WASHINGTON - May 13, 2018 - American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and Texas AFT President Louis Malfaro, who is an AFT vice president, issued a statement in response to the news that Stacy Bailey, an art teacher in Arlington, Texas, was fired for showing students a slide show that included photos of her wife: "Marriage is protected by the Constitution; this isn't a question. No one should be fired from a job because of whom they marry, and yet, in 2018, there's a school district removing a twice-awarded teacher of the year from her classroom and her students for talking about her family. This not only sends a terrible message to our kids about bigotry, but it flies in the face of the constitutional protections around the institution of marriage. It is exactly these types of baseless assaults on teachers' character that remind us just how critical a union voice is in protecting our educators.

WASHINGTON - March 22, 2018- Statement of American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten in support of the Student Non-Discrimination Act: "The AFT has always advocated proudly for LGBTQ students, and we endorse this bill to prohibit discrimination against them in school programs. No child should fear being barred from a school program or denied the resources to participate simply because of who they are, and all students deserve a safe, supportive educational environment where they are treated equally and fairly.

WASHINGTON - Febuary 22, 2017 -American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on President Donald Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' plan to rescind Title IX guidance for transgender students: "By rescinding these protections, the Trump administration is compromising the safety and security of some of our most vulnerable children. Children, not ideology, should be the priority.

WASHINGTON - December 14, 2016 -Statement by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II's federal civil rights lawsuit against American Airlines: "It is horrifying that an African-American man on one of America's great airlines was subject to the same racist, discriminatory and humiliating treatment as African-Americans were decades ago. The fact that he happens to be one of the nation's most prominent civil rights leaders gives him the agency to shine a light on this. That American Airlines would treat a major civil rights leader like this is disgraceful and should shock the conscience of all Americans.

WASHINGTON - November 18, 2016 -Labor, civil rights and faith leaders and others called on President-elect Donald Trump today to unequivocally denounce the hundreds of hate-fueled acts of harassment, vandalism, property destruction and even assault that have happened since his election.