Texas American Federation of Teachers
10/17/2025 | News release | Archived content
Oct. 17, 2025: No Kings
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Friday, October 17, 2025 |
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No Kings |
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Tomorrow, millions of Americans will show up for rallies and events in more than 2,000 cities and towns for the second No Kings Day of Action. There are events planned across Texas, in communities large and small, all with the goal of peacefully protesting attacks on our democracy. Tomorrow's events and the No Kings movement broadly aren'tabout issues of left vs. right. They'reabout right vs. wrong. No matter where we come from or how we vote, we all deserve leaders who tell the truth, respect our freedoms, and put people over power. You'llread in today's Hotline that the Department of Education under Secretary Linda McMahon has gutted its special education office. It is not partisanto say that is wrong. Likewise, it should not be controversial to oppose stripping millions of Americans (and over 1 million Texans) of their health careby making it unaffordable. We can disagree aboutpolitics. In normal times, that'shealthy. But these are not normal times, and we can'tdisagree about harm to our communities. We hope to see you tomorrow at a No Kings Day event in your community. |
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In this week's Hotline:
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- Trump Administration |
Amid Government Shutdown, Department of Education Layoffs Imperil Special Education Services, Protections |
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Sheria Smith, the former president of AFGE Local 252 and lawyer in the Office of Civil Rights, speaks at a rally outside Sen. Ted Cruz's Dallas office as part of Texas AFT's biennial convention in June 2025. Photo by Brooke Jonsson, CCR Studios. |
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Even as the federal government remains closed for business, this week's developments out of Washington, D.C., are deeply troubling for public education - and especially for students with disabilities and their families. As Texas AFT has warned in recent Hotline articles, the Trump Administration's push to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and downsize critical offices is not a mere reorganization - it is an existential threat to the protections and services that students, educators, and families rely on. |
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Read the Full Story |
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-Privatization |
Texas Comptroller announces Odyssey will administer state's voucher program, despite questionable track record |
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This article was originally published by Our Schools Our Democracy, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to protecting Texas public schools. Small edits have been made for clarity. Last week, the Texas Comptroller's office announced that New York-based company Odyssey will administer Texas' new voucher program, an education savings account (ESA) to be called Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA). The comptroller announced that Odyssey will "manage an end-to-end platform that … will help guide families through the application process and allow them to pay tuition to schools and shop for eligible educational resources via an e-commerce marketplace." |
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Read the Full Story |
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-Elections |
Texas 2025 Constitutional Amendments: What's on the Ballot and What They Mean |
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Texans will once again have a chance this fall to shape the state Constitution. On Election Day, Nov. 4, voters will decide on 17 proposed constitutional amendments passed by the Legislature earlier this year. Each proposition requires majority approval to take effect. Early voting starts next week, running from Oct. 20-31. These measures cover a wide range of issues from taxes and education to infrastructure, judicial reform, and parental rights. Head to the full story online for a plain-language breakdown of what each one would do. |
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Read the Full Story |
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-Elections |
Texas AFT COPE EndorsesTaylor Rehmetin Special Electionfor Texas State Senate |
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This November, we have the opportunity to send another union member to the Texas Senate. That'swhy Texas AFT's Committee on Political Education (COPE)is proudto endorse Taylor Rehmetin the special election for Texas Senate District 9. A veteran, union president, and working-class Texan, Rehmetwillbringreal-world experience and deep commitment to public serviceto the Texas Senate, a body where it is sorely needed. |
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Read the Full Story |
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-Member Survey |
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Every year, Texas AFT gathersdata on all theconditionsin our public schools, colleges, and universitiesthat the state does not. We do so by asking the real experts: our members. Use your voice and experience to make changein your stateand shape our union's prioritiesby completing our annual membership survey sent via email this past Wednesday, Oct. 15. As a thank you for taking the time and energy to participate, you will be entered for a chance to win:
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We value your opinion and insight, so please do not delay. And as much as we support andwant to hear from all educators, the survey is for Texas AFT members only. If you can't locate theemailwith the survey link (even after checking spam),please email [email protected]so we can update your information and get the link to you. |
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Recommended Reading |
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Education news from around the state and nation that's worth your time. |
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The Ins and Outs of Texas Increasingly Using Uncertified Teachers. Statewide, about 42,103, or 12%, of public schoolteachers are uncertified. In Cy-Fair ISD, a new partnership between iTeachand Cy-Fair AFT aims to make the certification process affordable and accessible to paraprofessionalsand support staff who want to teach. (Houston Press, Oct. 13) Texas Systems Review Course Descriptions, Syllabi, as Critics Scrutinize Them.As Texas politicians identifyand target faculty who teach about gender identity, officials at six Texas public university systems have ordered reviews of curriculum, syllabiand course descriptions. (Inside Higher Ed, Oct. 9) In Appalachia, one school district is proving public education still works. In a small, rural corner of southeast Ohio, something transformational is happening. The area's public schools are powering economic and community renewal deep in Appalachia. (Fox News, Oct. 10)
Women could be most affected by Trump's penalties for overdue student loans. The move by the Trump administration is set to begin May 5, and borrowers with delinquent payments could have their wages garnished as early as the summer. (The 19th, April 23)
The Lege's 'Big Government Intrusion' into University Academics. Expanding on last session's anti-DEI campus crackdown, some Republicans in the Legislature are now going after gender and ethnic studies programs and faculty independence. (Texas Observer, April 24)
The Shocking Billionaire Plot to Dismantle Public Education. Texas is on the verge of passing a law that could defundpublic education. Vouchers send public taxpayer dollars to private schools. It could cost taxpayers $10 billionby 2030. And it could destroy Friday Night Lights. (More Perfect Union, April 22)
This Education Department Official Lost His Job. Here's What He Says Is at Risk. Fewer teachers. Incomplete data. Delays in addressing problems and getting financial aid information. Those are just some of the impacts Jason Cottrell, who worked as a data collector at the Department of Education for nine and a half years before being laid off along with more than a thousand other agency employees, warns the Trump Administration's massive cuts to the department's funding and workforce could have on the country's education system. (Time, July 18)
This Education Department Official Lost His Job. Here's What He Says Is at Risk. Fewer teachers. Incomplete data. Delays in addressing problems and getting financial aid information. Those are just some of the impacts Jason Cottrell, who worked as a data collector at the Department of Education for nine and a half years before being laid off along with more than a thousand other agency employees, warns the Trump Administration's massive cuts to the department's funding and workforce could have on the country's education system. (Time, July 18)
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Texas American Federation of Teachers published this content on October 17, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 24, 2025 at 20:30 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]