Reflecting on the importance of education to "lift us up in life," U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) in his column in the current issue of the Baltimore Afro-American praises AFT executive vice president Lorretta Johnson as a heroine in the field.

 

There are people who walk the walk and those who talk the talk. My favorites are the multitaskers who walk the talk. And they all can be found in politics — you’ve seen them everywhere.

Take Merrick Alpert. Alpert is walking the state — literally — to prove he can be a senator. Look around when you’re on the road and you’ll see him walking the walk. By doing so he hopes you’ll vote for him, or at least remember his name and why he’s walking.

Then there’s the talking the talk crowd. My favorite example is from soon-to-be ex-Gov Jodi Rell.

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A dozen nurses, paramedics and EMTs who are members of the AFT-affiliated Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (VFNHP), as well as doctors and an AFT national representative, are leaving for Haiti on Jan. 20 to provide much-needed medical assistance for the victims of the Jan. 12 earthquake. Members of the medical team work at Fletcher Allen Health Care, an alliance of the University of Vermont's medical and nursing schools.

Following the tragic Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, the AFT is working with labor and education partners to assist Haiti on its long road to recovery. "We thank our members here in the United States who have already begun to make donations and volunteer their time through local charities, businesses, community organizations and religious groups, to help and comfort those in need," said AFT President Randi Weingarten.

 

In a major speech Jan. 12 at the National Press Club, AFT president Randi Weingarten unveiled a serious and comprehensive reform plan to ensure great teaching, taking on systems that have been ingrained in public education for more than a century.

When you go to the AFT's public Web site, you will find a new, improved and totally redesigned site. The redesign—the first in more than five years—involves more than just an updated, more attractive design. The site includes improved navigation and lots of new features that not only will make it easier to find what you're looking for but also to share your voice and opinions on important issues in a variety of ways. One thing you will notice is the prominence throughout of AFT members' quotes and faces.

Starting in late January, AFT members across the country will start receiving their new AFT membership cards in the mail. Once you receive your card—the entire mailing is scheduled to be completed by late February—you will want to validate it on the members section of the new AFT Web site. That will give you not only access to exclusive members-only discounts on retail shopping, entertainment, travel, magazine subscriptions, mortgage services and insurance, but also the chance to win prizes, including $500.

Advanced Behaviors Strategies for Paraprofessionals
Date: Wed, Mar 3, 2010
Location: AFT Connecticut Office

ConnQuEST ‘10
Date: Sat, Mar 27, 2010
Location: Four Points by Sheraton

Creating Independent Learners for Paraprofessionals
Date: Mon, April 26, 2010
Location: AFT Connecticut Office

The AFT has launched "t-source," a new online forum (http://www.t-source.org/) that will provide professional resources and communication opportunities with a special focus on teachers entering the profession.