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Dear Professionals,

Thank you for considering the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers.  The mission of FCFT is to provide excellent service and comprehensive support to our members while boldly working to improve salaries, conditions, and benefits for all employees of Fairfax County Public Schools. 

Our ability to fulfill this mission is rooted in who we are and—most importantly—in what we do. Let me to tell you a little about us.

FCFT is a professional organization.  This means that we advocate for practitioners in the field of education—teachers, instructional assistants, and support staff.

¨  We talk to School Board members and attend School Board meetings and work sessions.

¨  We watch school policy as it develops and provide input throughout the process.

¨  We lobby on the regional, state, and federal levels on issues of concern to Fairfax County teachers.

¨  We bring our members’ issues—your input—to the people who can do something about them.

FCFT is a union.  This means that we work together to do things that we would not be able to do as individuals.

¨  We monitor school regulations and keep you informed of your rights as employees.

¨  We hold seminars for members on issues such as classroom discipline, employee evaluations, and professional development.

¨  We give our new members a $10,000 life insurance policy, free for their first year.

¨  We advise and assist members with grievances against their schools or the county.

¨  We draw on the considerable resources of the American Federation of Teachers and AFL-CIO Legal Defense Fund to provide our members with free legal representation and $3 million in tort insurance in cases of school-related legal complaints.

¨  We help members nearing retirement get the most from their benefits package.

¨  We keep the powers-that-be honest.

FCFT is your voice.  This means that we communicate with you and we communicate for you.  Your concerns are our concerns.  When you join FCFT, you put your voice into action.  But when you withhold your support, our ability to advocate for you is diminished and may soon be lost.  While your money may stay in your pocket, you stay on your own.

Now that you’ve seen something of what we do and what we stand for, here is just some of what we have planned for the coming year.

Salary increases.  Our first and most important goal this year is a substantial salary increase—30% over the next three years.  We have already made the first overtures to the Fairfax County School Board and incoming Superintendent Jack Dale, and we will continue lobbying and negotiating throughout the school year.

The Board (and much of the country) sees Fairfax County as America’s number-one school district.  Shouldn’t you be paid that way?

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Solidarity.  Beginning this summer, FCFT is taking the unprecedented step of reaching out to other professional organizations in the county.  We hope that the development of solidarity among all professionals—along with our efforts to bring unaffiliated employees into professional membership—will strengthen our voice and, ultimately, improve our ability to serve this community.

Getting you involved.  Educating America’s youth is not just a job; it is a profession—uniquely demanding and singularly worthy.  Associations like FCFT further legitimize our work by encouraging teacher involvement in educational policymaking, stimulating healthy debate on vital issues, and fostering a firm commitment to students and the field.

Working in schools can also be an extremely risky endeavor, living as we do in an increasingly litigious and socially divided country.  FCFT protects its members and fully supports them in school-related legal concerns.  We scout the educational landscape, looking for dangers and defending your interests along the way.

So even though Virginia is one of the few states that do not require union membership, we believe all Fairfax County school employees need to belong to a professional organization.  Now, we would never insist that you only look at FCFT.  We strongly urge you, however, to give our organization serious consideration.  Ask questions, compare us with other groups, and—for your own good—get involved with an organization that serves both you and the profession.

Thank you for your service to Fairfax County students.  We wish you an exciting and productive beginning to your school year, and we hope to be able to serve you in the future.

Sincerely,

Mark Glaser, Ph.D.

President, Fairfax County Federation of Teachers