There is a beautiful sword, hanging from a tree, seemingly within reach. It can cut through anything without losing its edge. Do you seize it and wield it or destroy it?
There’s a brouhaha presently going on in Chicago around the Chicago mayoral elections. The Chicago Teacher’s Union is angrily denouncing Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. From the official statement:
We learned today that Lori Lightfoot’s deputy campaign manager reached out to CTU members at their work addresses this morning, asking educators to help line up student ‘volunteers’ who will give at least 12 hours each week to the campaign. The campaign also claimed “Students are eligible to earn class credit through our volunteer program.â€
This is unethical and wrong on so many levels — not least of which is our concern that CTU members who decline to volunteer for the mayor’s campaign or encourage their students to do so could face retaliation.
Their concern is not without basis. They’re already suing the mayor for just such “retaliation” in the past. Needless to say not just the CTU but the mayor’s opponents in the upcoming election are crying “Foul!”. It ain’t beanbag, folks.
Mayor Lightfoot must be bitterly disappointed that her predecessor, Rahm Emanuel, did not decertify the Chicago Teacher’s Union when he had the cause and the chance. Like her, Mayor Emanuel looked longingly at the sword presumably in the hope that he might wield it himself and not realizing that not only could it be wielded against him but that he would be the primary target.
Weapons that powerful should not be allowed to exist.
Am I right in thinking this is a turf war? How dare someone other than the CTU organize students and teachers for political ends?
Of course it’s a turf war. The CTU has picked its candidate and it ain’t Lori Lightfoot.