The American Federation of School Administrators is concerned about the quality of life in our cities. The Federation believes that policies and programs must be designed to promote and improve urban development, economic growth, zoning, land use, mass transit, rent subsidy and other issues vitally affecting urban community development. The Federation also feels that professional organizations, business, and the government should form partnerships to help improve our urban areas.

The American Federation of School Administrators believes that it is the job of staff, faculty, students and the community to create and maintain a safe and orderly school environment. Students and faculty should be safe from physical, verbal, and psychological violence or the threat thereof. The Federation feels that each school district should have a written discipline policy that has a fair and equitable enforcement procedure that is consistently enforced.

The American Federation of School Administrators believes that public schools should be used as resources for the local community. Programs that offer adult education, parenting, family counseling, and other extracurricular activities are appropriate activities for before and after school programs offered at public school buildings. The Federation strongly believes that closed public school facilities that have been deemed safe can also be used effectively for public preschool, day care, job training centers and adult education centers.

The American Federation of School Administrators is committed to protect and to fight for the human and civil rights of children, youth, and adults. The Federation calls upon all Americans to eliminate by statute and practice barriers to race, color, national origin, religion, philosophical beliefs, political beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, size, marital status, and economic status that prevent some individuals, adult or juvenile, from exercising rights enjoyed by others, including liberties decreed in common law, the constitution, and statutes of the United States.

The American Federation of School Administrators believes that all students must have an environment that is conducive to learning. The physical infrastructure of our nations schools must meet a variety of needs including the ability to accommodate the number of students, accessibility for persons with disabilities, conducive to changing teaching methods and instruction, technology implementation, and meet all health and safety requirements. School facilities must also be well constructed, energy efficient, and aesthetically pleasing.

The American Federation of School Administrators believes that the school principal is the educational leader of a school and all final decisions rest with that individual. However, the Federation feels that there are many different ways to govern a school and supports the implementation of innovative strategies and policies that are based on contractual/formal agreements between school districts and local affiliates. The Federation believes that the scope of such programs can enhance a learning environment, but that they should not usurp the final authority of the principal.

The American Federation of School Administrators believes that public school faculty and students should be safe from physical, verbal, and psychological violence. The Federation feels that school leaders should be given the authority to deal with and/or remove disruptive students from the school. The Federation believes that school districts must provide alternative education placement programs for those students who are dangerous to other students and education employees.

The American Federation of School Administrators believes that vouchers, tuition tax credits and other funding schemes designed to subsidize nonpublic pre-K through 12 school education with taxpayer monies undermines our nations commitment to a free equitable public education for all students. Such plans undermine public support for public education, reduce already limited funding resources, and have the potential for racial, economic, and social segregation of children. The Federation opposes any attempt to establish and/or implement such plans.

The American Federation of School Administrators believes that all students have the right to a free public education and that those institutions must be accredited under uniform standards established by the appropriate agencies. Furthermore, that education should be suited to the individual students needs and circumstances and guaranteed by state constitutions and the U.S. Constitution.

The American Federation of School Administrators believes that every student should not fail to get an education due to health and/or welfare needs. To ensure that every child comes to school ready to learn, every student should have access to a comprehensive health care system that provides direct and confidential access to properly licensed physicians and other licensed health care professionals. The Federation also feels that state governments and the federal government must do more to help alleviate the problems associated with poverty.