Chicago Teachers Strike

by Edd Doerr

This letter was published in the Washington Post on 9/14/12 ----


"In Chicago, a strike of last resort"

"Bob Moore and Richard W, Murphy (letters, Sept 12) unfairly attacked Chicago public school teachers, about 90% of whom voted for the strike -- a last-resort defense against increasingly adverse conditions for teachers and students. An unfair teacher-evaluation system, excessively large class sizes and inadequate services for needy kids are conditions that can and should be remedied.

"As a former teacher, I know that teachers do not want to leave their classrooms.  But when they and their students are bullied and neglected by politicians who  have never had to deal with the problems that teachers face every day, their duty to their charges leaves them little choice.

"Edd Doerr
"Silver Spring, Md"