California Supreme Court removes Taxpayer Deception Act from November ballot
Yesterday the California Supreme Court handed down some excellent news. In a unanimous decision the court ruled that the Taxpayer Deception Act cannot appear on the November 2024 ballot. The initiative, sponsored by the California Business Roundtable, would have undemocratically curtailed the ability of cities, counties, and the state to raise revenue and to fund our most basic services, including public education. It would have also created a major budget deficit for all public services, including education.
As the basis of its ruling, the court agreed with the petitioners that the measure would have drastically altered the ability of the government to perform its basic functions and would have impermissibly altered the state Constitution.
CFT President Jeff Freitas said the court’s decision was a huge victory for labor, for the public good, and for all Californians.
“I applaud the Court’s decision to remove this dangerous, cynical measure from the November ballot,” said Freitas. “The measure itself came from a place of self-serving corporate greed, and its removal is a win for the democratic process and for the ability of our state to function in a way that serves all Californians in alignment with our Constitution.”
For more on the court’s ruling, click here.
AFT announces AI guardrails and grants for three CFT local unions
Earlier this week, the AFT launched a pioneering new report setting forth AI classroom guardrails. Compiled by classroom practitioners, "Commonsense Guardrails for Using Advanced Technology in Schools,” aims to protect students and educators from problematic aspects of the new technology, while embracing its potential benefits. The guardrails offer concrete strategies for educators like teaching students to spot misinformation and reviewing new websites or software with students to help them understand potential pitfalls.
The AFT also announced the winners of its Innovation Fund grants, investing in eleven local unions across the country to fund solutions to incorporating, understanding, and regulating AI. The winning CFT locals include the Part-Time Faculty Association of Allan Hancock College, the Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers, and the Ojai Federation of Teachers.
Congratulations to the winning CFT locals, listed below with their plans for the grant:
Part-Time Faculty Association of Allan Hancock College – will equip its community college faculty with technological skills and AI knowledge through workshops, hands-on training, and partnering with the college administration.
Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers – will focus on increasing the digital responsibility and safety of its students, families, and community. An educator committee will use activities and events like a community fair and family forum to gather and share information to support improved online practices and procedures in their community, homes, and schools.
Ojai Federation of Teachers – will explore three different ways to mitigate the negative effects of social media on young people. These include providing cell phone holders for all classrooms; purchasing social media literacy curriculum to be implemented by teachers; and partnering with a local therapist who provides therapeutic hiking and camping adventures for kids and adults focused on personal wellness, connection, and enjoyment of nature.
CFT Pride shirts now available online
There is no better way to celebrate Pride Month than by ordering CFT’s newest Pride t-shirts online, available in both uni-sex and women’s cuts. Order here. For more on Pride, check out the CFT Pride resources page on the CFT website.
State of the teacher survey finds educators are among the most stressed workers
This week the Rand corporation released their 2024 State of the American Teacher Survey, finding that educators are among the most stressed, burned-out, and unfairly compensated workers in society.
Among its key findings, the survey found that compared with comparable working adults, about twice as many teachers reported experiencing frequent job-related stress or burnout and roughly three times as many teachers reported difficulty coping with job-related stress.
The survey is another reminder of why it is so critical school workers continue to organize for better pay, benefits, and working conditions.
