On Both Sides of the Border, Teachers Fight Corporatization | MyFDL

On Both Sides of the Border, Teachers Fight Corporatization | MyFDL:

On Both Sides of the Border, Teachers Fight Corporatization

by Michelle Chen

The Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación has been fighting for greater respect for Mexican teachers, often against the country's teachers union itself. (Saúl Arroyo Morales / CNTE)

Last month, the success of the Chicago teachers’ strike forced the mainstream media to present a rare picture of public school teachers: as organized, defiant and victorious. But prior to the Chicago teachers winning a major deal, there was no shortage of dismissive, condescending and misleading coverage of teachers unions.
Recently, that disdainful media gaze has turned southward. Various outlets–public radio, USA Today,McClatchy, the Economist and Washington Post–have depicted the Mexican teachers union as a sinister force in the national struggle over public education policy. The reports generally focus on Mexico’s poor academic performance in international rankings and zero in on the “boss” of the National Education Workers’ Union