On Dec. 3, at King HS on Chicago's South Side, 500 teachers, parents, students, security guards, classroom aids, community members, organizers, and more came together at the CTU Community Board's "Teach-In Against School Closings." Chicago Public Schools are proposing to close/phase-out/consolidate/turnaround 19 schools this year. Over the next 10 weeks, the struggle will accelerate-the struggle of people in neighborhood schools for real resources and support, as an alternative to "school actions" (charters, turnarounds, private control of public schools paid w/ public dollars)!

The solidarity and unity across the city was evident-there were people from 125 schools in CPS!! And 25 unions and community organizations! This is NOT business as usual, as we could feel by the astoundingly high level of militancy, determination, and political consciousness that these are policies of the 1% against the rest of us. The "arrogant racism" (as Jitu Brown of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization termed it) of a school system that doesn't believe that Black and Brown parents and teachers know how to educate their own children is disgraceful and more. (For further reports on the Teach-In, see http://substancenews.net/)

Here are two maps which locate the school closings (old and proposed) in relation to race, foreclosures, and public housing. The CTU Research Dept developed the maps, and they speak for themselves. Click on the images to see the fullsized maps.


The NEXT step in this fight is the Board of Education Meeting on December 14, 125 S. Clark St (CPS HQs). The night before, Tuesday, Dec. 13, there will be a candlelight vigil starting at 6 PM at 125 S. Clark.

We will then assemble at Dec. 14, at 6 AM Wednesday morning, because that is the only way to get to speak at the Board meeting. You get on line at 6, get signed in to speak starting at 8, wait till 10:30 for the Board meeting to start, and until about 11:15 for the "public testimony" period to begin, where you have 2 minutes to speak, no two people can speak on the same topic, and you can no longer even stand up to support the speakers. And don't forget that you have to miss your 9 to 5 to be there, IF you're lucky enough to still have one. This is democracy? Public input? It's a sham and a shame.

IF YOU CAN ATTEND THE CANDLELIGHT VIGIL, PLEASE EMAIL: teachersforjustice@hotmail.com

See you December 13 and 14th!
Teachers for Social Justice

Links:
CTU's Resource Page on School Closings
Substance News article on CTU Community Board's Teach-In



. Read the Full Story

Read the Full Story

With the Occupy motion gaining momentum, people are mobilizing across the US in ways we haven't seen in a long time.  We will be having a dialogue at this year's curriculum fair about Occupy and how it relates to those of us who see ourselves as part of the Education for Liberation movement. Here are some resources that give more information on the Occupy motion. This list will continue to be updated over the next weeks and months.

Occupy Wall Street
Occupy Chicago
Occupy Oakland
Occupy Together
Occupy the Hood (National)

People of Color Working Group @ OWS
In Front and Center: Critical Voices in the 99%
DisOccupy

Students & Teachers Occupy NYC Board of Ed
Teachers, Students and Parents Against Privatized Education Join Occupy Wall Street Read the Full Story

Much thanks to Riza Falks for editing this awesome video of highlights from last year's curriculum fair. Take a peek for a preview of what the Curriculum Fair is like.

Videography by Cortez Davidaz & friends
Still Photography by Melanie Folgar
Editing by Riza Falk (rizafalk.com)
Music from a Mix by Brotha Onaci (soularadiance.wordpress.com)

Read the Full Story

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Read the Full Story

We are excited to announce the speakers for the keynote program at the 2011 Teaching for Social Justice Curriculum Fair!

Mercedes Martinez Padilla is President of the Toa Baja local of the Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico/Teachers Federation of Puerto Rico. Mercedes has been active in the union’s 2008 strike and in protests, marches, and rallies led by the union against government plans to privatize public education and the Teacher’s Retirement System in Puerto Rico. Mercedes brings lessons of the union’s struggle against neoliberal education policies and to defend better working conditions for teachers and a better public education system.


Norma Yanina Parada is a leader in the Tegucigalpa teachers’ movement and a member of two of the most active national teachers’ organizations in Honduras. Yanina was one of 305 teachers suspended by the Lobo government in the spring of 2011 because of their participation in massive protests against the government’s actions against teachers and public schools. In May 2011 she helped launch a 30 day hunger strike to protest the suspension of 5000 teachers and in support of the demands of teachers, students and families regarding public education. She has been active in the National Front of Popular Resistance (FNRP) since it was formed shortly after the coup of June 28, 2009.

Jitu Brown is Education Organizer for the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization. Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, Jitu has organized in the Kenwood Oakland neighborhood for over 17 years bringing community voices to the table on school issues and helping to stop school closings in the area. Working locally and thinking globally, Jitu has taken youth leaders from KOCO to the United Nations, the Passamaquoddy Native American reservation in Maine and the UN Conference on Racism in South Africa. Jitu has been a leader in coalitions of parents, teachers and youth who have fought school closings, turnarounds, and privatization of public education in Chicago. Read the Full Story