Teachers union head quits Democratic Party post in leadership dispute

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The head of a prominent U.S. teachers union resigned from her position in the Democratic Party on Sunday, saying she was “out of step” with its leadership. 

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers union, told Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin that she has turned down his offer to serve as an at-large member of the committee, a role she has held since 2002. 

“I appear to be out of step with the leadership you are forging,” Weingarten wrote in a letter. “I do not want to be the one who keeps questioning why we are not enlarging our tent and actively trying to engage more and more of our communities.”

Weingarten had backed a rival candidate, Ben Wikler, against Martin in a leadership election and had been removed from the rules and bylaws committee.   

Her resignation comes three days after the committee’s vice chair, gun-control activist David Hogg, left the body after clashing with leadership over his plans to help finance progressive primary challenges to incumbent elected officials.

DNC Vice Chair Malcolm Kenyatta told MSNBC that he respected Weingarten’s decision “in this moment” and was confident that she would continue to fight for working Americans.

“I think people are sick of hearing about drama at the DNC,” he said, adding that he would continue working with Martin to rebuild the party and ensuring it served its members.

A source close to the DNC, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Weingarten’s resignation did not come as a surprise given her backing of Wikler. A spokesperson for Weingarten declined to comment.

The AFT represents 1.7 million education workers, making it one of the largest U.S. labor unions.

(Reporting by Valerie Volcovici, Andrea Shalal, Nathan Layne and Andy Sullivan; Editing by Michael Perry and Christian Schmollinger)