One of the more troubling aspects of the way that the IEA President Ken Swanson has spun the surrender of seniority rights in Senate Bill 7 is the way he uses the Chicago Teachers Union as a cover against criticism.
For years, a minority of IEA activists have fought for greater unity with the IFT and the CTU while the leadership of the IEA resisted it. Now they act as if any criticism of their policies is an attack on the Chicago union.
But let’s compare the way the leadership of the IEA characterized what came out of the agreement and how the CTU’s President, Karen Lewis characterized it.
Ken Swanson, President of the IEA:
We are proud that bold reforms we supported are a part of this bill. From day one, our organizations came to the table and advocated for changes that put Illinois kids first and ensured our teachers can do what they do best: teach.
Karen Lewis, President of the CTU:
It is far from perfect, but it is far superior from where we started. Everyone at the table swallowed more than one bitter pill.
For us, the most bitter pill is that to truly improve teaching and learning, we still must fight for smaller class sizes, high-quality professional development, equitable financing, TIF reform, limits on standardized tests, an elected representative school board led by a visionary educator, a fair and meaningful evaluation system for all education personnel and the return of a full, rich curriculum for all students that includes art, music, recess, p.e. and history.
Now, I happen to think that there were more bitter pills than that. But I speak from the viewpoint of a teacher in a suburban district not faced with the level of assault on bargaining rights that our brothers and sisters in Chicago face. The appointment yesterday of new administrative and board leadership by Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel will only make the situation worse.
But for Swanson to claim SB7 as a historic advance is a lie. And his attempt to use the CTU as cover is full of holes and cynical at best.
Fred Klonsky 
So in other words, when I am sightseeing tomorrow, I better watch what I step in. I am convinced that this past winter did something to people’s intelligence. Hopefully it will return during election season.
If it’s an education bill, and a union boss is supporting it, it might be many things, but it isn’t reform.
“Union boss?” An oxymoron. Like military intelligence?