Earlier this week, former Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) negotiator Brandon Johnson became Chicago’s 48th mayor. “Progressives” are celebrating, but when it comes to prioritizing high quality public schools, the new mayor couldn’t be more regressive.
This should be a national wakeup call for moderates. During the pandemic, many Democrats ignored parents’ demands. That abetted the party’s surrender of the historic trust we long enjoyed on education policy. Now, the elevation of a CTU leader to the most important office in the biggest city in the Midwest — where the Democratic National Committee (DNC) will hold its convention next summer — makes reclaiming our mantle as the “education party” harder.
