[Peace-discuss] Solidarity Event for the 26, 000 Striking Chicago Teachers!!!

[E. Wayne Johnson]

Not even Air Conditioning?  Zomfg!!!  Hoodathunkit?
I know, I know.  An environment "Conducive to Learning".  Sort of a 
Mantra it is.
See also: "It's for the Kids".  Are we convinced yet?

While I am highly sympathetic with the situation and plight of the 
Graduate Teaching Assistants, and
once upon a time, came out and spoke in their favour, I have less than 
Zero Minus sympathy
for the fat cats that comprise the CTU.

I understand that the goal is a) to head off some sort of precedent 
effect and b) precipitate a serious crisis.

While I would certainly not want to work or live in Chicago or its 
public school system even
9 nanoseconds per year let alone the whole school year, I should not 
feel convinced that the CTU are the good guys
in this struggle, even though their direct opponents are likely neither 
nice nor good.

Perhaps one of the smartest moves the CTU could make is to quickly 
remove its leadership and apologise.

Like that is going to happen.

I am sure that I am highly confused and understand the matter very 
poorly, but I
don't think that Old Mother pHubbard is hoarding a vast trove of bones 
in her cupboard
for these CTU dogs (cats).

This could get Ugly, and the outcome is uncertain.


On 9/11/2012 4:06 AM, Daniel Werst wrote:
> Hi,
> I am a member of the campus branch of the International Socialist 
> Organization, and we are holding a meeting this week on Wednesday at 7 
> PM to build solidarity action for the 26,000 Chicago teachers who are 
> currently on strike against efforts by the city to make them easier to 
> fire based on standardized test results while the district chooses not 
> to provide many students with art or music classes, AP classes, decent 
> class sizes, or even air conditioning!
> We have lined up a CTU teacher to speak by Skype, and we have also 
> spoken to the Graduate Employees Union here at U of I, who will 
> provide the second speaker. The GEO is fighting back against attacks 
> on the pay and working conditions of Teaching Assistants who are 
> commonly forced to live on $14,000 a year while handling big classes 
> and making the university work.
> Our second goal is to car pool to Chicago this Saturday to join 
> thousands of teachers, students, parents, and labor activists in a 
> rally. Hopefully they will be celebrating a victory in the strike or 
> else continuing the struggle and only getting stronger! This meeting 
> should bring together as many supporters of labor and people concerned 
> for good public education as possible.
> CTU Solidarity Rally:
> Wednesday September 12th at 7PM
> 1028 Lincoln Hall on Campus
> In Solidarity,
> Daniel Werst
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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