Corporate Media

Mainstream Media Dive Into Teachers Union Election

By Jim Vail

Kristen McQueary, wrote an editorial for the Chicago Tribune
where she wished Chicagoians would drown in a hurricane
so that the city would be rid of public schools.

The Chicago mainstream media have jumped headfirst into the Chicago Teachers Union election this spring.

And they are divided on who they support.

The Members First caucus sent out press releases to the city's media that resulted in impressive coverage to highlight why they believe the CTU needs new leadership.

The Chicago Tribune ran an editorial denouncing the Core-led CTU leadership, NBC interviewed two MF candidates, and WTTW TV reported that MF hired a professional campaign manager.

These corporate media titans faithfully reported MF complaints that the union is too political and has ordered too many work stoppages.

The Chicago Tribune was especially vocal on unseating a teachers union that has been a bitter enemy of the mayor who represents business interests. 

"'The current leadership of the CTU sees work stoppages and strikes as the first step, and not the last one,' (the Member's First) video's narrator says. 'They are far more focused on being in front of the camera and advancing their own political careers than delivering for us.' We'd say we couldn't have said it better, except we've been saying exactly that for many years."

Sarah Karp, WBEZ

However, the Core-led CTU leadership has its own corporate media support.

The Sun-Times and WBEZ, who recently acquired the Sun-Times, posted an article to denounce the Members First caucus. The article written by Sun-Times Nader Issa and WBEZ reporter Sarah Karp reported that a former top adviser to Mayor Lori Lightfoot was behind a paid social media campaign supporting Members First in the upcoming election.

The article stated further that employer involvement in union elections violates federal labor law and the CTU prohibits those running for leadership from seeking outside financial support. The Mayor's office quickly denied any involvement in the election. 

Members First did not respond to the allegations in the article. 

No other media who reported on the MF press release announcing their slate picked up this story. That included the Chicago Tribune whose 'mission is to deliver the truth every day.'

The Sun-Times and WBEZ did not report on the MF announcement about their slate that is challenging the current leadership.

Members First and Core are playing the pr game by appealing to the ruler's medium in order to reach as many people as they can. 

The Chicago Tribune is a vicious anti-union and anti-public education newspaper. They wrote a very ugly editorial in 2015 where they wished for a Hurricane Katrina in Chicago so that the Chicago public schools would be wiped out and replaced with privatized charter schools like in New Orleans. No self-respecting teacher should listen to anything their editorials tout.

But the Sun-Times and WBEZ are no fans of public education and unions as well. Sarah Karp repeatedly reports that Civic Federation President Lawrence Msall represents a 'non-partisan' group. That is quite laughable; the Civic Federation represents the richest businessmen in this city who also hate unions, taxes and pensions. WBEZ interviewed an education professor last summer who touted charter schools and why they need to replace public schools.

Chicago Public Media who bought the Sun-Times are, like the CTU, committed to racial justice reporting and police abuse. However, they are no different when it comes to reporting on crime that calls for more policing, pro-business stories and pro-war propaganda. 

Playing into the corporate media circus will only further confuse teachers and the rest of us about the real issues we face.