I appreciate and admire Randi Weingarten’s willingness to engage in a discussion about American Educator and the American Federation of Teacher’s role in education. I share her admiration of the journal’s nearly half-century legacy and thank her for her leadership in programs like Reading Universe, and the union’s generosity in giving away books to schools and families. However, her response misses the core of my critique. My piece didn’t question how American Educator uses its pages; its focus on research and instruction remains a strength. Rather, I suggested that Weingarten’s public voice as AFT president leans almost exclusively into political and cultural issues, overshadowing or eliding entirely the instructional challenges teachers face daily—challenges that the AFT, more than nearly any other institution in education, has both the standing and (as American Educator vividly illustrates) the institutional knowledge to advocate and address. As I noted previously, she’s free to use her “Where We Stand” column as she sees fit, but its focus and tone can feel so distinct from the journal’s valuable evidence-based content that readers might wonder if they stem from the same organization.
This critique isn’t offered in anger but in sorrow. As union president, Weingarten has every right—even an obligation—to weigh in on matters beyond teaching, from democracy to social policy. That’s a given. But it seems uncontroversial to suggest that channeling some of her vast energy toward highlighting the kind of work American Educator does could make teachers’ jobs easier and more impactful. Yet her X feed and public statements frequently prioritize topics like elections or health care over curriculum or pedagogy. Her column follows suit, favoring political advocacy over instructional insights. Ironically, Weingarten cites Share My Lesson as a point of pride, but that doesn’t answer the critique, it amplifies it: Without high-quality, coherent curricula, teachers—her members—must scramble for materials, making their work harder. Share My Lesson isn’t a triumph. Teachers’ lives, job satisfaction, and student outcomes would improve if such a platform weren’t needed.
If Weingarten’s used her platform, even part of the time, to amplify American Educator’s instructional focus, it could inspire a profession-wide renewal. That possibility remains within reach.
