Karen Lewis RIP

Karen Lewis was a Courageous Leader for Public Education

By Jim Vail

Karen Lewis was a courageous fighter who led a resurgence of the teachers union at a time when the attack on public schools and teacher unions was at the top of the ruling class agenda.

Karen Lewis died this week at age 67 after battling brain cancer for the past six years. She was forced to vacate her post as the president of the Chicago Teachers Union in 2018 and hand the reigns over to current President Jesse Sharkey. Sharkey defeated Members First President candidate Therese Boyle in the last election.

She became a populist in her epic battle with Mayor Rahm Emanuel over privatizing the schools and explored the idea of running for mayor until her illness stopped her. She infuriated Mayor 1% by repeating what he said behind closed doors.

She told George Schmidt, the founder and editor of Substance News who passed away two years ago, and myself about her meeting with billionaire Penny Pritzker who favored privatization over public education. Her brother J.B. is now Illinois Governor.

Lewis was an outsider who joined up with the Coalition of Rank and File Educators or CORE that was formed to stop school closings and fight back against Mayor Richard Daley's Renaissance 2010 privatization plan. The UPC leadership was doing little to stop the onslaught of charters and school closings.

I first met Karen Lewis when the Core party founded by Jackson Potter organized a small protest in the Merchandise Mart to demand the reinstatement of CTU Vice President Ted Dallas, who President Marilyn Stewart had removed because he allegedly sympathized with teachers who were upset with the latest contract. 

With their house divided, the UPC lost the election to Core as their supporters split and formed different caucuses to run in the historic 2010 election. That split allowed Core to win in a runoff after former CTU President Debbie Lynch and her PACT caucus backed Core.

Lewis endured union scorn when she endorsed the disastrous anti-union legislation known as SB7 or Senate Bill 7 that removed seniority protections, the bedrock of a union contract. She met behind closed doors with politicians paid by billionaire education reform consultants to make a deal that sold out the union veterans. She said she made the deal to "save the strike." The SB7 deal Lewis made was criticized by the union leadership's executive board who wrote a resolution later denouncing the deal.

The privatization forces were in full throttle gunning to emasculate the teachers union by outlawing the ability to strike. Now the union needed a 75 percent vote from all its members - somebody not voting would equal a no vote.

Lewis later led the first teachers strike in Chicago in 25 years that captured the attention of the world.

Her populist appeal, strong speeches and loving personae resonated with teachers and the public. She was beloved by many. 

Her critics would argue that she was a bit too close with the bosses. While one activist was jeopardizing her job to protest the punitive PARCC exam, Karen Lewis was at a hearing in support of Barbara Byrd Bennett, the first Chicago Public Schools chief to be convicted for getting kickbacks from consultants.

Karen and Core forged a powerful alliance with the Democrat Party to push a progressive agenda that includes fighting racism, passing favorable teacher bills in the legislature and supporting the union's battles with City Hall. 

Karen will be missed by friends, foes and all! RIP Karen Lewis!