Over 200 Energized and Ready to Organize at the CTU "Save Our Schools" Summit
Saturday, July 24th, 2010, Over two- hundred teachers, parents, students, and other champions of public education convened at Ariel Community Academy for the Chicago Teachers Union’s Save Our Schools Summit. The event’s speakers expressed the need for the community to fight back against the staff cuts, program cuts, and the overall dismantling of public education.
Opening the summit was recently terminated literacy coach, Williette Price who told the audience about organizing 200 terminated teachers who meet weekly at Operation PUSH. President Karen Lewis and CTU officers Michael Brunson and Kristine Mayle revved up the audience about activating CTU members and residents of the communities they serve. Other speakers included Kenwood Oakland Community Organization’s Jeannette Smith, parent activist Sonia Kwon from Raise Your Hand, professor and activist Tom Tresser, former principal Marcos Ayala, Access Living’s Rodney Estevan, and 2nd Ward Alderman Bob Fioretti.
The speakers motivated the crowd to action and CTU organizers Rosita Chatonda and Norine Gutekanst listed action steps that attendees can take to save Chicago’s schools. They announced a CTU-organized picket outside the Board of Education headquarters, 125 S. Clark St., Chicago, IL on Wednesday, July 28 at 9:00 AM. They asked the audience to stand with the Union at the Bud Billiken parade on August 14th. Scores of attendees signed up for CTU action committees to help fight back. This inspirational event was a great “coming out” occasion for the new leadership of the CTU who will continue to educate and organize through this nationwide public education crisis.
