The Boston Teachers Union stands in solidarity with the Chicago Teachers Union who are on strike today for a fair contract. What the CTU is asking for is not only reasonable, but righteous.
This is a critical moment in the fight for education justice. On a national level, disinvestment in public education has led to understaffed schools, inadequate support services for students, and untenable working conditions for educators and school staff. Chicago, like many communities across the country, has endured the consequences of an underfunded public school system that is not meeting the basic needs of its students and educators.
CTU educators are speaking out so that all students, regardless of geography or demography, can receive the care and services that they need. They are fighting for a fair contract that ensures adequate staffing, including a nurse, teacher librarian, and social worker in every school. They are advocating for class-size caps in their classrooms and for living wages for the dedicated teaching assistants, paraprofessionals, and school clerks who work hard to ensure that Chicago Public Schools students receive the support that they deserve.
It is urgent that elected officials across the country listen and respond to the growing number of voices calling for a more equitable public school system. Here in Boston, we uplift the bold leadership of public school educators, students, and parents in Chicago. We echo their call for Mayor Lori Lightfoot to put an education equity plan into writing with an enforceable contract. We are grateful for the CTU’s contribution to a nationwide grassroots movement that insists on educators and students’ rights to the equitably funded public schools that we all deserve.”
– Jessica Tang, President, Boston Teachers Union