The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) held its 2026 convention in Washington, D.C., in mid-July.
Instead of tackling the catastrophic decline in student achievement—where millions of kids still can't read at grade level or do basic math after years of pandemic learning loss and ideological distractions—the nation's second-largest teachers' union doubled down on a far-left agenda straight out of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) playbook and echoes of communist organizing traditions.
The resolutions passed or advanced there reveal a union fully captured by radical politics. The core mission of teaching the basics—like reading, writing, and arithmetic—has been sidelined for utopian social engineering, government expansion, identity politics, and Marxist ideology.
This is why American education remains such a disaster: the adults (more like activists) in charge are more interested in remaking society in a socialist image than ensuring the next generation can function in it.
Here are the AFT's priorities:
Advancing Union-Backed Housing Models for AFT Public Sector Members: Pushes union-influenced or subsidized housing initiatives for public workers as a core union priority.
Affirming Health as a Global Human Right and Opposing the Financialization of Healthcare: Declares healthcare a global right, attacks private involvement, aligns with expansive international health frameworks (implicit WHO support) and achieves "global solidarity" by working with Public Services International.
Standing in Solidarity with Immigrants, Demanding to Get ICE Out: Strongly condemns ICE operations, demands restrictions on immigration enforcement near schools/communities, promotes sanctuary-style protections, and encourages lawsuits against ICE agents for alleged civil rights violations.
Shielding Abortions and Gender-Affirming Care: Commits to protecting abortion access and gender medical interventions ("gender-affirming care"), framing objectively harmful procedures as essential rights against restrictions, and using lawfare when necessary.
Keeping Student Secrets From Parents: Defends members who protect LGBTQ students from forced outing to parents, and the forced use of a student’s deadname; respects assigned pronouns.
Fighting for Affordability and Improved Quality of Life: Broad campaign against "corporate greed" on housing, groceries, utilities; calls for expanded government programs, living wages, economic interventions, and mechanisms to fight food insecurity; includes goal of publicly-funded universal childcare for all, staffed by union employees.
Mobilizing For Midterms: Heavy emphasis on mobilizing for 2026 midterms and "defending democracy" against the current administration; against "unnecessary barriers" to voter registration (think voter ID, citizenship); and committed to "combating any attempt to rig or steal elections."
Ending the "Military Occupation" of Washington, DC: Support for DC statehood to expand voting power and reduce congressional oversight, while ending National Guard and ICE "occupation" in DC.
Celebrating the Communist Holiday May Day: Declaring May 1 a day for protests (educators and students), potential strikes/"No School" actions against enforcement, privatization, and for progressive priorities including DEI.
Screenshot, AFT
These resolutions aren't about better schools. They're about transforming society through public institutions, and effectively putting the state in charge of raising your children.
Democratic socialists and communists have long targeted education and unions as levers for cultural and economic change—capturing the young and expanding state power while eroding traditional institutions like family.
Meanwhile, test scores stagnate or decline, and parents watch in horror as classrooms prioritize pronouns over phonics, and activism over algebra. This is what happens when radical labor unions treat teaching as a vehicle for delivering leftist politics rather than a profession of knowledge transmission.
Unfortunately, the students are the ones left to suffer.
Randi Weingarten having a normal one at her union's convention in Washington DC.
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