Teach-in aids fight to stop school closings

With Chicago poised to shut down or overhaul 14 of its public schools, the Chicago Teachers Union hosted a “teach-in” day of community organizing workshops for more than 500 parents, community organizers and union members to bolster grassroots opposition to closings. Such grassroots training worked for the union before, helping spare at least a dozen schools from closing under an earlier restructuring effort.

The teach-in followed pledges from nine neighborhood groups to fight shutdowns of poorly-performing schools in their communities.

The school board will vote on the restructuring plan in February, leaving teachers time to rally support for the targeted schools with demonstrations and vigils at school board meetings and other sites, union President Karen Lewis said.

Chicago Tribune, Nov. 23, Dec. 4
Chicago Teachers Union blog, Dec. 5