NBC’s Ward Room picks Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis as a winner of the year.
Had you ever heard of the Chicago Teachers’ Union president before this year? Neither had I. By fighting Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s attempt to impose a longer school day without giving teachers a significant raise, Lewis became the only public figure in Chicago willing to stand up to the new mayor.
Absolutely. Lewis and the whole group of young fighting teacher union activists who are leading the CTU now makes an old (veteran?) teacher union guy like me proud and energized.
Fred Klonsky 
We live in a society that would rather destroy the public sector and collective bargaining than tax the rich and that’s the bottomline. Theoretically we all can be forced to work under the request of privatization and/or under market policy, including doctors, lawyers, etc., and be working at minimum wage or for food and shelter if the rich continue to monopolize us and evade taxes thru off-shore bank accounts, tax write-offs, etc. Research the 1% and get the answers. There are about 300 million Americans, and 400 people (the size a elementary school) hold as much wealth at $1.7 trillion as 1/2 the nation, 155 million people. $1.7 trillion in wealth divided among 400 people is 4.25 billion. At the 1950’s Eisenhower 90% tax rate they should “legally” only keep about 425 million in wealth or 10% and among the 400 about $1.5 trillion should be paid in taxes to support government programs That’s more than enough for their lifetime as well as two or more future generations to inherit and live comfortably. If the nation continued the 90% tax rate on the rich from 1960 there would be no economic crisis for the rich to monopolize in the 21st century.
Stop allowing the rich to play Monopoly with our lives. Don’t let them continue to pass “GO,” send them to “JAIL” for tax evasion.
We can’t expect one CTU president to fight-off these nationwide billionaire attacks on the public sector. They are buying off politicians, real-estate, etc. instead of paying their fair share in taxes.
We are the 99%. Tax the rich at 90% and they can still live comfortably.
We are allowing soldiers to come home from War with no shelter, food, jobs, etc., but yet we refuse to tax the rich at 90%. Without our soldiers and citizens their would not be extraordinary wealth.
Me too, Fred. Thanks for that great message.
Karen Lewis is getting it done. (Unlike the IEA leadership.)
Can we all join the CTU now (or at least the IFT)?
Go, Karen, & you run for office, too!