Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Chicago town hall for an elected school board. The spirit of Harold Washington was in the room. « Fred Klonsky

Chicago town hall for an elected school board. The spirit of Harold Washington was in the room. « Fred Klonsky:


Chicago town hall for an elected school board. The spirit of Harold Washington was in the room.



More than one speaker referred to the movement that elected Harold Washington as Chicago’s first Black mayor.
Last night’s Town Hall at the Logan Square Auditorium brought together several hundred activists to hear CTU President Karen Lewis, UIC Professor Pauline Lipman, Ames School parent activist Dalia Bonilla and columnist for the Chicago Reader Ben Joravsky.
The meeting was moderated by Will Guzzardi, whose campaign last Spring for State Representative challenged the machine candidate Toni Berrios and lost by a hundred votes.
“The teachers’ strike changed the political landscape of this city,” said Lipman.
“This is not just about legislation,” said Lewis.
Joravsky, who described himself as a skeptical cheerleader for the idea of an elected school board, noting that