American Federation of Teachers: Difference between revisions

In 1974, [[Albert Shanker]] was elected president of AFT. He served in this role until his death on February 22, 1997.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news|last1=Potter|first1=Halley|last2=Kahlenberg|first2=Richard|title=The Original Charter School Vision|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/31/opinion/sunday/albert-shanker-the-original-charter-school-visionary.html?_r=0|access-date=14 September 2015|work=New York Times|date=August 30, 2014}}</ref> For 27 years, Shanker wrote a weekly column entitled "Where We Stand" that ran as an advertisement in ''[[The New York Times]]''. Shanker was an early advocate of [[charter schools]].<ref name=nyt/> He also called for a national competency test for teachers, merit pay for teachers, and more rigorous requirements for high school graduation.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Berger|first1=Joseph|title=Albert Shanker, 68, Combative Leader Who Transformed Teachers' Union, Dies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/24/nyregion/albert-shanker-68-combative-leader-who-transformed-teachers-union-dies.html|access-date=14 September 2015|work=New York Times|date=February 24, 1997}}</ref> During his tenure as AFT president, Shanker was jailed twice for leading illegal strikes.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Fiske|first1=Edward|title=Albert Shanker: Where He Stands|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/05/education/profile-albert-shanker-where-he-stands.html|access-date=14 September 2015|work=New York Times|date=November 5, 1989}}</ref>