Following its call for public school teachers in Chicago to strike for a fairer contract, the Chicago Teachers Union organized a solidarity rally at Union Park where thousands of teachers and supporters gathered for spirited speeches, chants, and musical performances. The rally culminated with a march into the city’s West Side, signifying a “take back” of the neighborhoods hit hardest by the Chicago Board of Education’s decision to close at least 80 schools.

The Chicago Teachers Union went on strike on Monday after contract negotiations with the Board of Education failed to produce a contract that would address the concerns of the union’s 25,000 teachers. The striking teachers demand better funding for schools in low-income neighborhoods, reasonable pay increases in line with the longer school days, a moratorium on citywide school closures, and a new evaluation system that more accurately assesses a teacher’s performance in the classroom. Both parties have acknowledged a framework has been set but there has not yet been a formal agreement. The strike will continue until Tuesday at the earliest.

At the solidarity rally, teachers from Wisconsin and Minnesota addressed the crowd and praised the Chicago Teachers Union for holding firm and leading the nation’s labor movement. Union president Karen Lewis closed the ceremony with a galvanizing speech, making it clear that Chicago’s teachers will continue to challenge the city’s current school system until education reform becomes a first priority.

The solidarity rally’s stage organizers and emcees reorder the list of scheduled speakers.

Striking teachers chant during the Chicago Teachers Union solidarity rally on Saturday held at Union Park on the city’s Near West Side. [Read more...]