Teachers union president stands behind race-based hiring policy at Minneapolis Public Schools
MINNEAPOLIS (TND) — American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten oversees the second largest teachers union in the nation. AFT is the parent union of a bevy of other local unions, such as the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT).
MFT has been embroiled in controversy ever since it compelled Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) – in the case of any layoffs or relocations – to get rid of white teachers before teachers of color regardless of seniority. Additionally, in the case of bringing back teachers who may have been let go, the district is now being instructed to recall teachers of color before teachers who are white.
Despite the controversy and claims of racism, Weingarten appears to support the move, according to a recent tweet she published in support of the district's new hiring and firing practices.
In the tweet, Weingarten linked to an Associated Press article about the "firestorm" the new policy MPS agreed to has created. She also quoted a comment from the president of the teachers unit at MFT, Greta Callahan.
This," Weingarten wrote, highlighting her support for Callahan's comment. "The same people who want to take down teachers unions and blame seniority are now defending it for white people. This is all made up by the right wing now," read the quote from Callahan that Weingarten pulled from the article and copied to her tweet.
District and union leaders said the new measure regarding teacher retainment makes Minneapolis one of the only school districts in the nation with a "seniority-disrupting" policy that can consider race over merit, according to The Star Tribune.
The National Desk (TND) reached out to AFT for comment and to confirm Weingarten's support for the new policy. TND also inquired about whether AFT as an organization stands behind MPS's new race-based policy. If responses are received, this story will be updated.
