Chicago Teachers Union President spoke to U.S. Education Secretary about candid remarks
CHICAGO – Today, the Chicago Teachers Union released the following statement in response to a viral video promoted by right-wing, anti-public education advocates. The edited clip features remarks made by President Karen GJ Lewis in a keynote address before the Rethinking Schools - Northwest Teaching for Social Justice Conference which convened in Seattle last month.
This afternoon, Lewis spoke with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and explained her comments:
“Karen Lewis has always been candid and outspoken when discussing the personalities and policies that have adversely impacted public education in our nation. The observations she made about herself and other public figures were an attempt at humor and candor before a live audience. Though these comments were made more than a month ago, today they are being presented out of context in order to shift the focus from bad public policy decisions in education to attacks on her character,” said CTU spokeswoman Stephanie Gadlin.
“While she may never be honored with the Mark Twain Award for comedy, President Lewis’ opinions and self-deprecating humor were an attempt to lighten the mood during a long and serious discussion about the on-going campaign to blame and vilify teachers for everything wrong with public education.”
"We who have spent our lives educating children can't help but be hurt and defensive about the attacks on our effectiveness and commitment to improving our schools and the future of our students," says Lewis. "As a classroom teacher with more than two decades of experience and now as a leader of the third largest teachers union in the country, this teaches me that I can never let frustrations get in the way of carrying out my responsibilities as a leader."
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The Chicago Teachers Union represents 30,000 teachers and educational support personnel working in the Chicago Public Schools and, by extension, the students and families they serve. CTU, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Federation of Teachers, is the third largest teachers local in the country and the largest local union in Illinois. For more information visit CTU’s website at www.ctunet.com
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