Are teachers unions to blame for all that ails public education or are they an easy scapegoat? In this session, we’ll trace the development of teachers unions, their political power and the current attacks on tenure, seniority and other teacher protections. We’ll also explore Chicago’s 2012 teachers strike, the city’s first walk-out in 25 years. The strike, ostensibly over pay and working conditions, was really a fight over the soul of the Chicago school system â€" a war between a mayor with an aggressive reform agenda and fed-up teachers and parents. The nation watched this union success story unfold at a time of dwindling union power and growing reformer influence over education. Guests: Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers and Jesse Sharkey, vice-president of the Chicago Teachers Union.

Learn more at politics.uchicago.edu.