A delegation of teachers from the Chicago Teachers Union traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico, to be part of the Trinational Conference on Defending Public Education.
The Trinational Conference highlights issues facing teachers' unions in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. A significant pre-event included visiting preschools, elementary schools, and high schools, where teachers observed how students helped co-create the curriculum in their schools.
Participants engaged in community building, teacher autonomy, indigenous rights privatization during the conference, and more, including participating in cultural events such as various Mexican dancing, traditional cuisine, and artisan handicrafts. Some of the main takeaways from the CTU delegation centered around: Student Autonomy, Indigenous justice and Passion, global privatization and more.
One CTU teacher member, Elise Knaub, said of the trip, ”It was striking to see similarities between the three countries in our fight to defend public education. Coming back, I realize here in Chicago, we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work. This election, our public education is at stake."
CCRx Digital Media Specialist Jen Cullerton Johnson was also part of the CTU delegation. On speaking of her experiences, she related them to the CCRx community. Johnson said, "the connection I make back to CCRx is that the students used various local materials to make their art when we visited the schools. As in Chicago, I noticed a thriving arts community working together with creative reuse at heart."
The CTU delegation plans to present its report about the Transnational Conference, tentatively set for Friday, November 18, @ 5 pm at CTU Headquarters. All are welcome.
Interested in learning more? Check out Dan Leahy’s article "A Brief History of the Trinational Coalition."
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