Teachers for Social Justice Elected Representative School Board (ERSB) Campaign Did you know Chicago is the only school district in Illinois (of 891) without an elected school board? Enough is enough! Democracy Now!! Go to our ERSB Resource Page for updates, downloadable window signs, downloadable info-sheets and more.  The 1/9/16 Teach-In was a great success! We shared resources, got organized and made plans for this continued campaign.

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TSJ Spring General Meeting Sat, April 25, 11-1 UIC College of Education (ETMSW) 1040 W. Harrison St Room 2433 (2nd Floor) -ALL ARE WELCOME-

Agenda 1. Political Discussion: Co-Facilitated by Aja Reynolds (TSJ) and Monique Redeaux (CTU Black Caucus) Criminalizing Black teachers: Atlanta's cheating scandal and the racist underbelly of education reform We will discuss the commentary named above, written by Brittney Cooper, pls read before  coming. You can read it online here, or download it here.  2. TSJ summer and fall actions, programs, projects Elected Representative School Board Campaign. We got 90% of the votes in favor of an elected school board. Now we have to get the law changed. Learn about city-wide strategy to win an elected Board of Education, sign up to get involved TSJ Summer Inquiry to Action Groups (Itags) TSJ book club 2015 Curriculum Fair (announcement date, committees and sign up volunteers

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Public Event on Racial Profiling: From the Classroom to the Street 2229 South Halsted Street SEIU Healthcare  Chicago, IL 60608

This educational after-school event brings together a diverse group of CPS students, Chicago youth leaders, social justice organizations, CPS teachers, and other educators. This event will allow youth and educators to discuss how the events outside of school can and should shape teaching and discipline policies in schools. The event will provide some specific teaching tools that educators can use to continue the discussion/activism in schools and connect students and educators to existing social justice organizations, campaigns, and activism taking place in Chicago that is part of the larger new 21st century youth movement.  Youth from schools are encouraged to bring their teachers and teachers are encouraged to bring youth from their schools in the hope that groups pursue ongoing activity and activism both in school-through ideas like service learning projects, lessons and extracurricular activites-as well as outside of school. Individual teachers and students are also welcome to attend and participate. Co-Sponsors: Alternatives, Black Youth Project 100 - Chicago, Chicago Freedom School, Chicago Teachers Union, Mikva Challenge, Project NIA, Teachers for Social Justice, VOYCE (Voices of Youth in Chicago Education), We Charge Genocide   January 19th King Day Rally for: Elected, Representative School Board & Sustainable Community Schools Rainbow PUSH Headquarters 930 E. 50th Street 12 Noon Email here to RSVP or for further information

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(photo credit: Ervin Lopez)

On Saturday, November 22, 2014, Teachers for Social Justice (TSJ) hosted their 13th Annual Teaching for Social Justice Curriculum Fair. TSJ is an organization of educators who is committed to education for social justice. The fair brings together educators and supporters from across the county to educate and share ideas about how schools can empower students.

(photo credit: Ervin Lopez)

This year's fair focused on 'Democratize Education! Democratize Chicago!' This year, TSJ was honored to host two educators who have dedicated their lives for a just educated. Kali Akuno from Malcom X Grassroots Movement and Jackson from the Chicago Teachers Union were the keynote speakers. In addition, 15 workshops were held on issues, a few included discussing using education to resist neoliberalism, strategizing for economic and political democracy, resisting standardize tests, cop watching, among others. Also, over 60 excellent exhibitors and organizations presented their resources and curriculum to share with attendees. This year's curriculum fair attracted over 800 people. The fair  was held at North Grand High School in the North West side of Chicago.

(photo credit: Ervin Lopez)

(photo credit: Ervin Lopez)

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13th Teaching For Social Justice Curriculum Fair:  Democratize Education! Democratize Chicago!  Nov. 22   10 am to 4 pm North Grand HS 4338 W. Wabansia St., Chicago ALL ARE WELCOME!

[don't forget to register here and don't forget your water bottle!!!!] TSJ Curriculum Fair KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:    Kali Akuno-an organizer, educator, and writer for human rights and social justice. He is an organizer for the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (www.mxgm.org) and former Co-Director of the US Human Rights Network (www.ushrnetwork.org). Kali also served as the Executive Director of the Peoples' Hurricane Relief Fund based in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. And he was a co-founder of the School of Social Justice and Community Development, a public school serving the academic needs of low-income African American and Latino communities in Oakland, CA. Kali has authored many articles and pamphlets on how government counterinsurgency, state violence, the drug war, mass incarceration and neoliberalism impact Black communities. Two of his most recent works include, Operation Ghetto Storm: Every 28 Hours and Let Your Motto Be Resistance: A Handbook on Organizing New Afrikan and Oppressed Communities for Self-Defense. Kali recently served as the Coordinator of Special Projects and External Funding in Jackson, MS in the administration of the late Mayor Chokwe Lumumba. He is also a co-founder and coordinator of Cooperation Jackson, an emerging network of worker and consumer cooperatives in Jackson (www.CooperationJackson.org). Jackson Potter is a Chicago Public Schools graduate. He was a high school activist who led a walk-out at Whitney Young HS in 1995 to push for equitable funding for schools in Illinois. After college he worked at Englewood High School and was the union delegate there and joined a rank-and-file group of teachers to form the Renaissance 2010 committee within the Chicago Teachers Union. He and Al Ramírez formed CORE in May of 2008 and joined with community organizations in the Grassroots Education Movement. In June of 2010, CORE won the general election for the leadership of the Chicago Teachers Union, the third largest teachers local in the country. Jackson currently serves the CTU as the staff coordinator.  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Exciting, provocative CF Workshops: SESSION 1, 12:00 - 1:15   1. Continuing the Conversation: Dialogue on Strategy for Economic and Political Democracy. (Kali Akuno and Teachers for Social Justice). 2. Community Will in Action; Sustainable Community Schools and the Fight for Dyett High School (Coalition to Revitalize Dyett High School). 3. African and Mexican Cultural Materials for STEM Classrooms (Beatrice Lumpkin, Patricia Flagg Poole). 4. This Is Not a Test: New Narratives on Race, Class, and Teaching in the City. (José Vilson, Jen Johnson, Mayra Almáraz-DeSantiago, Greg Michie) 5.Tobacco Timeline (David Bender, American Indian Center) 6. Talking With Youth About the Police: Activities & Resources. (Mariame Kaba, Project NIA).  7. Señor Presidente Le Vengo a Decir/ Mr. President I'm Here To Tell You: Using Traditional Community Music As a Catalyst for Cultural Justice in The Barrio. (Maya Fernandez, Stephanie Rodriguez, Jackie Rodriguez, Camilo Rincon, Alexee Castro, Rafael Rincon, Gina Gamboa, Raul Fernandez, & Laura Cambron). 8. A Practical Toolkit for Test Resistance (More Than A Score coalition including Chicago Teachers Union—Kim Goldbaum and Sarah Chambers [CTU], Sherise McDaniel [CPS parent], Emmanuel Murillo [Curie HS student]). SESSION 2, 1:45 - 3:00 9. (special organizing workshop) Democratize Education, Democratize Chicago!-Next Steps. (Teachers for Social Justice and other members of the Grassroots Education Movement [GEM] and Communities Organized for Democracy in Education [CODE]). 10. Where's the Money?  Understanding CPS budgets and Fighting for Revenue (Matthew Luskin, Chicago Teachers Union) 11. Resisting Teach For America (Katie Osgood, CPS) 12. Know Your Rights and Cop Watch Training for Educators and School Staff. (Sharlyn Grace and Monica Trinidad, We Charge Genocide and Community Activism Law Alliance) 13. Building Critical Curriculum on Chicago's Schooling and Education (grades 7-16). (Asif Wilson, Dave Stovall, Isaura Pulido, Ann Aviles de Bradley, Anton Miglietta, Cecily Relucio Hensler, Gabe Cortez, Chicago Grassroots Curriculum Task Force) 14. Equip Students with Social Justice Vocabulary: Identity Webs, The Sneetches & More!   (Genevieve Erker Caffrey, 4th-6th grade teacher). 15. From Chicago to Ayotzinapa: Education as a Site for the Fight Against Neoliberalism and State Repression. (Laura Ramírez, Rosemarie Domínguez, Jesus Chávez, Jennifer Juárez).    AND DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER...HERE!!! Parking Info for Curriculum Fair Saturday, Nov 22, 2014 10 AM - 4 PM North Grand HS 4338 W. Wabansia St., Chicago ALL ARE WELCOME! [don't forget to register here and don't forget your water bottle!!!!] Parking is available in the school parking lot AND across Kostner Avenue in the Cook Brothers parking lot, in the EAST side of the lot, nearest to Kostner and the HS.  The picture below shows it... See you tomorrow!

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The deadline to apply for the 2014 CF has passed... please plan to apply for the 2015 CF.  TSJ Curriculum Fair 2014 Is Back! 1. Exhibit Curriculum, or 2. Have a Resource Table, or 3. Present a Workshop! Applications Available Below!

Do you want to exhibit your curriculum at the TSJ CF? Click here to apply. What does it mean to "exhibit" curriculum at the CF? Each teacher/exhibitor gets a table at the Fair to set up her/his materials. Many teachers exhibit curriculum by bringing a tri-fold board (like those science fair boards) and bring lesson or unit plans, student work, assignments, artifacts, video, whatever, to share their curriculum ideas. Many bring their students along who sit at the table and explain the work with their teachers. The CF is set up so that we can browse the "exhibits," talk with each other, and share lessons. Do you want to present a workshop? Click here to apply. What are the workshops? Although the main focus of the CF is person-to-person contact through the exhibitors at their tables, we also have a limited number of workshops. These range from curricular innovations about social justice pedagogy to, for example, using multicultural children's literature to organizing for educational justice. These provide more in-depth, interactive ways for teachers and students to share what they've been learning and doing in their classrooms, and for activists/organizers to create dialogue and spaces for learning and for all of us to bring democracy to education and Chicago. These are our schools! Do you want to have a resource table? Click here What's the difference between an "exhibit" and a "resource table?" Exhibitors are usually teachers who have taught a lesson, unit, or project, or who have some developed ideas to teach. We really encourage classroom teachers who are doing this work. Resource tables are usually for organizations that produce curriculum and resources for teachers and want to share them w/ others.

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Join thousands of community and union members to launch a powerful shared economic justice platform.

TAKE BACK CHICAGO
October 15th
UIC Forum
725 W Roosevelt Rd Chicago, Illinois 60607
5pm Rally and March
6-7:30pm Meeting

Register at http://www.thegrassrootscollaborative.org/takebackchicago
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AGENDA
Recognition of Indigenous People's Day (Oct 12)
TSJ plans for the year-If you loved the Curriculum Fair, if you volunteered for the Curriculum Fair, if you want to get involved-the calendar is full! Find out how to get involved with TSJ in the many activities in which we're involved! We'll lay out our whole year--Inquiry to Action Groups, the Elected Representative School Board Campaign, People's Board Meetings, Movie Nights, TSJ Popular Education Forums, the Campaign to Strengthen Local School Councils, Neighborhood Schools Fair, work with the Grassroots Education Movement (CTU and others), and more!
New TSJ Membership Structure
MEMBERSHIP
We are starting a paying membership program, of $20/year (t-shirt included), and $10/year for students, renewable each year on Labor Day. And that's a sliding scale, as needed.
Join TSJ, get a TSJ T-shirt and button, and learn more about how we can work for education justice in and outside the classroom!
Bring cash or checks to the meeting, we don't take credit cards!
UIC College of Education
1040 W. Harrison St
Room 3233 (3rd Floor "Commons")
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Free-All are welcome! Read the Full Story

First People's Board Meeting Held Wednesday, Sept 25, 2013 at Mount Carmel Missionary Church on Chicago's South Side

Notes from a participant:
Wednesday night was a terrific People's Board Meeting. It was excellent. I counted, and we had about 100 people, but it wasn't about the numbers. People lined up and spoke, and though some folks probably could have been shorter, everyone who went up there spoke, and they said all kinds of insightful, powerful, moving, and hopeful things. The Board listened and responded, and Adourthus McDowell from KOCO chaired it (as the Board chair) and ran it like the hundreds of LSC meetings he's run over 20 years—fairly, decently, with dignity and seriousness, noting important things for us to do and be.

It was a great example of us trying to live what we want to be. We don't often get to practice that kind of people's democracy, and although we do not have democracy (people's or otherwise!), it is important to envision it and practice it when we can. We have to become the people we want to be, in the process of changing the world. As one speaker said, we are authentic and transparent, and are engaging in a bottom-up process to change our children's education. You could feel it Wednesday night. Everyone there seem to take it very seriously. People spoke from the heart and others listened, and it felt powerful.

And Jessica Suárez spoke on behalf of TSJ, and spoke from the heart (as always) as a mother and to-be-teacher about how you have to know the students' community and have passion for their struggles.
(Photos by Rousemary Vega)
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