News Releases
Assemblymember Pan and California Federation of Teachers Introduce “Healthy Kids, Healthy Minds” Legislation:
Bill to increase funds for schools to hire more school nurses, mental health professionals, and librarians
CFT Launches Website on “Vergara” trial
LOS ANGELES – Today, the California Federation of Teachers – one of the union interveners in “Vergara et. al. vs. The State of California et. al.”– launched a new website: www.VergaraTrial.com
Teachers, State Begin Case Against Vergara Plaintiffs’ Baseless Attack on California Laws that Serve Students, Educators and Communities
LOS ANGELES — On Wednesday the State of California and intervening parties—the California Federation of Teachers and the California Teachers Association—will begin presenting their side of the Vergara v. State of California lawsuit.
AB 1942 Calls for Fair Accreditation of Community Colleges
Legislative strategy adds pressure to lawsuits against ACCJC
Sacramento—In front of a packed room of supporters at the State Capitol, Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland) announced the introduction of the Fair Accreditation for California Community Colleges Act (AB 1942), which would reform the accreditation system for California Community Colleges.
CFT Urges Restoration of Local Control to City College of San Francisco
Supports Supervisor Campos’s Resolution Reinstating Board of
Trustees
Oakland, CA – The California Federation of Teachers (CFT) today
announced its support of Supervisor David Campos’s effort to pass
a resolution at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting
urging California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice Harris to
restore the elected Board of Trustees to City College.
Statement from CFT President Joshua Pechthalt on the Vergara Trial
The very best teachers make learning come alive and help students become critical thinkers. But teachers are also advocates for students, the teaching profession and quality public education. That’s why in a democratic society committed to equity for all students, teachers must have the ability to speak and act on behalf of their students without the fear of reprisal from administrators, or subject to changing political winds that could stifle academic freedom.
L.A. Trial for Meritless Lawsuit Seeking to Eradicate Teachers’ Professional Rights Begins Today, Wastes Taxpayers’ Dollars and Time
Lawsuit does not improve student learning and hurts students, demonizes teachers
LOS ANGELES — One day after nearly 1,000 educators denounced the Vergara v. the State of California lawsuit, opening arguments begin today in Los Angeles County Superior Court. This meritless lawsuit, which seeks to eradicate teachers’ professional rights, highlights the wrong problems, proposes the wrong solutions, and follows the wrong process while doing nothing to improve student learning. This is yet another attempt by the usual corporate special interests to undermine the teaching profession and push their agenda on California public schools and students.January 10, 2014
CFT letter assails continuing lack of transparency by accrediting commission
California Federation of Teachers President Joshua Pechthalt sent the following letter today to the Chair of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) regarding the Commission’s continued lack of transparency. Most of the letter was read aloud by CFT Vice-President Alisa Messer during the brief public portion of the Commission’s twice-yearly meeting, held today in Sacramento.January 9, 2014
Statement from the California Federation of Teachers on Governor Brown’s Proposed Budget
“We are heartened to see that the Governor’s proposed budget acknowledges the crisis in funding in our educational system and the state’s social services, but it will not support the necessary and vital changes we need immediately to protect students in our schools and colleges now against becoming a gap generation that suffers from our cutbacks,” said Joshua Pechthalt, President of the California Federation of Teachers.
S.F. Superior Court grants preliminary injunction against ACCJC
Yesterday San Francisco Superior Court Judge Curtis Karnow granted a preliminary injunction to keep City College of San Francisco open until the conclusion of a trial to determine whether the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges acted in an unfair and illegal manner in sanctioning and disaccrediting the college.
Putting Educators’ Professional Rights on Trial Hurts Students, Wastes Taxpayer Dollars and Time
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has ruled the deeply misguided Vergara vs. the State of California lawsuit may proceed to trial, denying the California Teachers Association (CTA) and the California Federation of Teachers (CFT) motion for summary judgment against it. CFT and CTA remain firmly committed to protecting learning and teaching environments, despite today’s ruling which will put on trial the professional rights of teachers.
CFT Acts to Block Threatened Closure of City College of San Francisco
The California Federation of Teachers (CFT) today filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in S.F. Superior Court to keep City College of San Francisco (CCSF) open and protect access to higher education for the vulnerable student population that relies on its programs…November 13, 2013
Community College Board of Governors expands own authority
The Community College Board of Governors (BoG) voted yesterday to ratify the ‘emergency’ authority under which they acted in July to install the “Special Trustee With Extraordinary Powers”…
Educators Testify to Protect California’s Community Colleges
Congresswomen Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco/San Mateo/Redwood City) and Anna Eshoo (D-Santa Clara), State Senator Jim Beall, and Assembly member Tom Ammiano held a town hall at City College of San Francisco…November 6, 2013
Educators Commend Court’s Decision to Keep City College Lawsuit in San Francisco
Federal District Court judge Susan Illston ruled Monday that a lawsuit filed by the San Francisco City Attorney’s office to prevent the closure of San Francisco City College…
City College Supporters March, Ask Mayor Lee to Protect CCSF
Having access to higher education denied is a scary prospect for San Francisco’s most vulnerable students. Yet that is the frightening future the City faces if the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) proceeds…
Governor signs AB 955, Two-Tier Fee Pilot for Community Colleges
Community college faculty are deeply disappointed that the Governor signed AB 955 into law. While the stated motivation for this pilot project is to accommodate demand for popular classes, and create greater student access to affordable higher education, its effect will be the opposite….
Educators release new video on rogue accreditation agency
The California Federation of Teachers is releasing the video “Fair accreditation for CCSF” today via YouTube and social media to highlight this critical issue for legislators and media…
Faculty Files Lawsuit to Block Closure of City College of San Francisco
Today on the steps of San Francisco City Hall, the California Federation of Teachers (CFT) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 2121 held a press conference announcing they are filing a lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court to block the planned closure of CCSF…
CTA/CFT Applaud the Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction and Lawmakers for their Commitment to California’s Students and Educators
The California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers commend Governor Jerry Brown, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, and lawmakers for demonstrating leadership and commitment to California’s students and educators by passing AB 484…