Oct 03: President Karen Lewis to discuss school issues with City Council members during afternoon briefings today
CHICAGO –Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) President Karen GJ Lewis will take her message of fairness, equity and a better school day directly to City Council when she leads two of three briefings with aldermen on Monday, October 3 at Noon and 2:00 p.m. The sessions will be conducted in the Press Room at the Hotel Allegro, 171 W. Randolph.
About 30 City Council members have confirmed their attendance. The 45-minute briefings, led by Union officers and will include a rank-and-file teacher, are closed to the media. However, Lewis will be available to talk with the press at 1:00 p.m.
Union leaders are expected to talk about key issues important to public school educators including the pros and cons of merit pay; the 20th Day Rule; charter school expansion; the disparate layoffs of minority teachers; and, the campaign for a better school day for CPS students when their schedules are lengthened next year, among other issues.
“We want to embolden members of the City Council to enact policies that improve the quality of life for our students and their families,” Lewis said. “We want to share CTU’s position on the issues facing our public school students and educators and to arm the aldermen with the knowledge to influence public education in Chicago.”
CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING SCHEDULE
10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
KAREN LEWIS PRESSER
1:00 p.m.
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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.
