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April 13, 2007
Jaime Zapata
202/879-4458
jzapata@aft.org
Statement by Edward J. McElroy, President,
American Federation of Teachers,
on the Rutgers University Women’s Basketball Team
Washington, D.C – The members of the Rutgers women’s basketball team have, by their dignified response to inappropriate and offensive remarks, provided an important teachable moment for our entire nation. We should seize that opportunity. As Lisa Klein, president of the AFT’s affiliate at Rutgers University, notes: “It is time for all of us to recommit ourselves to challenging racism and sexism and its effects on our society.”
Offensive remarks uttered by public figures about race, gender, ethnicity, language, religion and sexual orientation demean us all and should not be tolerated. If we are to build on the mosaic of strength that is our diversity, we must embrace—honestly and whole-heartedly—who we are as a nation. There is no excuse for bigotry; there is always room for important lessons.
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The AFT represents 1.3 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals and other school support employees, higher education faculty, nurses and other healthcare workers, and state and local government employees.
Rutgers Council of AAUP Chapters is affiliated nationally with the American Federation of Teachers and American Association of University Professors. The organization represents over 5,500 members at Rutgers University, including full-time faculty, graduate student employees, part-time lecturers and professional staff at the Camden, Newark, and New Brunswick campuses.
