IGP Hosts AFT President Randi Weingarten to Discuss ‘Why Fascists Fear Teachers’
On April 20, the Institute of Global Politics (IGP) American Democracy Initiative and the Urban and Social Policy Concentration at Columbia SIPA hosted American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten to discuss her new book, Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy. Weingarten, who is also an attorney and educator, addressed the current state of public education, the federal government’s attacks on teachers nationwide, and the role of labor unions in organizing democratic movements.
Alexander Hertel-Fernandez, Herbert H. Lehman Professor of Government and director of the IGP American Democracy Initiative, opened the event by highlighting organized labor’s influential role in strengthening democratic efforts. Ester Fuchs, professor of international and public affairs, served as moderator.
Drawing on her experience teaching high school social studies, Weingarten situated public education within a broader historical context, emphasizing its role in sustaining democracy. Going back to the founding of the US Constitution, she noted that the framers recognized the need for an informed public: “They understood the importance of education and for the public to understand how to be active civic citizens.” She added that education was about cultivating a deeper understanding by asking “how” and “why” questions, distinguishing fact from fiction, and thinking critically about political life.
Turning to the present, however, Weingarten offered a sober assessment of public education’s current state, unpacking government attacks on individual educators and the chilling effect on the K-12 education system. To help explain the motivations behind these attacks, she argued that authoritarian tendencies often rely on four pillars: division, fear, apathy, and isolation.
In contrast, she emphasized that classrooms function as these pillars’ natural opposites: spaces grounded in pluralism, critical thinking, and collective engagement. As Weingarten stated, “A classroom creates the habits of democracy that bring people together in a safe, welcoming environment.” It also brings together diverse students, creating a “mini-society” where individuals learn to engage across differences and develop habits essential to democratic life. This pluralism, she argued, is as vital as critical thinking itself, as it fosters equity of opportunity and prepares students for participation in a broader society.
Shifting from diagnosis to response, Weingarten pointed to teacher unions’ role in responding to democratic backsliding, highlighting the AFT’s involvement in organizing the ‘No Kings’ demonstrations – a series of protests responding to perceived threats of authoritarian governance. She described the movement’s shift to decentralization as a means of broadening participation, noting that nonviolent demonstrations can reduce political isolation by signaling to participants that they are not alone in their concerns.
Drawing from this example, she expressed cautious optimism that renewed organizing efforts could strengthen democratic institutions in the lead-up to the upcoming elections, pointing to Hungary, South Korea, and Minnesota as instructive examples of democratic uprisings against authoritarian governments. As she put it, “In the liminal space, I believe something great can happen.”
Across these efforts, Weingarten emphasized the shared challenge of creating durable forms of civic connection that cut across coalitions. Although many people lack accessible pathways for collective action, the key, she suggested, is connection: building structures that allow individuals to see themselves as part of a larger democratic project.