Author
David Hecker: Students should be taught the truth about Rosa Parks and other civil rights leaders
The myth: Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus to a white man because she was physically tired. The truth: As Advance readers know, the truth is that Rosa Parks was not physically tired, but was tired of the humiliation, the second-class status; that Rosa Parks was an activist, the […]
David Hecker: What does Damar Hamlin have to do with worker safety? More than you think.
When Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest on the football field a few weeks ago, fans and fellow players alike looked on in horror — while NFL officials were ready to get back to business. The coaches of both the Bills and their opponents, the Cincinnati Bengals, insisted on postponing the game, but […]
David Hecker: We need to work together to protect the health of kids and workers this winter
Cold and flu season is here — and this year, respiratory viruses are running rampant among children in Michigan and across the country. With COVID still a factor and RSV and influenza on the rise, we’re seeing alarming rates of these illnesses in our kids, resulting in overcrowded hospitals and difficulty getting treatment. Naturally, schools […]
David Hecker: After the election, let’s celebrate, analyze and build a better Michigan
Last week’s election results were astounding. For the first time in my 39 years in Michigan, stalwart allies of public education and working people are the majority in both the Michigan Senate and House and Gretchen Whitmer will be our governor for four more years. Moreover, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana […]
David Hecker: How you can make your voice heard this election
We hear it every time there’s an election year: Get out and vote to effect change in your communities. And it’s true; voting is one of the most important tools we have to put our political values into practice. You can bet I’ll be casting a ballot this November — but voting is just one […]
David Hecker: We can debate issues, but public education shouldn’t be a political war zone
As a union representing educators, we have a vested interest in public policy, and therefore politics. And as a union, AFT Michigan has received our fair share of criticism from people who believe politics do not belong in education. At best, the claims that we should keep education and politics separate are somewhat misguided. At […]
David Hecker: Corporations should stop funding politicians who back voter suppression
Sometimes it is hard to live our values. We try hard to do so, and I for one, know that at times I falter. But while slipping at times is understandable, there are lines we must strive never to cross. Voting rights is not a complicated issue. It’s a question of fundamental values — justice, […]
David Hecker: Here’s why canceling student debt matters
For decades, teenagers have been sold a version of the American dream centered around college education: They’ll go to school, graduate with a degree, and find enough success in their chosen field to pay off their debts and thrive financially. Parts of this are true, and some lucky few may have this exact experience — […]
David Hecker: We must fight back against attacks on LGBTQ+ kids and adults
Right now, I am worried. Like many others in Michigan and across the country, I’ve seen the onslaught of homophobic and transphobic attacks coming at LGBTQ+ kids and adults from all angles, and I know the impact this kind of bigotry can have on people who are already marginalized. In just the past few weeks […]
David Hecker: We must fight back against the DeVos education agenda
Michiganders have known for a long time that the DeVos family is a threat to public education. Over the years, Betsy DeVos has been extremely active in the conservative movement to undermine public education and funnel taxpayer dollars into non-public schools, including her track record as former President Trump’s secretary of Education advancing this reckless […]
David Hecker: Here’s how we can improve our classrooms and our climate
Educators and schools play a critical role in preparing our kids for the future and giving them the skills they’ll need to thrive. But education doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and our students’ future will be shaped by more than what they learn from their textbooks. Right now, the climate crisis is one of the […]
David Hecker: Student teachers deserve to be paid for their work
Many of us have fond memories of student teachers from our time in K-12 education. These students and aspiring educators joined our classrooms — and for several months, did the work of a full-time teacher, from planning lessons to managing the class on a day to day basis. But what many students who have spent […]