clinton in 2016, O'Brien stressed the union has “a very diverse membership. Wheaton estimates about 30% to 40% of its members voted for Trump in 2020, even though the union endorsed Biden. Teamsters members include UPS drivers, film and television workers, freight operators, members of law enforcement and other government workers.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, Trump, Shawn Fain, “ Shawn Fain, ” Trump, “, Sean O’Brien, ” Biden, Lauren Hitt, Biden “, O’Brien, ”, —, Hillary Clinton, O'Brien, Wheaton, you’re, ” Wheaton, Fain, Nikki Haley, Trump’s, ___ Krisher, Seung Min Kim Organizations: WASHINGTON, GOP, Teamsters Union, Union, Democratic, AP, AFL, United Auto Workers, DJT, Automobile Industry, Workers, Teamsters, Trump, Fox Business, National Labor Relations Board, ”, Cornell University, Wheaton, Republican, UAW, UPS, American Federation of Teachers, American Federation of State, Municipal Employees, Associated Press Locations: Washington, Wisconsin, Michigan, Detroit, California, Wheaton, American Federation of State , County

This time, liberal and moderate candidates took control in high-profile races in conservative Iowa, and the swing states of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Pennsylvania saw a number of Democratic victories in school boards, particularly in districts that have recently seen GOP-led school boards adopt policies targeting transgender students, as well as reading materials and curriculum on LGBTQ+ history. Turn PA Blue, a partisan political organization, said Democrats gained control of at least seven school boards and gained ground in a half-dozen others in Pennsylvania, a swing state. In the Central Bucks School District north of Philadelphia, Democrats flipped three seats, ousting the incumbent school board president, and retained two others, giving the party majority control. School board politics have also become contentious in Virginia since 2021, when Republican Gov.

Persons: “, ” Randi Weingarten, Michael Geer, ”, ’, Bonnie Chang, Glenn Youngkin, Toni Morrison, Stephen Chbosky, Kirk Twigg, Mike Pence, Kim Reynolds, Brittania Morey, ___ Mulvihill, Matthew Barakat, John Hanna, Heather Hollingsworth Organizations: —, The American Federation of Teachers, Liberty, Associated Press, Conservative, PA Family Institute, Pennsylvania, Democratic, GOP, Central Bucks School District, Philadelphia Inquirer, Republicans, Turn Bucks, School, Republican Gov, Linn, Mar Community School District, Gov Locations: HARRISBURG, Pa, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Virginia, York County, Philadelphia, Bucks County, Central Bucks, Spotsylvania County, Washington, D.C, Loudoun County, Cedar Rapids, Cherry Hill , New Jersey, Falls Church , Virginia, Topeka , Kansas, Mission , Kansas

The nearly week-old United Auto Workers strike against Ford (F.N), General Motors (GM.N) and Stellantis (STLAM.MI) is viewed as a signal of the strength of the U.S. labor movement that has garnered national support from Americans. The UAW members from two striking plants gathered in Toledo were rolling out for the one-hour, 45-mile (72 km) drive to Wayne, Michigan, where Ford workers also walked off the job last week. In Michigan, Ohio and Missouri, the three states where workers are currently striking, models made by the Big Three dominate the leaderboard of new auto registrations. The United States is still the second-largest car market in the world, trailing only China. Union membership has fallen steadily over several decades in the United States.

Persons: Esperanza Ledesma, I'm, Ledesma, Roxanne Stadtfeld, Stadtfeld, Randi Weingarten, Liz Shuler, Weingarten, Brandon Cappelletty, Cappelletty, Ben Klayman, Joe White, David Gaffen, Jamie Freed Organizations: Fords, United Auto Workers, Ford, General Motors, UAW, GM, Big, P Global, Union, American Federation of Teachers, AFL, Thomson Locations: TOLEDO , Ohio, Toledo, Stellantis's, Ohio, Michigan, Wayne , Michigan, Monroe , Michigan, Lake Erie, Michigan , Ohio, Missouri, United States, China, U.S, Toledo , Ohio, Detroit

☆ Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and other tech leaders in closed Senate session about AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., hosted the panel of tech executives, labor and civil rights leaders as part of the Senate's inaugural "AI Insight Forum." Google CEO Sundar Pichai, arrives for a US Senate bipartisan Artificial Intelligence (AI) Insight Forum at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on September 13, 2023. Working toward legislationSchumer said in his prepared remarks that the event marked the beginning of "an enormous and complex and vital undertaking: building a foundation for bipartisan AI policy that Congress can pass." Successful legislation will need to be bipartisan, Schumer added, saying he'd spoken with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who was "encouraging." Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who leads the Commerce Committee, predicted lawmakers could get AI legislation "done in the next year."

Persons: Elon Musk, Alex Karp, Chuck Schumer, Leah Millis, CNBC's Eamon Javers, Sens, Mike Rounds, Martin Heinrich, Todd Young, Schumer, Sam Altman, Eric Schmidt, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, Jensen Huang, Satya Nadella, Arvind Krishna, Bill Gates, Charles Rivkin, Liz Shuler, Meredith Steihm, Randi Weingarten, Maya Wiley, CIO's Shuler, Musk, Shuler, Sen, Pichai, Mandel Ngan, Meta's Zuckerberg, Meta, Julia Nikhinson, Reuters Schumer, Kevin McCarthy, he'd, Young, Maria Cantwell, Altman, We're, Elon Organizations: Intelligence, Senate, U.S, Capitol, Reuters Tech, Microsoft Nvidia, IBM, Microsoft, Former, Tesla, Meta, Nvidia, Federation of Teachers, Civil, Human Rights, AFL, Artificial Intelligence, AFP, Getty, EU, Reuters, Chinese Communist Party, Commerce, Science, CNBC, YouTube Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, Washington ,, Washington, deepfakes

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The prospect of an auto workers strike could test Joe Biden 's treasured assertion that he's the most pro-union president in U.S. history. Political Cartoons View All 1154 Images“I think the American public as a whole realizes the impact that the American auto workers have on the economy," Killian said. But, unlike with rail and airline workers, the president doesn’t have the authority to order autoworkers to stay on the job. Nowhere will the political fallout of an auto workers strike be felt more than Michigan, which Biden won by nearly 3 percentage points in 2020. And Ray Curry, the former UAW president who was unseated by Fain, had worked with Biden in the past, even attending White House ceremonies.

Persons: Joe Biden, Marick, Doc Killian, Killian, ” Biden, Biden, ”, Shawn Fain, “, Fain, Donald Trump, Trump, TRUMP, doesn't . Fain, Dave Green, ” Green, doesn’t, Mark Brewer, Brewer, Ray Curry, Gene Sperling, Biden's, he'll, what's, Randi Weingarten, Biden’s, Weingarten, ___ Weissert, Tom Krisher Organizations: United Auto Workers, General Motors, Ford, Wayne State University, CNN, UAW, Republican, UAW “, “ Union, Democratic, GOP, Michigan Democratic Party, U.S, White, longtime Democratic, Trump, American Federation of Teachers, Associated Press Locations: LANSING, Mich, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Detroit, Wayne , Michigan, America, China, Washington, United States, U.S, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Instead, the student population at West Virginia University has dropped 10% since 2015, while on-campus expansion continued. Lawmakers recently approved a higher education funding formula rewarding schools for degree attainment, workforce outcomes and graduate wages. Mary Manspeaker, an English Ph.D. student, said she left her home state at 18 because she didn't see opportunity in West Virginia. He said the conflict reflects the fundamental question in higher education right now: How do we assess value? "And it might be in cash, endowment and buildings, but it could arguably be in other things.”___Raby reported from Charleston, West Virginia.

Persons: Jim Justice, “ We’ve, ”, Gordon Gee, “, Gee, Joey Demes, Demes, Craig Blair, Marshall, hasn’t, Eric Tarr, Lisa Di Bartolomeo, Di Bartolomeo, ’ ”, Mary Manspeaker, Peter Lake, Lake, ” ___ Raby Organizations: West Virginia's, Gov, Marshall University, West Virginia University, Lawmakers, Marshall, WVU, —, American Federation of Teachers, ”, GOP, Republican, Center, Excellence, Higher Education Law, Florida's Stetson University Locations: MORGANTOWN, W.Va, West, East Coast, Morgantown, U.S, West Virginia, Appalachia, Charleston , West Virginia

☆ As student loan payments restart, can employers be a firewall for borrowers? Some groups hope so
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Kate_sept2004 | E+ | Getty Images17% of employers offer some kind of student loan aidFew employers offer student loan benefits, which can take many forms. Seventeen percent offer some type of student loan assistance, according to a 2021 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. The most popular workplace programs don't offer direct relief for student loan payments. The expanded tax break for student loan payments is temporary, however. Starting in 2024, employers will also be allowed to pay a 401(k) match to borrowers making student loan payments, a provision enacted by a 2022 law known as Secure 2.0.

Persons: Will Hansen, We're, Derrick Johnson, Johnson, Luis Alvarez, SHRM, We've, Randi Weingarten, " Hansen Organizations: Research, of America, NAACP, Digitalvision, Getty, American Federation of Teachers Locations: Albuquerque , New Mexico, Washington, Orange County , Florida

☆ The House just passed a bill to block student-loan forgiveness and end the payment pause immediately
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A bill to overturn Biden's student-debt relief passed the House by a vote of 218-203. Along with blocking broad debt relief, the bill would also end the payment pause. The bill would overturn President Joe Biden's plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for federal borrowers, along with immediately ending the ongoing student-loan payment pause, throwing borrowers back into repayment earlier than expected. Pierce said that means the bill will "unwind debt relief already delivered to hundreds of thousands of public service workers across the country. This will happen because the seventh and eighth payment pauses also give credit towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness for each paused month covered by these executive actions,."

☆ The GOP's bill to permanently block Biden's student-debt relief could cause public servants' loan balances to unexpectedly balloon if it passes, advocacy groups say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The SBPC and AFT released a report analyzing the impacts of a GOP bill to overturn student-debt relief. GOP Rep. Virginia Foxx rejected that idea during a hearing last week as Democrats said loans would be reinstated under the bill. However, the text of the CRA statute could suggest the GOP bill might do far more than block Biden's broad debt relief and the student-loan payment pauses. "This resolution will unwind debt relief already delivered to hundreds of thousands of public service workers across the country. The report also estimates that two million public servants making progress toward payments in PSLF could lose "at least some progress toward relief."

☆ Opinion: How to fight back against the ‘anti-woke’ movement
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Opinion Khalil Gibran Muhammad | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Several states across the country have imposed bans on books, K-12 educational curricula and diversity programs in recent months. And even where statewide bans are not in place, restrictive measures are being enacted by local school boards. The mere mention of structural racism or gender discrimination or sexuality can potentially cost educators and librarians their jobs. The beginnings of this national movement to defend the freedom to learn is rekindling relationships between college students and civil rights activists and inspiring new ones between college faculty and K-12 teachers and librarians. With such formidable alliances among students, teachers, organizers and academics being forged in communities across the country, we finally have an answer to reverse the swelling tide of injustice and authoritarianism.

☆ Randi Weingarten’s Incredible Covid Memory Loss
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Journal Editorial Report: Randi Weingarten deflects blame for Covid's learning losses. Images: AP/Reuters Composite: Mark KellyMuch still needs to be learned about the long-term health effects of Covid-19, but we already know one of the clear long-term political effects: memory loss. That’s the only way to explain why long-time advocates of pandemic lockdowns are now denying they ever supported the school and economic shutdowns that did so much harm to so many. Leading the amnesia parade is Randi Weingarten , the American Federation of Teachers president who attempted to erase two years of Covid history in testimony last week to the House of Representatives that was, literally, unbelievable.

☆ The Long Shadow of Covid School Closures
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( David Leonhardt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

During the early months of the Covid pandemic, Randi Weingarten and the teachers’ union she leads faced a vexing question: When should schools reopen? For years, advocates of public education like Weingarten had argued that schools played an irreplaceable role. Without public schools, their defenders argued, society would come apart. Teachers and parents feared that reopening schools before vaccines were available would spark Covid outbreaks, illness and death. Instead, Covid became an opportunity for her union, the American Federation of Teachers, to push for broader policy changes that it had long favored.

☆ The Post-Pandemic Teaching Loss
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

In testimony on April 26, 2023, Randi Weingarten detailed the cosy relationship between the American Federation of Teachers, the Biden Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control regarding Covid-19 school closure policy. Images: AP/Shutterstock/Reuters Composite: Mark KellySchools were given $190 billion in federal money for Covid safety measures and to help students catch up, and many have poured funds into tutoring or other programs. Then why are test scores still lagging? A new report suggests that pandemic learning loss is being exacerbated by teaching loss.

Persons: Randi Weingarten, Kelly Organizations: American Federation of Teachers, Biden Administration, Centers for Disease, Reuters, Kelly Schools

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