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Tuesday, July 17, 2012

The Chicago teachers movement. The whole world is watching. « Fred Klonsky

The Chicago teachers movement. The whole world is watching. « Fred Klonsky:


The Chicago teachers movement. The whole world is watching.

I could have added that the whole world is watching Chicago teachers and their union.

On behalf of the Illinois delegation to the NEA RA, I presented NBI 13. I explained the reason that the entire NEA should pass a resolution specifically in support the AFT Chicago local’s current struggle with the Mayor and his hand-picked school board.
“It is a special case,” I said. “We didn’t choose it. Stand for Children, Michelle Rhee and other corporate reformers have chosen it.”

Chicago teachers don’t even have the option of appealing to the Democrats, who are their antagonists in this case. But if they are to succeed, they will need allies. The unions have strategic power, but they are too small to fight in