(Headline USA) Teachers union boss Randi Weingarten was appointed this week by the Biden administration to advise the Department of Homeland Security’s school safety board.
Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, was one of 20 new members appointed to the Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council, according to a press release. The council was formed last year to “provide strategic and actionable recommendations to the secretary on campus safety and security, improved coordination, research priorities, hiring, and more.”
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas lauded the decision.
“Leaders of our academic institutions and campus life have a great deal to offer in helping us counter the evolving and emerging threats to the homeland,” said Mayorkas, who has come under intense criticism for his mishandling of the southern border crisis.
Weingarten’s appointment comes despite her public role in advocating school closures during the pandemic, which have been proven to have resulted in enormous academic loss for America’s students.
Parents Defending Education Director of Outreach Erika Sanzi blasted the Biden administration for continuously rewarding Weingarten despite her “anti-parent” posture.
“Turns out that if you call concerned parents domestic terrorists and work tirelessly to keep schools closed, you qualify as an adviser to DHS,” Sanzi said. “But this is a major red flag — Randi is hyper-political and her current posture is very anti-parent.”
Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., agreed that Weingarten’s hire is a reward for “bad policy.”
“Randi Weingarten chose appeasing teacher unions over getting students back in the classroom during the pandemic,” Cline tweeted. “Now, math and reading scores for the Nation’s 13-year-olds are at the worst decline in decades. Why is DHS rewarding bad policy?”
Weingarten is sitting pretty financially from her union-wrangling. The alleged teacher, despite not having taught in a classroom for years, is due to collect a hefty taxpayer-funded New York City pension, according to the Freedom Foundation. As head of the American Federation of Teachers, Weingarten is reportedly eligible for a $15,000 annual check when she retires.
The Teachers’ Retirement System of the City of New York currently credits Weingarten with 15 years of service as a teacher, even though she only worked in a classroom for four of those years. As a result, Weingarten stands to rake in more than $200,000 when she retires.
