American Federation of Teachers
“…if we are going to make the world a better place in the future we need to make sure that kids today are educated.”
Noah Bunche, 6th grader, Columbia Elementary, Palm Bay Florida
As a coalition member of the Global Campaign on Education, U.S. (GCE-US), the American Federation of Teachers has launched its 1GOAL campaign. During Global Action Week, teachers throughout the U.S. are mobilized to bring the 1GOAL campaign into their classroom, the union’s elected leaders are speaking out in support of a Global Education Fund and the vast network of members are contacting their members of Congress to support Education for All legislation now.
AFT member Tracy Lally, a sixth grade teacher at Columbia Elementary School in Palm Bay, Florida, incorporated the 1GOAL classroom materials into her social studies curriculum. “My students need to understand the world in which they live,” said Tracy. “They never realized there were children who do not go school, let alone 72 million of them, four times the population of Florida!”
Tracy said that the lesson gave them an appreciation for the opportunities that they have and a desire to speak out for others.
The 6th grade students at Columbia Elementary were shocked to hear that so many children were out of school. Zachary said that he “didn’t know that so many kids my age are working instead of going to school. “ Another student noted that Barack Obama couldn’t have become President if he didn’t have an education.
Tracy’s students wrote to their U.S Representative, Bill Posey, asking him to support EFA legislation. They also wrote messages supporting education for all children on a soccer ball, which Tracy and AFT President Randi Weingarten presented to Representative Nita Lowey, the chief sponsor in the Congress of the Education for All Act.
Weingarten sent letters with the teacher toolkit to AFT’s leaders throughout the country asking them to join in the GCE 1GOAL campaign and encourage members to teach the 1GOAL Lesson for All and sign up!
AFT is also calling on members and their families around the country to write to their U.S Representative asking them to co-sponsor the Education for All Act.