'The Nation' looks at Chicago... A Teacher's perspective after reading Rich Perlstein's recent article in
In the first paragraph of The Nation's July 22nd feature article, Chicago Rising: A Resurgent Protest Culture takes on Rahm Emanuel's Austerity Agenda, journalist Rick Perlstein notes that 54 Chicago Public Schools were on the chopping block as of the close of the school year. "150 activist assembled at Jesse owns Community Academy." This march marks Perlstein's point of departure for revealing a much larger context, "a (working) bona fide, citywide protest culture."
He was also impressed to see students participating: "...a clutch of 10-year olds bearing handmade signs joined in and got turns at the bullhorn." Here is what they yelled - first line: "We need teachers, we need books." Here was the well-rehearsed second line: "We need the money that Rahhhhhhm took!"
Although this commentator would have liked an even more detailed account of the organization of the Chicago Teachers' Union, of the work of the inspiring leadership of CTU president Karen Lewis, and at least mention of the forceful journalism of Substance, at last, however, we see a national magazine credit educators for raising awareness of the corruption of Rahm Emanuel's administration. "And while ...Karen Lewis has deservedly received much of the credit (for the rebirth of the city's militant protest culture), the teachers union is just the current tip of the spear in a long and potentially transformative movement."
Choosing a side is easy in this Chicago power struggle. On the one hand we have vested corporate interests: The Mortgage Bankers Association, "the wizards responsible for wrecking the US economy," NATO and G8 Summits, and their mayor, vulgar, temper tantrum prone Rahm Emanuel.
On the other hand we see the true public servants, teachers and their organizers, and Occupy Wall Street, organized to raise awareness of the greed and corruption of the white-collared sociopaths. Perlstein exposes this for all to see. No false attempt to contrive some balance of opposing interests. How refreshing! Perlstein ends his piece with this thought: "The next battle in the global war against austerity, privatization and corruption just might spark off right here." And when it does, I might add, Substance and Karen Lewis and the Chicago's Teachers Union will be in the forefront.
[Don Perl is with The Coalition for Better Education, Inc.. www.thecbe.org. He also teaches in the Department of Hispanic Studies, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado 80639, don.perl@unco.edu, 970-351-2746].
