Educators share powerful stories on Capitol Hill

Eager to share their experiences as dedicated educators, 125 AFT members hailing from 21 states and territories descended on Capitol Hill Thursday. Knowing the dire consequences of chronic underfunding—and fearing further cuts as the Trump administration dismantles the U.S. Department of Education—these members were ready to inform lawmakers about the state of public schools in our nation, exercise their democratic muscle, and make their voices heard about the most pressing educational issues and policies today.

“Go in there as the custodians of our future. Go in there with anguish, with compassion, with empathy—go in there with pride,” said AFT Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus as she spoke to the crowd of educators enthused about rallying together on the Hill as part of Lobby Day, the union’s biennial lobbying event scheduled a day before the organization’s signature professional conference, AFT TEACH.

“You are demonstrating the deepest truth of organized labor,” DeJesus said. “Together, juntos, we can achieve so much more than we can achieve separately. Your stories are the single most powerful tool you have when you meet these officials.”

Members shared how Trump’s big, ugly reconciliation bill betrays our students, parents and public schools. They described how it siphons federal funds from underfunded public schools toward a national school voucher program, and how the bill slashes Medicaid funding that supports school health staffers and services for disabled students. This awful bill, which President Trump signed into law July 4, even makes hungry kids go hungrier as they are forced out of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Xochitl Brown, a teacher and curriculum planner with the Monroe Federation of Teachers and School Employees in Louisiana, shared how many of the students at her school will go hungrier as a result of the Trump administration’s heinous actions. “I see all these kids that eat lunch free, and I think: what are some of them going to do when these SNAP programs get cut? Are we really going to take food away from already hungry kids?”

Brown also raised concerns about inadequate teacher pay. She spoke of how many recent college grads become teachers but quickly leave the profession as they realize they can make more money—while working fewer hours—elsewhere. Such high turnover rates don’t build the foundation we need for strong public schools.

“A lot of young people start as educators. But then they leave because they can make more somewhere in another field. I made some $26,000 in my first year teaching. It’s an insult to educators when we pay them pennies,” said Brown. In America today, 17 percent of public school teachers take on second jobs, and 16.6 percent make less than $40,000 in their starting year.

Lillian Sims, who flew in with members of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers/Cincinnati Federation of Office Professionals Local 1520, spoke of the detrimental effects of the national voucher program that recently became law.

“Some of the funding that would be going to our public schools is now going to charter schools and private schools. Our team did a letter writing campaign to our congressmen urging them to oppose these programs—and today we’re looking to continue that campaign in person,” said Sims. Expressing frustration with Ohio lawmakers, she spoke of research indicating that vouchers support wealthy Americans who already send their kids to private schools and hurt students in underfunded public schools.

Union members urged the lawmakers and their staff to release the funding that the Trump administration is withholding. The funding, which totals over $6 billion, supports migrant education, English language learners, modern learning centers, adult education and other vital services. Cutting it is an attack on America’s educators and families.

Members also fought against Trump’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, which abandons public schools and cuts about $7 billion in K-12 educational programs that support marginalized students across our nation.

“Today, we are going to the people’s house,” said DeJesus, “and we are going to share with them a piece of our lives.”

[Ted Bergman]