Teachers and activists in Oaxaca, Mexico—who were peacefully protesting against education reforms—were victims of lethal force from federal government police in June, an outrageous and tragic event the AFT has been forcefully condemning. In a resolution passed at the AFT convention, union leaders expressed solidarity with Mexican educators and called on the Mexican government to create an independent commission of inquiry around the violence. They also demand the government engage in good-faith negotiations with all stakeholders, stressing that dialogue and collaboration are the means to find common ground for what is best for teachers, students and their communities. In addition, the AFT is filing a complaint to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in support of the cause of justice for 43 missing Mexican student-teachers, whose disappearances two years ago remain unsolved and whose perpetrators remain unpunished.
Read the resolution, “Support for the Mexican Teachers’ Civil Rights”
Hear a radio interview with AFT President Randi Weingarten about the conflict