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Not a dry eye at Mary Bergan’s memorial dinner
Tears, laughter and a feeling unity was felt throughout the event

Juan Ramirez, CFT Executive Vice President, acted as master of ceremonies for the Memorial Dinner for Mary Bergan, on the second evening of the CFT March Summit. Ramirez asked the attendees to think of the event not as a sad occasion, but rather a chance to honor all the good things Bergan did. 

And there were lots to celebrate. Bergan, who passed away at 82 years old in Wisconsin November 30, 2023, was part of the CFT for more than three decades, and her love of the union shaped her life as well as the CFT. 

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Fourth Annual Special Ed Summit Leaves Attendees with Hope and Strategy

WRITTEN BY: EMILY WILSON

When Steve McDougall became the president of the Early Childhood/TK-12 Council, he sent out a survey to the local leaders asking them what trouble areas they saw that needed addressing. 

“Special education always percolates to the top because it’s an underfunded mandate since 1975,” he said.

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Embracing the Educational Paradigm Shift: Navigating AI and Literacy in the Classroom
UpFront

WRITTEN BY: JEFF FREITAS, CFT PRESIDENT

In an age seemingly plucked from the realms of science fiction, where artificial intelligence (AI) systems reminiscent of Hal from “2001: A Space Odyssey” and Data from “Star Trek” once existed solely in the realm of imagination, we find ourselves grappling with pressing educational concerns. Chief among these are the intersection of AI and literacy, two pillars reshaping the landscape of learning.

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The CFT March Summit Play by Play

Fittingly We Stand Together was the theme of the CFT March Summit, which took place from March 14–16 at the Sheraton Grand hotel in Sacramento. In a variety of panels, workshops, and conversations throughout the three-day event, the common theme of how we have so much more power as a group than as individuals resonated.

Article Obituaries In Memoriam

Honoring Mary Bergan
Long time CFT President Mary Bergan passed away November 30th, 2023

Mary Bergan
September 13, 1941 – November 30, 2023

Click here to watch the memorial slideshow of Mary Bergan’s family life and career

Mary Astrid Bergan, former president of the California Federation of Teachers died November 30, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, after a long illness. Her career of service stemmed from a Kennedy-era idealism that took her first to the Peace Corps and on to classroom teaching and ultimately an enduring leadership role in education unionism. 

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