Posted on 10/11/2022 6:10:00 AM PDT by MtnClimber
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten is in Ukraine this week to meet with Ukrainian students and teachers and “to offer solidarity and support” to Ukrainian students and teachers “amid heinous attacks on Democracy,” according to the AFT website.
The Ukrainian teachers union, the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers, invited the AFT reportedly, “to bear witness and call attention to the effects on children, families and educators and the impact of Russia’s attacks on democracy and democratic institutions.”
“Woke up this am to reports of disgusting Russian missile strikes in Kyiv, Lviv & other cities,” Weingarten tweeted on Monday. “Heading to the border now to assess the situation. This Russian attempt to frighten civilians & the effect on children (who are learning online today) is why this 🇺🇦 trip is so important.”
Weingarten’s tweet highlighted a video of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calling his Russian enemies “terrorists” in the wake of Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
(Tweet at link)
Zelenskyy’s words follow massive attacks on Russia’s infrastructure that resulted in extensive damage to Russia’s Nord Stream Pipelines, and a huge bridge connecting Russia to its annexed territory of Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin called both attacks terrorist acts.
Public health activist Dr. Irwin Redlener, Karen Redlener and Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum joined Weingarten on the trip to “deliver assistance to Ukrainian teachers in the west of the country who have taken in thousands of internally displaced children learning in challenging conditions far from home.”
Weingarten and the Redleners will distribute children’s books and other educational materials at school visits in Lviv on Tuesday, Oct. 11. On Wednesday, Oct. 12, they will meet with refugee teachers in Drohobych and Truskavets to shine a light on Vladimir Putin’s attempt to impose autocracy on Ukraine by targeting schools and civilians.
“As Putin tries to take a blowtorch to democracy, we stand in solidarity with the educators, students and families in Ukraine,” said Weingarten in a statement. “They are fighting against Russian aggression to uphold their democracy, their freedom and their self-determination—and after nearly eight months of conflict their righteous resistance grows stronger each day.”
“The war’s effect on kids and families has been brutal, and the Ukrainian teachers’ persistence, compassion and bravery in helping students continue their learning in an active war zone should be lifted up and championed,” she added.
Weingarten will address educators in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday, Oct. 14, during a rally for Polish Teachers Day.
The delegation will report its findings to representatives of the global union movement, the AFL-CIO and the State Department. The AFT and TUESWU are members of the Global Union Federation Education International.
Weingarten is reportedly a member of the hard-left donor collective Democracy Alliance, and is reportedly a personal friend of Hillary Clinton. Under her leadership, according to Influence Watch, “AFT political spending has grown from $15 million to $44 million in less than a decade.”
Weingarten earns an annual salary and expenses of roughly $500,000 from teachers’ union dues and mandatory agency fees while overseeing a union budget that spends over $1.6 million on luxury hotels, travel, and cars for union executives.
Weingarten’s trip to Ukraine was met with derision by conservatives on social media, some of whom argued that her time would be better spent improving American schools.
(numerous Tweets follow at link)
The far left sure seems to be all over the Ukraine conflict. It seems like it could have a strategic place in the “Great Reset” plans, but I have not figured out just what it is yet.
Never more did I want someone to be taken hostage. Maybe it’s just me.
Well, she fits right in with WEF, Soros, et al...
We did ally with Stalin during WWII.
This type of ally makes me nervous...
How about visiting the USA’s southern border?
When union leaders live a billionaire’s life, something’s wrong.
Is she thinking of running for president? Given the Democrats’ thin bench, every nutter among them may think he has a chance.
Is she there to stress the importance of kids transitioning, even in times of conflict? And making sure everyone uses correct pronouns?
Notice that AFT’s Weingarten mentioned democracy and democratic institutions there.
I was an (involuntary) member of the AFT for decades. And here’s an interesting thing. I never once was able to vote for my state or national leaders. So I was never once able to vote for or against Ms. Weingarten.
All of the top AFT leaders are chosen at a convention by delegates. Voting by the actual membership is not allowed.
And where do those delegates come from? They’re chosen by slate voting at the local level. The slate is set up by the local union boss. In all my years there I can recall maybe one or two people who were able to break the slate and go to the convention.
It’s all very Stalinist. So shut up about democracy, Ms. Weingarten. You know nothing about it.
Maybe Putin will bomb her ass. It would actually give some meaning to the war.
No, where’s the free vacation in that?
Good point.
Does this arrogant marxist think she’s president?
She distributes those sick ass trans books to the kids over there and the Ukrainians are likely to put her ass where she needs to be......IN PRISON.
Be a real shame if she got hit with a missile strike.
And imagine calling yourself conservative yet being on the same side as these commies as many here do
There’s a Hunter Biden angle to this story.
When you smell horse s#it, there has to be a pony somewhere.
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