RURAL CONNECTION AND ENGAGEMENT

WHEREAS, the AFT represents education, healthcare, and public service members in rural parts of the country; and

WHEREAS, in 2019, the AFT passed a resolution acknowledging the challenges of rural communities and affirming that “the rural way of life is worth fighting for”; and

WHEREAS, since that time, the AFT has been working to fulfill the goals of that resolution by:

• Continuing to support projects that were already started, such as in McDowell County, W.Va., and St. Lawrence County, N.Y.;
• Supporting new projects, such as in New Lexington, Ohio;
• Granting AFT Innovation Fund grants and back-to-school grants to rural locals;
• Lifting up the work of rural locals in print and on radio;
• Holding First Book events in rural areas to help families build home libraries; and
• Working in coalition with other partners focused on rural work to create a common rural agenda that addresses the economic, health, education and social needs of rural communities in alignment with our original aspiration that “Not one more school, not one more healthcare facility, not one more post office, not one more grocery store should close on our watch”; and

WHEREAS, in spite of our work, the COVID-19 pandemic, record inflation and a rise in authoritarianism have further isolated rural communities, adding additional economic and social stress to small towns and rural communities; and

WHEREAS, our rural areas have seen an acceleration of healthcare facility closures that leave our communities without healthcare options; and

WHEREAS, instead of addressing these real needs, right-wing extremists continue to use culture-war issues in an attempt to drive wedges between our members and the people they serve and to undermine our public schools, public libraries and public services; and

WHEREAS, on the other hand, the Biden administration’s historic rural investments—such as expanded broadband, funding for rural infrastructure, and development grants for the rural green economy—are not well-known and have gone underutilized, but also have the potential to change the trajectory of many rural communities; and

WHEREAS, our members in these rural areas, whether in schools, healthcare facilities or other sectors, represent the heart and soul of their communities and small towns:

RESOLVED, that the AFT will launch and support a rural caucus with the goal of fostering deeper connection and increased visibility among AFT members who live in, thrive in, and love small towns and rural communities; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will make a special effort to highlight the ways the Real Solutions, Code Red, PSRP Bill of Rights and other AFT priority campaigns could change the trajectory of rural communities; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will redouble its efforts to foster connections between AFT locals and rural grass-roots groups, parent organizations and other constituent groups to tap into the broad support for fully funding rural public schools, healthcare facilities and public services.

Adopted May 28, 2025