News Releases
Educators Oppose Act of War on Syria
The California Federation of Teachers Executive Council has empowered CFT President Joshua Pechthalt to speak out in opposition to US military intervention in Syria. Pechthalt commented…
Don’t Rush Opening the New House of Education
A lot of hard work is being done to prepare California’s teachers, schools and districts for the implementation of Common Core standards, the new assessments that go with them, and the latest iteration of the state’s Academic Performance Index…
CFT Statement on San Francisco City Attorney suing Accrediting Commission
Today California Federation of Teachers president Joshua Pechthalt issued the following statement regarding the news that San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera has taken legal action against the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges…
CFT, City College of San Francisco Faculty Statement on U.S. DOE Letter regarding ACCJC’s failure to follow accepted accreditation procedures
“We are gratified that the U.S. Dept. of Education agreed with us that the process was deeply flawed, and we call on the ACCJC to rescind its unprecedented decision to deny accreditation to CCSF,”
CFT Statement on CORE Districts Receiving No Child Left Behind Waiver
On August 6, eight California school districts received word from the U.S. Department of Education that they had been granted a waiver from the No Child Left Behind Act. California Federation of Teachers President Joshua Pechthalt issued the following statement:
City College administrators walk away from faculty contract negotiations
Representatives of the City College of San Francisco’s administration left the bargaining table with its faculty union, American Federation of Teachers Local 2121, at 9:30 pm on Wednesday night, without reaching agreement on a contract. The two sides had been negotiating since Tuesday morning.
City College San Francisco faculty union issues statement on eve of bargaining
As City College of San Francisco works its way through its accreditation crisis, faculty have been working without a contract since January 1. After many long months of trying to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the college administration, the San Francisco Community College Federation of Teachers, AFT 2121, is going back to the table for two all-day sessions.
Rogue College Accreditation Commission Continues to Violate Federal Law
CFT Issues Letter Objecting to ACCJC Action, Seeks Federal Intervention
Burbank, CA — The California Federation of Teachers (CFT) is filing a new Complaint charging the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) with further violating federal law, by not responding to CFT’s July 1, 2013, complaint that they are illegally shredding documents, squelching expert testimony and barring the media from public meetings.
The following statement was released by CFT President Joshua Pechthalt regarding the State budget agreement:
This year’s budget begins to restore years of funding cuts to public education and services. It wouldn’t have happened without Proposition 30. While other states are still struggling, or even moving in the wrong direction with tax cuts and program cuts, California is showing the way forward with fair, progressive taxes to fund our schools and services…
Today, the California Federation has issued the following statements:
“We believe Chancellor Harris and the Board of Governors are interested in helping restore City College of San Francisco’s accreditation. The CFT will continue to support the City College community in its effort to restore accreditation but we are deeply troubled by a process that circumvents the democratically elected Board…
Accreditors Move to Yank Accreditation From City College of San Francisco
The California Federation of Teachers Vows to Resist and
Continue Fight for Quality Public Education for All of San
Francisco’s Students
SAN FRANCISCO, CA- AFT local 2121 and the California Federation
of Teachers vehemently oppose the Accrediting Commission for
Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) unprecedented decision to
deny accreditation to City College of San Francisco (CCSF)…
The following statement was released by CFT President Joshua Pechthalt regarding the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) strike
The California Federation of Teachers stands in solidarity with the working women and men of SEIU 1021…
The CFT Amends Complaint Against Accrediting Commission
Demands ACCJC Stop Violating Federal Law and Rescind
Recent Coercive Actions
Burbank, CA. The California Federation of Teachers is submitting
an amended complaint against the Accrediting Commission for
Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) today and is sending a
letter demanding the commission to cease practices that violate
Federal law. The amendment takes into account recent ACCJC
actions, which include barring the public…
Community College Accrediting Commission Shreds Documents, Attempts to Silence Dissent and Suppresses Evidence
The California Federation of Teachers has amended its April 30 complaint to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and filed it with the United States Department of Education. The original complaint is not only directed at the ACCJC’s assessment of City College of San Francisco, but also its inappropriate treatment of all California Community Colleges…
Supreme Court decisions
On the Voting Rights Act: In striking the section of the 1965 Voting Rights Act subjecting states and local governments with a track record of voting exclusion to preclearance, the Supreme Court majority is sending an unfortunate message to young people of color: if you live in the wrong place, don’t expect, when you are voting age, to be able to vote, and don’t expect the government, if you face problems, to help you vote…
In memoriam: Raoul Teilhet
It is with deep sorrow that the California Federation of Teachers announces the passing of former CFT president Raoul Teilhet.
CFT Presses Forward with Complaint Against Accrediting Agency
Says Commission’s Response Lacks Substance
The CFT is not surprised by the brief and dismissive reply issued yesterday in response to our third party comment to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)…
The CFT Requests the Facts From Community College Accreditors (ACCJC)
Calls for Release of Information in City College of San
Francisco Case
The CFT has followed up its recent “complaint” with the
Accreditation Commission for Junior and Community Colleges
(ACCJC) with a request for additional information. In a legal
letter to the Commission, the CFT, through attorney Robert J.
Bezemek, is requesting materials that may prove relevant to its
complaint, in printed and electronic form, stipulating that these
materials must continue to be preserved.
The CFT released the following statement on the Governor’s May Revision of the Budget
The members of CFT, after working hard to pass Proposition 30, are pleased that the governor is focused on strengthening public education funding with the increased tax revenues. But educators know that California remains a long way from adequate funding for the quality of education and services that our students and their families need and deserve.
CFT leaders challenge college accreditation agency
Complaint alleges conflicts of interest, violations of law Yesterday the California Federation of Teachers (CFT) and its City College San Francisco (CCSF) affiliate, AFT 2121, filed a complaint or “third party comment” with the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), and sent a copy to the United States Department of Education (USDOE).