CTU shows strength at May 23 rally

Thousands of Chicago Teachers Union members held a boisterous rally at the Auditorium Theatre on Wednesday afternoon, with many teachers showing support for a possible strike in the fall.

  1. At @ctulocal1 rally. #Teachers dancing around to hits like RESPECT and Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" while watching slideshow of CTU pickets.
  2. Auditorium Theater is packed and it fills with a giant roar when Karen Lewis walks onstage.
  3. Signs include "put the board members in the classroom"
  4. Earlier, video showed CTU members reminiscing about past strikes. Then, the dancing started when Solidarity Forever came over the speakers.
  5. When video clip shows news anchor asking Lewis if Rahm Emanuel is anti-teacher, the audience roars "YES!"
  6. MC: "Babies come hungry, where is that in the #CommonCore? ... Mama's not home, daddy's not home, where is that in the Common Core?"
  7. CTU officer Kristine Mayle: "Working in CPS is often a thankless task. You need to hear you're appreciated."
  8. Mayle: as a new tchr she was shocked by #CPS bureaucracy and rules "foisted upon teachers" by "millionaires" who don't send kids to CPS
  9. Mayle emphasizes need for more arts, PE teachers. Air conditioning gets one of the loudest cheers.
  10. Mayle says that "contrary to what Stand for Children has been saying this week, we have not left the bargaining table."
  11. Video features messages of support from Chicagoans talking about their own, and their children's, favorite teachers.
  12. Next speaker is Becky Malone from 19th Ward Parents. "We stand here today... in support of our schools and our teachers."
  13. Malone: CPS needs to stop aligning itself with advocacy groups like Stand for Children and Democrats for Education Reform.
  14. In park outside est. 1200 strong. Sharkey talking about growing up in small town teachers gave him dream.
  15. Next, video w messages from other unions. IFT president Dan Montgomery: "we stand with you every day for better schools."
  16. Many police officers wearing ctu stickers saying 'yes to small classes.'
  17. Cabs, buses honk in support. One police officer rose his fist in solidarity.

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Catalyst Chicago Mag

Award-winning, independent reporting on urban school reform since 1990. Published by Community Renewal Society. Sister pub: The Chicago Reporter

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