Chicago Hopes (We're Gone)

Why I went to Chicago

My role in all this ed stuff is support. Support for the newer generation of teacher activists along with the older gen people who are still out there battling. I'm looking forward to today's New Teacher Underground first session - see sidebar.

It was certainly nice to meet all the new and older gen people in Chicago from around the nation and Canada and Mexico. Here are a few more pictures from the Chicago National Conference to Defend Public Education.

The top one was taken on our long march over to a bar after the conference ended on July 6. We stopped at the monument to the Haymarket riot/massacre, an important event in labor history. The group is made up of NYC and Chicago (CORE) teachers.

In the center bottom is Kristine Mayle who a short time ago was teaching a special ed class in Chicago and is now the chief financial officer of the Chicago Teachers Union - a core CORE member. It's the third time I've met Kristine and she is a model for young activism.

Next to her is GEM/CAPE's Julie Cavanagh an up and coming leader in the battle to defend public education and a major mover (and co-narrator) of the GEM film "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman." Julie will venture into UFT issues for the first time as the new chapter leader of PS 15. Upper left is Kelly Wolcott, a chapter leader in Brooklyn and a Teachers Unite activist who I met for the first time at the conference - another amazing young teacher who is already having an impact. And of course GEM pals Gloria Brandman (top center) and Lisa North (bottom next to me). The lady on the upper right is a 12 year Chi teacher who I spoke to later at the bar. I'm not sure about the lower right identity.

NYC and Chicago meet at Haymarket Monument

Before

After a few

Recovery strategy

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