Arne Duncan knows nothing of real student needs
CTU blasts former U.S. education secretary for arguing Los Angeles teachers’ should back off demands in face of ‘lack of resources’ in state with fifth largest economy in the world. CHICAGO, January 15, 2019—Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey issued the...CTU delivers contract proposals built on demand for schools Chicago students deserve
Mayor must reverse ‘separate and unequal’ school policies, end chronic neglect of South, West side public schools, and adequately staff school nurses, clinicians, ESL services, other vital education resources. Watch video of the livestreamed press conference. CHICAGO,...Tuesday, Jan. 15: CTU to submit contract proposals built on demand to create schools Chicago students deserve
Press conference: 10:30 AM, Tuesday, January 15 Mayor’s office, 5th floor, City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St. As 33,000 LA educators strike for smaller classes, more staff, CTU calls on mayor to end separate and unequal treatment of South, West side public schools and end...
CTU to Chico: Don’t expand separate and unequal school system
Instead of expanding selective enrollment, end two-tier education and make every neighborhood school a well-resourced, sustainable community school. CHICAGO, January 10, 2019—Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey released the following statement today in...
CTU to Daley: Hands off LSCs, the only remaining bedrock of democracy in our schools
Daley’s proposal to gut LSCs is an assault on last vestiges of Harold Washington’s commitment to grassroots democracy in our schools. CHICAGO, January 10, 2019—Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey released the following statement today in...
#FactCheck: The truth behind Gery Chico’s ‘friendship’ with Chicago’s public school teachers
Mayoral candidate Chico claimed to have a good working relationship with teachers when he was handpicked by Richard M. Daley to head the Board of Ed, but a closer look at his record shows destructive school policies and profits for his outside interests at the expense...
Bill Daley has no right to meddle in public education policy
As a lifelong representative of the one percent, mayoral candidate Daley would simply extend incumbent Rahm Emanuel’s deplorable education policies, charges CTU. CHICAGO, January 8, 2018—Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey released the following...
Poll: Voters embrace CTU agenda, demand policies built on equity
Voters overwhelmingly support CTU demands for more resources, revenue for neighborhood public schools, as Preckwinkle leads among likely voters.
New Year’s greetings from the officers of the Chicago Teachers Union
The New Year holiday is grounded in reflection and hope. As a union of dedicated rank and file members, we’ve made enormous strides in the effort to bring public school students the educations they deserve and yet we still have further go. We’ve put critical issues on...
We Are One
We are teachers and clerks and counselors,
We are clinicians and students and parents,
We are the jobs that must be done
And we are One.
We are one hundred languages, many ethnicities,
All colors from dark to light,
All voices from high to low,
From soft to strong,
That flow into One Voice,
One Voice for Fairness,
One Voice for Justice,
One Voice for Equality,
One Voice for Dignity,
One Voice for Respect.
We are skills and talents, degrees and honors,
We are perseverance and patience and care,
We are experience and knowledge and insight,
We are enthusiasm and guidance and
We know who we are.
Smart, organized, purposeful.
We see the problem and we know how to solve it.
We have the Power and we know how to use it.
Our Power is thousands strong,
Our Power attracts more power, multiplies.
Our Power is the power of Fairness
That calls out hiding and deceit.
Our Power is the power of Justice
That triumphs as we love it.
Our Power is the power of Equality
That can never flow backwards.
Our Power is certain Dignity
Unalienable, for one and all.
Our Power is the power
Of our own Self-Respect
Which only we control.
We have the Power and we know how to use it.
Our Power commands Fairness for our schools, for our parents, for our students.
Our Power commands Justice for our communities.
Our Power commands Equality of access and resources.
Our Power commands Dignity for the work we honor.
Our Power commands,
And, there exists no other power which can deny,
Respect for our thousands,
Respect for our irreplaceable labor,
Respect for our determination,
Respect for our inevitable victory,
Respect for our unity because
We are One.
—L. Pion
