Bates College Employees Made Labor History, and Admin Is Coming Out Swinging

Bates College, a liberal arts school in Lewiston, Maine, became the first private college in the United States to file for a wall-to-wall union. Despite their talking points of “social responsibility” and “the world beyond one’s self,” the bosses are fighting back tooth and nail, with censorship and illegal labor practices.

Temple University’s Rank-and-File Talk “Cops out of Unions”

Cops aren’t workers --- they’re weapons of the ruling class to attack workers and the oppressed. Despite what many of our union leaders say, building real union power means kicking cops out of our unions, and mobilizing from the bottom up to link our unions to a wider, class-wide struggle against the ruling class.

As the School Year Begins, America’s Children Are the Sacrificial Lambs of “Return to Normal”

Recent CDC data suggests that without masking or systematic testing, 91% of children under 12 could become infected with the delta variant of the coronavirus within three months. In many states, ICUs are already full. This could have been avoided if not for capitalists choosing profits over people’s lives.

Philly Teachers Return to School, but the Fight for Safe Re-openings Continues

Again and again, Philly’s public school teachers have defied the school district, refusing to come back to unsafe buildings. This week, they won some concessions in a deal to reopen the schools. But major fights lie ahead.

Biden is Forcing Schools to Administer Standardized Tests During a Pandemic

The Biden administration is forcing schools to administer standardized tests in the midst of the global pandemic. Last year, Donald Trump waived these tests due to the coronavirus.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot: No Friend of Chicago Teachers

After reaching an agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union for an improved but insufficient reopening plan, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has shown her true colors when it comes to the labor movement and democratizing Chicago Public Schools.

Reflections on Teaching When Your Classroom is 30 Degrees

I take pride in continuing to show up, open the windows, and teach as best I can. Also, it’s freezing.

Chicago Teachers Reach Tentative Agreement to Reopen Schools

On Tuesday, Chicago teachers narrowly voted to approve a proposal from the CPS that would have them return to their classrooms over the next several weeks. Though much better than the original reopening plan, even the union leadership admits it is imperfect. A real victory can only come from the organized rank and file. 

Joe Biden is Leading The Battle to Reopen Schools, But Teachers Are Fighting Back

There is bipartisan unity around reopening schools thanks to the alliance between Joe Biden, local officials, and national union leadership. It’s time for teachers to fight.