SB7. “Bold reforms” or a “bitter pill that is far from perfect?”
One of the more troubling aspects of the way that the IEA President Ken Swanson has spun the surrender of seniority rights in Senate Bill 7 is the way he uses the Chicago Teachers Union as a cover against criticism.
For years, a minority of IEA activists have fought for greater unity with the IFT and the CTU while the leadership of the IEA resisted it. Now they act as if any criticism of their policies is an attack on the Chicago union.
But let’s compare the way the leadership of the IEA characterized what came out of the agreement and how the CTU’s President, Karen Lewis characterized it.
Ken Swanson, President of the IEA:
We are proud that bold reforms we supported are a part of this bill. From day one, our organizations came to the table and advocated for changes that put
