Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT Local 3)

No contract, no coffee 😤

PFT members at Prince Hall School wear red and hold up informational signs as part of the AFT Day of Action on March 4, 2026

PFT members at Lincoln High wear red and hold up informational signs as part of the AFT Day of Action on March 4, 2026

PFT members at CAPA wear red and hold up informational signs as part of the AFT Day of Action on March 4, 2026

PFT members at Ziegler School wear red and hold up informational signs as part of the AFT Day of Action on March 4, 2026

Click & share - we need the General Assembly to know that public schools must be a priority! actionnetwork.org/letters/save... #PhlEd #FixDontClose #SaveOurSchools #PAbudget

PFT members at Robeson High wear red and hold up informational signs as part of the AFT Day of Action on March 4, 2026

PFT members at Ellwood School wear red and hold up informational signs as part of the AFT Day of Action on March 4, 2026

PFT members at Rowen School wear red and hold up informational signs as part of the AFT Day of Action on March 4, 2026

PFT members at Richard Wright School wear red and hold up informational signs as part of the AFT Day of Action on March 4, 2026

1️⃣ week ago today our members in schools across the city stood up for students! We'll keep asking our neighbors to join us in fighting for a fair #PAbudget that deepens investment in Philly public schools & helps pay for badly needed infrastructure improvements.

Pennsylvania can’t compete when our minimum wage is still $7.25. I talked with Secretary Siger about my Bill with Rep Green & Kenyatta to raise PAs wage to $15 immediately— something over 2/3 of Pennsylvanians support.

The AFT's Debt Navigator Tool helps members manage rising costs and the burden of debt. This interactive tool offers clear, practical info tailored to you—whether dealing with debt, understanding consumer or patient rights or navigating a financial setback.

Check it out⤵️
www.aft.org/debt-navigator

PFT President Steinberg Cheers Governor Shapiro's Historic Support for Public Schools

PFT members have long supported a just economy.
Join us in telling Senate Republicans to stop blocking efforts to #RaiseTheWagePA! www.pft.org/press/pft-pr...

“We also welcome the critical mass of support building among state legislators for a decent minimum wage. Nearly all of our greatest challenges as Pennsylvanians – from home care worker shortages to public services like mass transit stuck in the 2000s – are tied into our having the lowest minimum wage in the region. Senate Republicans must stop blocking bills to raise the minimum wage so that Pennsylvania’s workforce can prosper and grow.

PA's minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009 - suppressing workers' earnings potential and ability to save and plan for their futures. All six states that neighbor the Commonwealth - even West Virginia! - offer a higher minimum wage to hourly workers. #PAbudget #RaiseTheWagePA

New Student Visas Dropped 35.6% Last Summer Amid the Trump administration’s attacks on international students, the number of visas issued to those students ahead of the fall 2025 semester decreased more significantly than experts predicted.

The Trump administration's immigration crackdowns & attacks on colleges & universities are driving away students. This troubling trend means fewer researchers and dangerous ripple effects across America. @afthighered.bsky.social

ICE proposed “30-day surge.” Lancaster, York law enforcement were uninterested. | WITF At the end of October, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement staffer emailed nine of its partner law enforcement agencies in Lancaster and York c […]

ICE asked nine south central Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies last fall if they wanted to cooperate on a 30 day immigration enforcement surge. Local officials said no, citing either limited capacity or need.
www.witf.org/2026/03/09/i...

All month long, we're celebrating our incredible social workers for helping students, patients, and families navigate the challenges of life. Thank you for all that you do for our communities!

Despite great recent progress, Pennsylvania still has a long way to go #PhlEd #PAbudget #FundOurSchools #edusky

Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History: A Conversation with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History is a newly released four-part series from acclaimed scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr, exploring the rich, complex relationship between Black and Jewish Ame...

TONIGHT: Join @sharemylesson.bsky.social for a powerful conversation with acclaimed scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. exploring the rich, complex relationship between Black and Jewish Americans and what these interwoven stories mean for today's students. Register ⤵️
sharemylesson.com/webinars/bla...

Continuing plumbing problems meant some kids couldn’t use the bathroom at Southwark Elementary. Parents and staff are furious. The Philadelphia School District said it fixed last week's plumbing issues, but parents say the district also needs to address problems with cockroaches, mice, and more.

The District's inability to address ongoing facilities failures makes it even more difficult to buy into a grand 10-year plan with so many unknowns. www.inquirer.com/education/so... #PhlEd #FixOurFacilities #FundOurSchools

What hospitals don’t want you to know: You can negotiate your bill. 🤫- AFT is fighting for a world where you don’t go broke getting well. Learn how to advocate for yourself and your family at aft.org/affordability

Philly’s superintendent calls these schools ‘boutique.’ Not everyone likes his plans for them. Superintendent Tony Watlington wants to close or co-locate several small Philadelphia high schools. But some argue they are indispensable alternatives to neighborhood schools.

“What I love about [Robeson] is that we teach children to build their own brand,” said Elana Evans, Robeson’s special ed compliance manager. Due to the close relationships, teachers can help students figure out “who do you want to be,” & “help you get there.” www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia... #PhlEd

This Philly elementary school isn’t on the closure list, but parents are fighting plans to turn it into a middle school The plan for Moffet "will have an inordinate impact on a thriving, ingrained, multicultural elementary school that does not exist in many other places across our city," one teacher and parent said.

“As a small school, it has a really cozy community feel,” [parent] Canary said. “But it’s been academically successful — my kids have been challenged, their teachers are really experienced.” www.inquirer.com/education/mo... #PhlEd #ShowYourWork #SaveOurSchools

Families turn to states for civil rights support as Trump dismantles the Education Department One of the Education Department's biggest jobs is to police discrimination in America's schools. But amid mass firings and shifting priorities, that role has waned. In its place, there's an emerging p...

"The federal Education Department had more than 300 open investigations in Pennsylvania as of January 2025, according to the most recent federal data. Each is a possible candidate to be shifted to the state." keystonenewsroom.com/2026/03/05/f... #edusky

BREAKING: Donald Trump just betrayed every fan who’s been exploited by Ticketmaster.

This fine is less than 1% of Live Nation’s revenue last year AND lets them continue to rip off fans with a 15% “Ticketmaster Tax." It's wrong.

We need to break up Ticketmaster and Live Nation.

Today we celebrate the women who educate, heal and serve our communities.

From classrooms to hospitals to public service, women power the work that makes our communities stronger. On #InternationalWomensDay, we honor their leadership and their fight for dignity and opportunity.

Superintendent, teachers’ union leader talk controversial Philly schools plan Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington and teachers' union leader Arthur Steinberg discussed the controversial plan for Philadelphia schools.

The District has still not explained why schools with building conditions that can be addressed through repairs/maintenance at modest cost need to be closed at all. @pft.org will keep pushing for answers & accountability www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/politic... #SaveOurSchools

Superintendent, teachers’ union leader talk controversial Philly schools plan Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington and teachers' union leader Arthur Steinberg discussed the controversial plan for Philadelphia schools.

Families of students being sent into schools with worse building conditions deserve detailed plans from the District for repairs/upgrades that will be made before day 1 of that school year. www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/politic... #PhlEd ##FixDontClose

oh my god? i mean i know fox crossed the rubicon a long time ago but…oh my god? youre supposed to be a “news” network and oh my god?

Fox ran older footage but labeled it as happening Saturday.

Mar. 7, 1965 | AL Law Enforcement Attacks Civil Rights Activists on 'Bloody Sunday' in Selma Learn more about our history of racial injustice.

On this day in 1965, police brutally attacked hundreds of civil rights activists during a march in Selma, Alabama, now known as Bloody Sunday.

The Bygone Era of Supreme Court Support for Voting Rights Sixty years after upholding the Voting Rights Act, the Court has dismantled most of it.

Tomorrow marks the 61st anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama. It also marks the 60th anniversary of the Supreme Court first upholding the Voting Rights Act.

We have gotten so, so far away from a Court that cares about democracy.

New from me at @brennancenter.org:

This Day in Labor History: March 7, 1932. Several thousand unemployed workers marched toward Henry Ford’s River Rouge plant in Dearborn, Michigan. Upon reaching the complex, Henry Ford's hired thugs opened fired and killed some of them! Let's talk about Ford and his horrors!!!

Kamala Harris: "I predicted a lot about what's happening right now. I'm not here to say 'I told you so,' but we did see it coming."

Obama: "We are living in a time where it can be hard to hope. Each day we wake up to some new assault on our democratic institutions. Another setback to the idea of the rule of law ... but this man - Rev. Jesse Jackson - inspires us to take a harder path ... bc if we don't step up, nobody else will"

Fix our facilities. Fund our facilities. Do not close public schools. Tell your state Representative and Senator to pass Governor Shapiro's education funding package!

This #RedFriday we're reminding the Commonwealth that it cannot prosper and compete without strong, consistent investment in public education. Let's keep the momentum going and win the strong #PAbudget our schools and students deserve! #PhlEd #PublicSchoolProud actionnetwork.org/letters/save...

PFT members at Arts Academy at Rush hold signs calling for more education funding in the state budget

PFT members at Arts Academy at Rush hold signs calling for more education funding in the state budget

Our members at Arts Academy at Rush pride themselves on creating a nurturing and inclusive creative arts learning environment. Schools that attract students from across the city deserve comprehensive support - including adequate funding, reliable transit access, and timely building maintenance.