American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

Texas AFT is a teachers union representing 65,000 public education school employees in Texas. The union’s priorities represent the interests of teachers, counselors, librarians, custodians, bus drivers, and all other people who make schools work. A key foundation of the union is member engagement, allowing members to take ownership in their union and build power for safe and respectful workplaces. I was commissioned by Texas AFT to document several of their highly-engaged members about their experiences working during the pandemic.

“The pandemic has made it very scary. Nothing is for granted anymore. Nothing. It makes you really think and be thankful, very thankful. Of your job, and that you still have a job.” - LINDA, Bus Driver, Dallas ISD

“The pandemic has made it very scary. Nothing is for granted anymore. Nothing. It makes you really think and be thankful, very thankful. Of your job, and that you still have a job.” - LINDA, Bus Driver, Dallas ISD

“We come here. We have the masks. We have the temperature checks. We have the gloves. But you don’t know. You have to treat everyone with dignity and calmness, but at the same time, be cautious.” - LINDA, Bus Driver, Dallas ISD

“We come here. We have the masks. We have the temperature checks. We have the gloves. But you don’t know. You have to treat everyone with dignity and calmness, but at the same time, be cautious.” - LINDA, Bus Driver, Dallas ISD

“The union empowers school employees through advocacy and information. For me personally, AFT has given me a voice. Prior to this school year, I had never been to a school board meeting. Now I go to all the school board meetings, and I participate be

“The union empowers school employees through advocacy and information. For me personally, AFT has given me a voice. Prior to this school year, I had never been to a school board meeting. Now I go to all the school board meetings, and I participate because I know how important it is to raise my voice. And in those moments when I feel voiceless, especially when we talk about salary or benefits, I know that AFT will speak for me.” - MARIAH, Middle School Spanish Teacher, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD

“It could be bus drivers, custodians, yard workers, plumbers, technicians. Anybody in AISD can be a part of the union and should be a part of the union. Because there are strength in numbers.” - THOMAS, In-School Suspension Monitor, Austin ISD

“It could be bus drivers, custodians, yard workers, plumbers, technicians. Anybody in AISD can be a part of the union and should be a part of the union. Because there are strength in numbers.” - THOMAS, In-School Suspension Monitor, Austin ISD

“The pandemic, COVID-19, affected my job, because I’m not able to give one-on-one attention to the students I normally see. I miss that opportunity.” THOMAS, In-School Suspension Monitor, Austin ISD

“The pandemic, COVID-19, affected my job, because I’m not able to give one-on-one attention to the students I normally see. I miss that opportunity.” THOMAS, In-School Suspension Monitor, Austin ISD

“It’s not the same. It’s not what you sign up for, when you become an educator...I’m missing the interactions with students. I miss getting to do what I love. That has definitely been the hardest part. And then constantly feeling a sense of guilt, be

“It’s not the same. It’s not what you sign up for, when you become an educator...I’m missing the interactions with students. I miss getting to do what I love. That has definitely been the hardest part. And then constantly feeling a sense of guilt, because I want to keep my family safe, I want to keep myself safe, I want to keep my students safe, but at the same time, I want to be in class with students.” - CLARISSA, Educator, McAllen ISD

“My union work contributes to my professional work because when I think of what educators do is they teach students how to advocate for themselves. That is my passion as an educator. And I think that the union does that for people.” - CLARISSA, Educa

“My union work contributes to my professional work because when I think of what educators do is they teach students how to advocate for themselves. That is my passion as an educator. And I think that the union does that for people.” - CLARISSA, Educator, McAllen ISD

“This pandemic has been devastating to our communities. And the community in which I work has been ravaged by it. I was talking with a student today who came to my classroom today for the first time in weeks, and it’s two months to the day since her

“This pandemic has been devastating to our communities. And the community in which I work has been ravaged by it. I was talking with a student today who came to my classroom today for the first time in weeks, and it’s two months to the day since her grandma died of COVID. And that story is just repeated again and again and again. Within an education system that unfortunately still wants that student to test, still wants that student to focus on really arbitrary metrics for academic success. And I think the fight to really humanize students and see them in their full, fragile, traumatized humanity has been led by teachers.” - LUKE, High School Social Studies Teacher, San Antonio ISD