The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is encouraging everybody to wear a pink heart on 14 February, Valentine’s Day, as a symbol of love for quality education and public services.
After their successful Pink hearts, not pink slips campaign which was run last year to avoid teachers and education staff being laid off, while preserving the quality of education in the USA, the AFT is once again reminding the entire community of the importance of increasing investment in education in difficult economic times.
In the words of AFT President, Randi Weingarten: “As lawmakers across the country prepare their state budgets, they need to recognise that teachers, school support staff, higher education faculty, government employees and healthcare workers make a difference every day in the lives of our children and in our communities.”
Weingarten added: “We help deliver vital services that are essential to the well-being and safety of our communities, while many of us choose this work because we believe in public services, even though we could earn more in other fields.”
EI joins AFT in conveying its message to world governments to not short change public services that are vital for the future of our children and communities.