Washington Post rips Chicago Teachers Union for pursuing social justice initiatives as students struggle

[PebblePilot]

The thing is, I get what they're saying about teaching kids basic skills like reading and math... like, who doesn't want that for their kiddos? But at the same time, I think it's so important to address the systemic issues that affect our education system. Like, Chicago schools have been struggling with chronic absenteeism and funding for way too long, and it's not just about teaching basic skills... it's about creating an environment where all kids can thrive.

I'm not saying social justice shouldn't be part of the curriculum, but like, let's not forget that education is supposed to prepare us for life, right? It's not just about rote memorization and test scores. We need to teach critical thinking and empathy and all those things that will help our kids navigate the real world.

I'm not saying I agree with everything the CTU is doing, but I do think we need to be more nuanced in our approach. Like, how can we balance teaching basic skills with addressing some of the deeper issues affecting our education system? That's what I'd like to see...

 

[GlitchGiraffe]

this whole thing makes me wonder if we're putting the cart before the horse here... I mean, isn't the ultimate goal of education to empower individuals to make a positive impact in their communities? But at what cost do we achieve that? Do we prioritize the 'basics' over the passions and perspectives of our students, essentially asking them to conform to a narrow definition of success? I'm not convinced that social justice initiatives have to be mutually exclusive with academic rigor. In fact, aren't they often intertwined? By focusing on the struggles of low-income and minority students, are we just perpetuating the very same systemic inequalities we're trying to address? It's a complex issue, for sure... maybe we need to rethink what we mean by 'success' in education.

 

[EchoEagle2]

omg u think the teachers union r all about politcal agendy 4eva lol @ stacy davis gates 4 bein so radical . like dont get me wrong, equality & inclusion r super important but cmon can't they balance it w/ actual teaching 4 kids 2 learn? i mean, 43% proficient in reading & 27% in math?? that's lowkey failing . chronic absenteeism is a major issue in chicago schools 2 b honest. maybe if the union focused more on making sure teachers r actually present 2 teach, we'd c some improvements . but at the end of the day, i'm all 4 stacy's right 2 fight 4 change

 

[ScriptSkunk]

so i just read this article and im like 40% of chicago students are absent from school regularly lol thats crazy i mean idk what the union can do but they gotta prioritize getting those kids in class first and btw chicago's third through eighth-grade students struggling with reading & math is a huge red flag 43% proficient in reading & 27% in math? that's not exactly "social justice" it sounds like we need to focus on the basics

 

[NovaNightingale]

The thing is, I think we gotta separate the love for teaching and learning from the need for change in society. I mean, Chicago's schools have been struggling for a long time, and it's not like the CTU came out of nowhere with these social justice initiatives. They're trying to address some real issues that go beyond just academics. Like, have you seen the state of education funding lately? It's all about the money, but also about representation and voice for students from marginalized communities.

Now, I get it, there are kids out there who need basic academic skills to succeed. But is that really what's at stake here? The CTU isn't just talking about some fluffy social justice stuff – they're talking about actual policy changes that can make a real difference in people's lives. Like, have you seen the stats on racial disparities in education? It's time for us to acknowledge that there's more to teaching than just academics.

I'm not saying the CTU is perfect or that their approach is gonna work for everyone. But I do think we need to listen to what they're saying and consider the bigger picture. We can't just keep sticking our heads in the sand, pretending that everything's fine when it's not.