Hundreds brave the rain in We Can’t Wait rallies this week
On Tuesday hundreds of educators from throughout the Bay Area and across the state took part in launching the We Can’t Wait campaign with a series of rallies and actions. The day started in San Francisco where members of UESF toured the soaked streets of the City in a motorized cable car, visiting schools and bringing awareness to the three core demands of the campaign: fully staffed schools, safe and stable schools for students and communities, and closing the educator wage gap.
Later in the day, a large rally co-hosted by the Oakland Eduation Association, Berkeley Federation of Teachers, UESF, and the United Teachers of Richmond took place in Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland.
Check out this CFT video capturing the day’s activities in the rain, and these great photos of the rally in Oakland from the BFT.
In addition to UESF and BFT, the We Can’t Wait campaign is anchored by UTLA and dozens of other locals represented by CTA. For more on the campaign, click here.
Member practitioners take the lead at inaugural CFT educational issues conference
Last weekend CFT’s EC/TK-12 Council hosted the first of a new two-part educational issues conference at the CFT Sacramento office. According to EC/TK-12 Council President Steve McDougall, feedback for the conference was overwhelmingly positive.
“This conference was a great opportunity to dive into critical issues in our schools,” says McDougall. “Having solid member-practitioner to member-practitioner training was just what attendees needed and appreciated.”
The first part of the training included an in-depth session on generative AI, with the goal of equipping union members with foundational understanding of AI, its impact on education, and strategies for navigating this evolving landscape. Attendees also took part in a session on literacy for practitioners from early childhood through 5th grade, with a focus on effective reading strategies to support literacy development and the integration of writing across content areas.
The second installment of the 2025 educational issues conference will take place in Sacramento on February 21–22, with topics including literacy for practitioners (grades 6–12), co-teaching students with disabilities in the mainstream, and supporting social-emotional development for 3–6 year olds. If you are interested in attending the training, please follow up with your local union leaders. The deadline to register is February 13.
Nearly 800 members attend CFT town hall
Thanks to the nearly 800 CFT members who attended our CFT town hall earlier in the week. At the town hall we got to hear directly from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, AFT legislative and political staff, and our legal counsel. Together we discussed how we as a union, along with our allies throughout the country, are pushing back on the unprecedented attacks from the Trump administration.
“We are in the midst of an unprecedented and scary time in our country’s history, and we hope that you, like us, are finding strength in our union family and the work we can do together to fight back against the Trump regime’s attacks on democracy, on labor, and on public education,” CFT leaders wrote in a follow up email thanking those who attended the town hall. “Our solidarity with our friends and allies will be critical in the coming years, and we are heartened by our broad and deep coalition and our commitment to one another.”
Up next is our upcoming webinar for higher education unions on February 26 at 4:00 p.m., called “Supporting our Undocumented Students and Community.” You can also find more resources on our Defending Immigrant Students and Families page.
ArtCenter Faculty Federation members volunteer to help those impacted by the LA fires
A shout out to the ArtCenter Faculty Federation members who volunteered last weekend at the Pasadena Convention Center to help sort and distribute donations to those impacted by the recent fires in Los Angeles. “In times such as these mutual aid for those within our ACFF community and those beyond help to provide immediate relief and demonstrate our commitment to building more equitable and just communities,” said the ACFF on Instagram.
Celebrating Black History Month
Every February CFT joins educators, unions, and communities across the country in celebrating Black History Month. This month is an opportunity not only to recognize the critical contributions African Americans have made to our country and our communities, but to recommit ourselves to fighting for equity, equality, inclusion, and teaching honest history.
This year’s national theme is: African Americans and Labor.
To help CFT members recognize Black History Month, we’ve put together a great set of resources on the CFT website, including articles to read, K-12 curricula, and great videos. Join the conversation on Instagram and Bluesky to follow along and share.
