CORE - Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators

Leadership from our President

Read CCH’s full response to Governor Pritzker’s budget proposal: chicagohomeless.org/response-to-go…

“It serves no purpose,” Ali Simmons, senior case and street outreach worker at the Law Project at Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness said of the evictions. “You close one encampment, you offer no housing. You interrupt services being provided to people.”

Mutual aid is a practice of recognizing someone else’s humanity. In a society that doesn’t recognize everyone’s humanity but instead dehumanizes people, one small act can be transformative.

How Kennedy-King College’s WKKC became a Black radio powerhouse: blockclubchi.co/4tKHEFk

"Of all the U.S. leaders of the past half-century, I believe none had a more international view and a commitment to worldwide social justice as Jesse Jackson did." democracynow.org/2026/2/18/jess…

“Trump is not infallible.” The White House likes to projects dominance, but “Operation Metro Surge” forced a retreat. WATCH Ben Becker on how Minnesota’s collective action turned a federal occupation into a "political defeat" for Trump: youtu.be/2aANhGJ9wwc

Our Red Alert: Save Our Hospitals Tour is making waves in our communities! Nurses and community members are building a healthy society – from the ground up. And we're just getting started.

“Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”  Born today in 1940, we honor the legacy of John Lewis. We celebrate his courage and his commitment to the fight for freedom and justice. As a civil rights hero, student organizer, activist and Congressman, Lewis dedicated his life to confronting inequality and defending our voting rights and freedoms. From sit-ins and freedom rides to Selma and Washington, his example and spirit lives on as we continue our march and struggle towards freedom.

The assassination of activist and minister Malcolm X, which occurred 61 years ago today, was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. He was a revolutionary, radical, outspoken and fiery advocate for Black liberation and a much-needed powerful voice against racism and oppression in each and every way it presented itself. Color Of Change stands on the shoulders of many great past leaders like Malcolm X who have taught us that when faced with adversity, racism, oppression and discrimination, we must all stand strong, stand together and fight with community to bring forth a brighter and more just future for all. #UntilJusticeIsReal.

Joanne Bland, who was one of the youngest marchers on the Edmund Pettis Bridge during Bloody Sunday and a renowned activist, has died. Read more about her legacy #OnTheGrio thegrio.com/2026/02/21/joa…

Judges across the U.S. have handed down thousands of rulings against the Trump administration for illegal detentions of immigrants. Regardless, ICE has kept arresting and jailing unprecedented numbers of people. democracynow.org/2026/2/19/ice_…

Jackson “brought communities together with a simple, powerful truth: Economic justice and civil rights are inseparable,” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond said in a statement. chicago.suntimes.com/money/2026/02/…

Chicago Police Disproportionately Used Force Against Black Chicagoans, Study Commissioned by Department Finds | Chicago News | WTTW news.wttw.com/2026/02/19/chi…

The Columbus statue in the Little Italy park will be replaced by one of Mother Cabrini, the Park District says. blockclubchi.co/4cxwvl2

Chicago dance crew honors members killed in crash: They will forever be in our hearts.” blockclubchi.co/3OkUzxE

Yesterday was Full Funding Friday!❤️ Every Friday CTU members show up in red and remind our elected officials that we deserve fully funded schools. Our students deserve fully resourced, staffed, accessible, and safe schools so they can learn and thrive. And the money to do this exists. Our members are ready and have taken the pledge to: protect our students, tax the rich to fully fund our schools, defend our democracy, and fight back on May 1st. Governor Pritzker and Illinois lawmakers: the choice is simple. Choose people over billionaires. Tax the ultra-wealthy to fully fund our schools. Take action with us: Sign the petition to tax the rich and invest in our families. actionnetwork.org/petitions/gove…

I'm old enough to remember that the struggles of Soweto in South Africa and the Favelas in Brazil are interconnected with the struggles of Cabrini-Green on the North Side of Chicago.

Chicago is grieving the loss of Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., a giant in the fight for justice and a steadfast champion for our school communities. Long before “Medicare for All” was a slogan, he was demanding it. Long before equity became a buzzword, he was organizing for it. For decades, he stood with students, educators, and families, pushing this city to live up to its promise. He believed every child deserved dignity, opportunity, and fully resourced public schools and he used his voice to make that demand impossible to ignore. His legacy lives in the movements he strengthened, the leaders he mentored, and the solidarity he called us to practice every day. We are grateful for his mentorship, his friendship, his solidarity, and his unwavering belief in our students and our movement. Rest in power, Reverend Jackson. We will carry it forward.

If we want our young people to follow rules, shouldn’t our governor follow its own rules to fully fund our schools?

As LGBTQIA+ rights are being challenged by our Trump and the MAGA forces in Congress and trans youth are being dehumanized and stripped of their autonomy around their own identities, we recognize that the fight for trans rights is part of our fight for collective liberation. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️✊🏾 Join us for a film screening of ‘Heightened Scrutiny’ and a panel discussion with community leaders who will share resources and information for educators and families to better support trans and gender nonconforming youth. 🎥March 5 | Doors open @ 4:30 | Film @ 5:30 🔗RSVP at ctulocal1.org/scrutiny