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Rural Matters Archive

Inaugural Issue

A Future Farmers of America student presents her project to a room of adults while her teacher and fellow students look on. She has long red hair and braces and is wearing a blue jacket with the FFA logo.From Melissa Cropper: Welcome to Rural Matters

Dear Leaders,

Our communities are no strangers to hard work, resourcefulness and resilience—and neither are we. Whether we’re preparing our students for their futures, caring for patients, advocating on issues that impact our members or fighting for the resources our communities need, as rural union members, we are doing the kind of work that sustains an entire country.

We are also no strangers to feeling isolated and unheard. But that won’t happen here.

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Rural Matters, a quarterly newsletter designed specifically for the AFT’s rural leaders. This newsletter has one clear purpose: to make sure rural voices are not just heard, but valued, amplified and acted upon. It is also a call to action and a reminder that rural locals are not on the margins of this union—we are at its heart.

Read more

 

An older man wearing a blue hoodie, grey knit cap and a surgical mask looks out the window of a dilapidated building.How Medicaid cuts threaten rural healthcare

Proposed Medicaid cuts would jeopardize the sustainability of rural hospitals, leaving millions without access to necessary healthcare. With nearly 14 million rural Americans on Medicaid, budget cuts might drive hospitals to collapse, exacerbating provider shortages and reducing access to prenatal care, emergency services and chronic illness management. AFT healthcare leaders in Alaska, Montana and Washington warn of dire consequences, including overcrowded emergency rooms and economic collapse in rural communities. They are encouraging lawmakers and activists to protect Medicaid.  

A pair of scissors cuts through a twenty dollar bill.Resources: What federal budget cuts mean for your state

See how federal budget cuts will impact you and your community:

Barn Raiser: Stand up for rural public schools before it’s too late

More than 90 percent of rural students attend public schools. Our rural schools are the hubs of our small towns and rural areas, but instead of investing in our students’ futures by fully and fairly funding public schools, a national movement is pushing to funnel our funding into private school vouchers. In Ohio, the majority of private schools are in urban metro areas—many rural counties have zero or just one private school that accepts vouchers. This results in a transfer of wealth from rural communities to a private school industry that barely serves rural areas. Melissa Cropper, president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers and AFT vice president, argues in Barn Raiser that we can, and must, stand up for our rural public schools before it’s too late.

Children at Welch Elementary in McDowell County, W.Va., participate in Reading Buddy Adoption Day, an activity held to welcome them back to school after devastating floods.Take Action: Save Medicaid, SNAP and public education

Congress wants to finalize a bill that slashes healthcare and food assistance (Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP) from families, funnels public funds into private school voucher programs and gives permanent tax breaks to billionaires and corporations. Please contact your members of Congress immediately to oppose legislation that cuts Medicaid and SNAP or otherwise leaves working families behind while the rich get even richer.

A blue and white background with white and gold lettering announcing the pre-order release of AFT President Randi Weingarten's new book, "Why Fascists Fear Teachers." There is an image of the book next to the lettering. 

A woman sits on the floor with one toddler in her lap and another lying next to her. They are playing a game.

Subscribe to Rural Matters here. Share your story at RuralCaucus.eNews@action.aft.org.