Who is Randi Weingarten? Rhonda “Randi” Weingarten (born December 18, 1957) is an American labor leader, attorney, and educator. She is president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and a member of the AFL–CIO. She is the former president of the United Federation of Teachers. Why is she important regarding K-12 education? In May 2021, it was revealed that Randi Weingarten, the leader of the nation's second-largest teachers union, significantly influenced Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on reopening schools earlier that year. In the lead-up to the “highly anticipated” Feb. 12, 2021 guidelines, the union president and another top union official were … [Read more...]