Ei-iE

Education International's President Susan Hopgood joined the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the American Federation of Teachers, thanking the education union “for setting an important example”, and “fighting for the public school, for equity and for democratic values”.

In her address to the AFT convention, which is taking place in Minneapolis this week, the Education International (EI) President Susan Hopgood condemned the dismissal of 15,000 teachers by the Turkish authorities yesterday. She called upon President Erdogan's  government  “to immediately cease the witch hunt in the schools and universities of Turkey”.

Hopgood stressed the crucial importance of public education for building and strengthening democracy, quoting President Franklin D. Roosevelt: “Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.”

"People should be able to make an educated, responsible choice, and distinguish fact from fiction, distinguish true political leadership from populist agitating," said Hopgood.

Hopgood warned that privatisation and commercialisation of the education sector could undermine schools responsibility to play that important role. In too many places portions of public school systems are being carved out and outsourced to private businesses, she told the convention. "We are not against private businesses. Where we draw the line is where corporations start running our schools on a for profit basis causing social inequity or where they would invade teachers’ professional space and tell us what and how to teach, or where they would establish supply lines forcing us to buy their products."

Hopgood presented to AFT, which celebrated its 100 anniversary, Education International's "Certificate of Commendation" thanking the union for setting an example to education unions around the world by its struggle for quality education for all children and social equity.