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Thursday, September 13, 2012

Why We Can’t Talk About Real Education Reform, in Chicago or Anywhere Else « Student Activism

Why We Can’t Talk About Real Education Reform, in Chicago or Anywhere Else « Student Activism:


Why We Can’t Talk About Real Education Reform, in Chicago or Anywhere Else

Sarah Jaffe has a great new piece up dismantling a bunch of complaints about the Chicago teachers’ union and their strike. The whole thing is well worth reading, but I wanted to piggyback on one particular bit.
Jaffe quotes Times columnist Joe Nocera’s claim that “the status quo, which is what the Chicago teachers want, is clearly unacceptable,” and responds with this:
“Here’s a deep-seated bit of ideology that’s really worth unpacking for a second. This is the image of unions in the American psyche these days. Most people think of them as little-c conservative institutions holding