Congratulations to President Donna Jackson, Detroit Federation of Paraprofessionals, Local 2350, for receiving the inaugural Ruby Newbold award at this year's AFT PSRP Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Donna has served as DFP president for the past 13 years, having started her career in the district in 2005. The DFP represents paraeducators, noon hour aides, and school culture facilitators in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. Upon receiving this award, Donna says she was so surprised and honored. What makes this even more special is the connection between Donna Jackson and Ruby Newbold. Both women served as presidents of their locals within the Detroit Public Schools at the same time. The award was created to honor the late Ruby Newbold and her dedication to advocating for the most vulnerable students and the school employees who supported them. It's clear that President Jackson shares that passion as she is committed to fighting for what our students need and what our union brothers, sisters, and siblings deserve.

The DFT joins the community in expressing our sorrow for the former long-time president of the DAEOE, Ruby Newbold. She served as president of the Detroit Association of Educational Office Employees, Local 4168, affectionately called the “clericals union”. She was a labor activist her entire career, from her start as a payroll clerk with the Detroit Public Schools until her retirement in 2018. During her long career she served in various capacities with AFT Detroit, the Coalition of DPS Unions, AFT Michigan and even with AFT National. Here in Detroit the DFT appreciated the support she lent on the many collaborative initiatives for the membership and the community, such as Nutrition Night, Literacy Camp and First Book. She has left her mark on the legacy of the labor movement not just locally, but statewide and across the country. We send our condolences to her son, Demetrius, and his family.

Here is more about the career  of labor activist, Ruby Newbold, written by AFT National: https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-president-randi-weingarten-celebr…

Jason Posey has been an active member of the Detroit Federation of Teachers for nearly 20 years. In 2003, he began his career at Coleman A. Young Elementary School where he taught second and third grades and was elected Alternate Building Representative. Jason also served as Alternate and Building Representative at Noble Elementary-Middle School for many years.

In 2014, Jason was elected to his first of five terms as an AFT Convention Delegate. Later that same year, he was elected to serve the first of five terms on the DFT Executive Board. Beginning in 2019, he was selected to serve as one of DFT’s inaugural Organizing Fellows. The organizing fellows program has increased the DFT membership as well as built capacity within the union by training and assisting building representatives and our rank and file members.

Unionism is deeply rooted in Jason’s family. His mother was a DFT member for 21 years prior to becoming a district administrator. His grandfather was a proud UAW-Chrysler member for over 30 years. His grandmother was a member of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union. His aunts were members of the Communication Workers of America; one of them serving as shop steward.

Jason is honored to be voted as one of DFT Vice-Presidents and humbled to be selected by the DFT Executive Board to serve as Executive Vice-President.

Professionally, Jason is prouder of nothing more than his advocacy and representation of the members of the Detroit Federation of Teachers.

Jason is a graduate of the University of Detroit Jesuit High School. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Michigan. 

Jason shares his home with his wife, Jessica, who is also an educator and his four year old daughter Lauren.

Please click the link, March 2021 Executive Board Meeting Minutes, to view and download the minutes. 

Please click the link, March 2021 General Membership Meeting Agenda to view and download the agenda. 

At the AFT National Convention in Houston, DFT President, Lakia Wilson-Lumpkins, was elected to be one of the vice presidents to serve on the union's executive council. This will be her first term serving in this position. She joins 42 other vice presidents who sit on the executive council, including AFT Michigan president, Terrence Martin. Wilson-Lumpkins is thrilled to be elected by her fellow AFT delegates to this position. The AFT is governed by its elected officials, all of whom were reelected to their positions:  President Randi Weingarten, Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick Ingram and Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus, the 43 AFT vice presidents on the Executive Council. 

Five divisions within the AFT represent the broad spectrum of AFT's membership; PK-12 teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; nurses and other healthcare professionals; and federal, state and local government employees along with 80,000 early childhood educators and 250,000 retiree members. The AFT, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, was founded in 1916 and today represents 1.8 million members in more than 3,000 local affiliates nationwide.

We are so excited to announce that not one, but two, book giveaways from AFT National are on their way to us. One location is courtesy of the Detroit Federation of Teachers; the other is sponsored by the Hamtramck Federation of Teachers. It is going to be a morning filled with fun and festivities for everyone! Join us in Detroit on Saturday, April 27 from 9:00 a.m.--12 noon at the Temple of Faith Baptist Church (Activity Building) at 9351 Forrer Street in Detroit. Join us in Hamtramck on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. --2 p.m. at the Hamtramck Community Center, 11350 Charest Street.  It is first come, first serve. These 15,000+ books are going to go fast!

More great news: 

AFT National Secretary-Treasurer, Fedrick C. Ingram will be coming to both Detroit and Hamtramck to be a part of the day's events. What a great opportunity for our members to meet with him. We have invited members of our community to stop by so you'll never know who you will see here.

Be sure to mark Saturday, April 27 on your calendar and let's make sure our students get these high quality books that they need

Click here for the Detroit flyer in English: 

Click here for the Detroit  flyer in Spanish: 

Click here for the Hamtramck flyer in English: 

Click here for the Hamtramck flyer in Arabic: 

Click here for the Hamtramck flyer in Bengali: