The president of the nation’s second-largest teachers union received a wave of social media criticism when she announced she was visiting the border of Ukraine after Russian missiles peppered several Ukrainian cities.
Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, announced Monday on Twitter that she woke up that morning to “reports of disgusting Russian missile strikes in Kyiv, Lviv and other cities” and that she was headed to the Ukrainian border to “assess the situation.”
FAIRFAX SCHOOL DUBS COLUMBUS ‘RUTHLESS’ VILLAIN IN TEACHING MATERIALS: REPORT
Woke up this am to reports of disgusting Russian missile strikes in Kyiv, Lviv & other cities.Heading to the border now to assess the situation. This Russian attempt to frighten civilians & the effect on children (who are learning online today) is why this ?? trip is so important https://t.co/dUVOxsdwRQ
— Randi Weingarten ???????? (@rweingarten) October 10, 2022
“This Russian attempt to frighten civilians and the effect on children (who are learning online today) is why this [Ukraine] trip is so important,” Weingarten wrote in the tweet.
In a video shared by AFT’s Twitter account, Weingarten revealed that she was visiting the war-torn nation at the invitation of the Ukrainian teachers union.
AFT President @rweingarten is in Ukraine today at the invitation of the Ukrainian teachers union. This is part of the continued work our union has done to support Ukrainian teachers and students during this war. pic.twitter.com/vZpzeAS1iL
— AFT (@AFTunion) October 10, 2022
The tweet prompted a flurry of criticism of Weingarten, with many wondering why the president of a U.S. teachers union was focusing her public advocacy efforts on the Russia-Ukraine war.
“Why in the world is the teacher’s union head who kept American schools remote for two years in Ukraine Tweeting about Ukrainian school kids being forced to attend remote schools? This is next level tone deaf insanity,” radio host and OutKick founder Clay Travis wrote.
Why in the world is the teacher’s union head who kept American schools remote for two years in Ukraine Tweeting about Ukrainian school kids being forced to attend remote schools? This is next level tone deaf insanity. https://t.co/WvPJGriBYP
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 10, 2022
“Can you just assess the situation of failing to properly educate millions of children here?” wrote Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Federation for Children.
can you just assess the situation of failing to properly educate millions of children here https://t.co/nOE3GVmzFQ
— Corey A. DeAngelis (@DeAngelisCorey) October 10, 2022
Other users noted that Weingarten had pushed for extended school closures in the United States during the pandemic, forcing students into extended remote learning.
In Ukraine, kids got stuck with extended remote learning because of an actual war.
In America kids got stuck with extended remote learning because of Randi Weingarten. https://t.co/w3bcMHwvOv
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) October 10, 2022
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“In Ukraine, kids got stuck with extended remote learning because of an actual war,” another user wrote. “In America kids got stuck with extended remote learning because of Randi Weingarten.”
