9月. 10, 2021: 十博体育软件下载 sues state to block voter suppression bill; New special session on the way; AFT’s Randi Weingarten visits Texas

在选民压制法案被签署成为法律后，德克萨斯的AFT加入了保护投票权的诉讼

德州AFT星期二起诉州选举官员，要求阻止参议院1号法案的条款(在同一天签署成为法律), which reduces access to and suppresses voting for Texans. Also suing in the petition are Voto Latino, LULAC德州主席rosa rosales投书, and the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans.

他说:“我们应该向我们的学生展示，德州重视选民参与，并努力使其更容易获得,” said 德州AFT总裁泽夫·卡波. “这项法律令人尴尬, 学生们会把我们带回到一个许多声音和他们的投票都受到压制的时代. While our students are learning about past discriminatory voting practices, 他们今天面临着人生的一课，这也印证了一句谚语:不学习历史的人注定要重蹈覆辙. 这部法律对我们的学生未来参与民主的能力发出了有害和不祥的信息.”

十博体育软件下载 is a strong advocate of voting rights and increasing access to voting. 国家还面临着 至少其他四起诉讼 against the controversial bill.

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AFT主席访问达拉斯，会见学校官员和成员的安全问题

达拉斯市资讯科技总监. Michael Hinojosa (left center), (and to the right) AFT President Randi Weingarten, Alliance-AFT President Rena Honea, and Alliance-AFT Executive Vice President George Rangel.)

Randi Weingarten, national president of our 1.7 million-member American Federation of Teachers, visited with Dallas members and school officials Thursday on her “所有人回到学校” tour to stress safety protocols to keep schools open.

Weingarten会见了达拉斯ISD负责人Michael Hinojosa和当地领导人，讨论口罩要求的重要性, 接种疫苗, and improved ventilation to ensure a safe school year. She also highlighted the morally reprehensible stance of 政府. 格雷格•阿伯特, 是谁一再无视科学，抵制合理的安全规程，将儿童和教育工作者推向危险的境地.

Weingarten has been crisscrossing the country and Texas this fall, 访问20个州和24个城市，让家庭知道，学校可以重新开放，并在安全和健康协议的地方继续开放.

Accompanying Weingarten in Dallas was 德州AFT总裁泽夫·卡波, 谁强调国家联盟努力教育公众十博体育下载安全规程, 包括十博体育下载地方口罩决定和疫苗接种必要性的数字和视频广告. 另外, the local union for Dallas ISD, Alliance-AFT, 和它的总统, Rena Honea, have led efforts on the “所有人回到学校” campaign, 包括:

• 成员敲了几乎5,000 doors in low-income neighborhoods in Dallas, connecting with parents to support a safe return;
• Members reaching out to parents via phone and text to support masks;
• Members advocating to ensure Dallas was one of the first ISDs to get a mask mandate;
• 十博体育软件下载 is running a local advertising campaign on TV, 在线, and newspapers to support vaccines among parents and kids over the age of 12 (观看疫苗接种视频 and our video for local decision-making onmasks and investments in air quality on campuses).

政府. Abbott calls for a third special session later this month

这周二, 政府, 格雷格·艾伯特(格雷格•阿伯特)宣布，德克萨斯州议会将于周一召开第三次特别会议, 9月20日. 在 proclamation announcing the special session, Abbott directed the 立法机关 to pass legislation on the following issues:

1. Drawing district maps based on the 2020 census data;
2. Banning vaccine mandates by governmental entities, including school districts;
3. 限制跨性别运动员参加自己认定性别群体的运动;
4. Appropriating federal funds from the American Rescue Plan; and
5. Outlawing the tethering of dogs with heavy chains, considering the veto statement previously issued on similar legislation

德克萨斯州立法机关打算为该州的参议院和众议院选区绘制并批准新的地图, as well as for the State Board of Education and U.S. 国会. 由于过去十年来人口的增长，德克萨斯州被分配了两个新的美国人.S. 国会席位.

上个月, 雅培公司发布了一项行政命令，禁止德克萨斯州政府机构强制接种新型冠状病毒肺炎疫苗. Abbott is now directing the Texas 立法机关 to codify that in Texas law. Vaccines have been proven to be extremely effective in the fight against 新型冠状病毒肺炎, 和政府实体, 包括学校, 长期以来都需要fda批准的针对小儿麻痹症和麻疹等疾病的疫苗. (The Pfizer vaccine received full FDA approval last month.)

阿博特还曾指示立法机构在春季的定期会议和今年夏天的前两次会议上通过对跨性别运动员的限制. The legislation failed to pass in all three legislative sessions, thanks in part to advocacy against these bills by 十博体育软件下载 and other organizations.

Photos: (above) local union members pitched in to help candidates for 公民hip. (Right) AFT Executive Vice President Evelyn 德 reads to students. (Below) Students display their new books.

这个月，我们的格兰德山谷地方工会举办了教育研讨会和期末考试 Citizenship Clinic to help area residents become U.S. 公民. More than 160 residents took part in the clinic. 参与其中的当地人包括麦卡伦、爱丁堡、PSJA、拉霍亚和布朗斯维尔的AFT分会. The effort follows another successful clinic earlier this year in Houston.

AFT执行副总裁Evelyn 德也在现场参观了麦卡伦的地区学校, 洛杉矶的情况, 爱丁堡, pharr是AFT“人人回到学校”运动和宣传大流行安全的旅游活动的一部分. 德, 德州AFT总裁泽夫·卡波, 当地领导人向学校的学生分发免费书籍和学习用品.

Biden announces new pandemic action plan

周四, 美国总统乔·拜登(Joe Biden)宣布了一项应对最近新型冠状病毒肺炎病例升级的新计划:“走出大流行之路”.该计划提出了几项策略，其中许多是围绕疫苗接种工作展开的，并包括“保持学校安全开放”这一章节.该计划还包括为那些因实施大流行安全措施(如要求佩戴口罩)而面临惩罚性资金削减的地区提供额外的联邦援助.

• Read the full “Path Out of the Pandemic plan.