Hearing some of the stupidest and most entitled progressive maniacs in Illinois scream into their bullhorns was, at least, illuminating.
As devoted readers of this august institution may already know, May 1 — historically a global day of Marxist “pro-labor” celebrations — has now become the newest occasion for angry, self-entitled teachers’ unions the nation over to demand a school holiday, one devoted to activism and organizing. And nowhere has this been more of a blight than in my hometown of Chicago. Stanley Kurtz wrote an excellent piece about it on Friday morning, capturing well the specifics of the outrage:
The semi-insane plans of the socialist-friendly 30,000-strong Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) to do all of the above this May Day drew national attention early last month. The controversy largely faded from national discussion, however, when Chicago Public Schools (CPS) refused to suspend classes for political rallies on May Day. In truth, however, after tough negotiations, the teachers’ union has won. Technically, classes will be held on May 1. But the agreement struck by the CTU and CPS requires CPS to provide food and transportation for students from at least 100 schools to attend anti-Trump rallies on May 1. Many thousands of students are expected. What’s more, future May Days are to be set aside for “teacher professional development” — meaning classes will be out, and teachers will be able to lead students in leftist political demonstrations, as CTU plans to do.
Read Kurtz’s piece for an education on just how deeply corrupt the Chicago Teachers Union is and how it has successfully cowed and overawed the Chicago Public Schools system. I’m here only to give you my own anecdotal evidence, since I had to live through it on Friday.
The CTU first staged itself at Union Park and then marched all the way east to Daley Plaza while chanting progressive omnicause slogans. Set aside the nightmarish traffic problem all this caused — on a working Friday afternoon, at least for us non-teachers — and instead focus on my very personal problem: The CTU in its infinite wisdom decided to route the entire march right outside my window for about half an hour.
And while it was infuriating to hear from my balcony some of the stupidest and most entitled progressive maniacs in Illinois scream into their bullhorns to lead group chants, it was at least illuminating. On a fine May Day, I got to hear Chicago’s union teachers air their real grievances: “FREE FREE PALESTINE,” and “FREE FREE MEXICO” — what this meant I was not quite sure, something about deportations no doubt — interspersed with the repeated “C-T-WHO? C-T-U!” It had the feel of an arrogant threat.
With a new four-year contract gift-wrapped by the CTU’s own former lobbyist and handmade Mayor Brandon Johnson, the union apparently thinks that “The Situation” justifies adding another day to my son’s many days off school, or, even worse, dragging kids into protests — which was another thing I noticed in the march: large groups of school-age children. I went downstairs to the street, with half a mind to wade into the middle of the crowd, but as I neared the crowd I saw two little girls skipping along the sidewalk. Amazingly, one of them recognized me. “You’re [X]’s dad!” Indeed I was. Amid the din of the chanting crowd about a block away, I asked them, “What are you doing out here?”
Their giggling response: “It’s May Day! It’s a day off!” And then they skipped onward.