On April 1st, the Chicago Teachers Union held a strike that shut down the district. The strike is ostensibly over changes in pension contributions, pay for experience, and other money related matters.

According to ThinkProgress.org,

“On Friday, the Chicago Teachers Union staged a strike. Union members picketed schools, held rallies at City Hall, the Cook County Jail and Chicago State University, and protested for higher wages for fast food workers. The president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, who has been closely involved in Chicago labor politics, joined in on some of the events.

…

The CTU is raising issues with what they’re calling unfair labor practices on the part of Chicago Public Schools, such as changes in pension contributions and in deciding raises based on experience, called ‘step and lane,’ as well as unpaid furlough days. Although both the CTU and CPS are frustrated with the budget impasse, the CTU said it has doubts that the state legislature and governor are completely to blame for its not being able to make progress in negotiations.”

For the Chicago Teachers Union, there’s now a fly in the ointment when it comes to the strike and the rally. The Chicago Sun Times reports:

“An activist’s declaration at last Friday’s Chicago Teachers Union rally — ‘f— the police, and everybody f— with ’em’ has drawn the ire of Chicago police and a sound Twitter scolding for union president Karen Lewis.

And now the Fraternal Order of Police is asking Lewis to condemn the insult tossed out at the end of the CTU-organized rally outside the Thompson Center that has upset FOP members and their families — many of which include Chicago Public School teachers. They took to Twitter and peppered a popular Chicago police blog with angry comments.

…

A union spokesman said that the CTU never expected such profanity from Page May, of Assata’s Daughters, a collective of black women perhaps best known for protesting Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez. The spokesman confirmed that May is not a CTU member nor a teacher in Chicago’s public schools.

May could not be reached either. She took the stage late Friday afternoon, right after Lewis revved up the crowd to march to Grant Park. May ended an impassioned call for justice with a profanity-laced tirade against CPD, the FOP and Chicago’s Independent Police Review Authority, saying ‘F— the police, and everybody f— with ’em.’”

Here’s the video (NSFW): 

Keep in mind that the speaker, Page May, is a teacher. A teacher.

If you ever had any doubt about the influence of teachers and bias in the classroom, this video should eliminate it. The fact that the Chicago Teachers Union has yet to condemn the speech is even more troubling. While many individuals have concerns over police brutality and overreach, it seems the police are quite right on this one – a teacher, seemingly sanctioned by the Chicago Teachers Union, calling for rebellion and inciting violence towards all police is simply out of line.