AFT President Criticizes Trump Administration's School Voucher Plans

WASHINGTON—Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), has reacted to recent news reports concerning the Trump administration's federal school voucher program.

According to Weingarten, "The use of public dollars for private voucher schemes remains anathema." She acknowledges that political backlash has prompted some potential benefits for public school parents, yet asserts that vouchers cannot replace the need for "direct, sustained investment in public education."

Weingarten further criticized the administration's approach, stating, "Let’s be clear what this administration is doing: putting its thumb on the scale for privatization and spending billions more to prop up this scheme than it ever has on public schools." She emphasized that these actions suggest a lack of commitment to enhancing the educational institutions attended by 90% of American children.

The American Federation of Teachers represents a diverse group of 1.8 million members, including pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school-related staff. Its membership extends to higher education faculty, professional staff, government employees at various levels, nurses, healthcare workers, and early childhood educators.