The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) meets in Los Angeles, California, US for its biennial convention - the most important policymaking body of the federation.
Important resolutions, constitution and bylaws amendments, as well as the election of the AFT president, secretary-treasurer, executive vice president and 43 vice presidents, are on the agenda over the coming days.
The convention also is an important milestone in AFT's campaign to reclaim the promise of public education. The campaign website states:
"Our public schools represent our nation’s commitment to helping all children dream their dreams and achieve them. A high-quality public education for all children is an economic necessity, an anchor of democracy, a moral imperative and a fundamental civil right, without which none of our other rights can be fully realized."
"Reclaiming the promise" is one national campaign of which Education International's Unite for Quality Education campaign is a global manifestation. EI affiliates are conducting campaigns all over the world in order to improve the quality of education in their countries, whether by way of improving and protecting their member's salaries and conditions of employment, increasing the support for educators through better preparation and training and continuous professional support, or enhancing the assistance they receive from quality learning and teaching tools and supportive and safe teaching and learning environments.
The Unite for Quality Education campaign is an umbrella that brings together the voices o those who know that quality education is one of the keys to a better world.
More information about the Unite for Quality Education campaign: www.unite4education.org
More information about "Reclaiming the promise": http://action.aft.org/c/44/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=7122