The revolution will not be standardized.

The assault on public education started here.

It needs to end here.

Karen Lewis, CTU President

 

of course the teachers march

in Chicago. they know

& inherit

& honor the history

of the many standing

against the tyranny

of the few

 

this is a union town

Most radical of all American cities:…

Big Bill Haywood’s town

Nelson Algren would say

 

this is a fight

against a mayor who is anti-union

who sold unions out in NAFTA

and the Clinton white house

 

the teachers strike for the heart & future

of public education

in this city

in this country.

 

they strike

after decades of republican-democrat strides

toward charters. toward the right

of public education being privatized.

 

they strike against Arne Duncan

Obama’s architect of standardized education

that privileges the privileged, whose kids are in the suburbs

or University of Chicago lab schools

 

the teachers strike

in the Chicago Tradition

allied with trade unionists

and Pullman Porters. in solidarity

with the Haymarket Martyrs

and Republic Window workers.

 

the teachers honor those who died

in the 1937 Memorial Day massacre

when cops shot steel workers.

they honor those who build

the country, who ensured the 8-hour day

 

in the name of;

Lucy Parsons

Albert Parsons

& Rudy Lozano

in the name of;

Gene Debs

Mother Jones

Addie Wyatt &

Jane Addams

in the name of;

Stud’s Terkel

his red socks

in solidarity, he rocks, from the grave.

he would’ve been on this picket line

with the teachers

fighting the good fight

in the long haul

standing with the many

against the tyranny of the few.

standing with the teachers

firmly rooted on the shoulders of giants

in the great & honorable

Chicago Tradition:

the good fight

fighting for the future

of All

 

 

in solidarity

9/14/12