AFT-Speeches

Shanker is talking to a conference of AFT Paraprofessionals. His introduction is about how the United Federation of Teachers brought Paras into their fold and how the solidarity between teachers and paras grew quickly. He talks about the idea of certification for paras in schools that would increase their prominence in the schools. The speech then moves to the danger of privatization in public schools. Shanker gives a history of how the AFL-CIO started to endorse presidential candidates and what the AFT will be doing to get good questions to presidential candidates via polling and letter campaigns. The speech goes back to the idea of certification and career ladders for paras by using the study by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which showed that continuing education for personnel benefits school districts.

Shanker is speaking in front of the Commission on the Future of Worker-Management Relations or later named the "Dunlop Commission" specifically about the Yeshiva decision and hoping that they would reverse the decision legislatively. He gives examples of the rise of professional unionism in the United States, he sights organizing doctors at the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, talks about the Toledo Plan or Peer Assistance and Review, Rochester Teachers Association and finally the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. After his statement, Shanker took a variety of questions.

Marcia Reese, assistant to the president of the AFT, interviews Shanker about his column ‘Where We Stand’ The interview moves further on the development of Al’s thinking via the column with various education reforms from open classrooms to peer review. They also discuss Shanker’s education, early career as a teacher and forming the United Federation of Teachers.

These short remarks condemn the Soviet government's oppression of Jewish citizens wishing to emigrate to Israel. Al Shanker cites the cases of two men in particular, Anatoly Scharansky and Yosef Begun, who were jailed in Siberia for several years for attempting to emigrate. In light of these actions, Shanker decries America's moves to enter into agreements with the Soviets.