Skip to main content

Press

June 8, 2022 PHILADELPHIA—Amidst an ongoing scourge of gun violence that continues its catastrophic toll in Philadelphia and across the country, PFT President Jerry Jordan yesterday joined Tuesdays with Toomey to again call attention to this urgent crisis. In addition to the PFT and Tuesdays with Toomey, the event was co-sponsored by Cease Fire PA, March for Our Lives, Indivisible Philadelphia, and Heeding God's Call. Pennsylvanians will continue to put pressure on Senator Toomey to listen to his constituents and implement gun safety measures that will save lives. The PFT is urging its members, as well as any concerned Pennsylvanians, to take action today and call Senator Toomey. The message is clear: gun reform is urgently needed.  MORE

June 7, 2022

This afternoon, PFT President Jerry Jordan joined Tuesdays with Toomey, Cease Fire PA, March for Our Lives, Heeding God's Call, and Indivisible Philadelphia at a die-in and a call to action on gun violence. 

Jordan's prepared remarks are as follows:

Good afternoon. I’m Jerry Jordan, President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.

We’re here in solidarity, in sorrow, and in rage.

We’re here because the crisis of gun violence continues unchecked. And far too many elected officials in Harrisburg and Washington continue to refuse to take action either because they simply don’t care

MORE
June 5, 2022 "The ongoing devastation wrought by gun violence is simply too much to bear. I am sick and enraged over last night’s mass shooting in Philadelphia that left three lives cut short and countless others forever changed. The time for action on gun reform is long overdue. Shame on every single politician who sits on their hands while this catastrophic violence continues. MORE
May 31, 2022 Read the op-ed here. With burgeoning resources in the Commonwealth’s coffers, coupled with an evergreen moral (and constitutional) imperative, this year’s state budget must meaningfully and sustainably address years of continued disinvestment in our young people. Just over two weeks ago, a white supremacist targeted a predominantly Black community in Buffalo, NY, killing 10 community members — a teacher, a bus aide, a community activist, and so many others who were deeply loved. And since that day, our nation has endured 33 mass shootings. Over the holiday weekend in Philadelphia, 13 people were murdered, including a 10-year-old boy and his father. Just over a week ago, we saw horror unfold at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman terrorized a community and stole the lives of nineteen precious fourth graders and two beloved teachers. In both Buffalo and Uvalde, these acts were carried out by an 18-year-old with legal access to an assault rifle. The crisis of gun violence is intolerable, and we continue to call for both local and national solutions, including common sense gun reform. Further, both the gun violence crisis and the deadly COVID-19 pandemic have disproportionately affected Black and brown children and their families. Decades of disinvestment in public education has also hurt Black and brown children. In 2022, communities are still deeply immersed in the fight for equity for our young people — and continue to be forced to justify resources that are seen as nonnegotiable in wealthier, whiter school districts. In fact, advocates have had to sue the Commonwealth for its abject failure to meet its constitutional mandate to provide all of Pennsylvania’s children with a thorough and efficient system of public education. MORE

May 25, 2022

"The murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police should continue to horrify us all. Today, I reiterate this union’s commitment to the fight for racial justice.

"The systems of oppression and racism that we work to dismantle every day remain deeply embedded—in policing, in education funding, and in nearly every facet of our society. Today and often, the loved ones of George Floyd are in my thoughts. Black Lives Matter."

Read our principles of racial justice here.

MORE
May 24, 2022 "The news out of Uvalde this afternoon is simply horrifying. Today, because an 18 year old with a gun wreaked devastation on a sacred place of learning, fourteen children and a teacher won’t return home after a day at school—and countless others’ lives will never be whole again. "This level of catastrophic gun violence that continues to tear families apart is simply too much to bear. There are no words that could adequately convey my sadness, my rage and my deepest sympathies for the students, staff, and entire community of Uvalde." MORE
May 19, 2022 PFTHW Director of Environmental Science Jerry Roseman participated in an important hearing called by Councilmember Gym on her bill which would effectively eliminate lead from drinking water in schools through the installation of additional, functional, and maintained hydration stations. Read more about the hearing here. MORE
May 19, 2022 Philadelphia City Council Public Comment on Bill No. 210685-AA by AFT Pennsylvania President Arthur G. Steinberg, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Jerry T. Jordan  “We thank Councilmember Green and his staff for their work on mandatory asbestos testing and the ‘School Building Safety Advisory Group.’ For decades, our union has been demanding the remediation of toxins like lead, asbestos, and mold from our school buildings, and for decades those calls have largely been met with silence, inaction, or even obfuscation from the School District of Philadelphia.  MORE

PRESS RELEASE

May 19, 2022

PHILADELPHIA—For the second time, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT), the American Federation of Teachers Pennsylvania (AFTPA), and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) filed an amicus "friend of the court" brief in support of the landmark school funding trial.

Access our newly filed brief here. Access our 2015 brief here.

Since before the trial's inception and throughout the years of preparation and court hearings, our unions and members have been staunch advocates for the fair funding of public education. Indeed, collectively with the plaintiffs

MORE
May 18, 2022 Reflecting on the 2022 Primary Elections, PFT President Jerry T. Jordan issued the following statement: PHILADELPHIA—"Yesterday was exhilarating--to relish in so many hard-fought victories for progressive champions in Philadelphia and beyond was a reminder of both the progress we have made and the work ahead: "In the state legislature, our message and our fight clearly resonate with voters. The victories of our strong allies Representatives Elizabeth Fiedler (HD184), Rick Krajewski (HD188), and Chris Rabb (HD200) are a testament to not only the power of organizing, but to a round rejection of sinister attempts to buy elections and reject the will of the people. Despite the rejection of these three champions by the Democratic party and despite last-ditch efforts to sully their names and their work, including tens of thousands of dollars poured in by nefarious right-wing organizations, Representatives Fiedler, Krajewski, and Rabb were able to run and win on unapologetic platforms rooted in fighting tirelessly for the communities they represent. We were also pleased to support the reelection campaign of Representative Stephen Kinsey (HD201) and look forward to our continued partnership. MORE