Nikon D7000 w Sigma 10-20mm lens, 1/320sec at f8 and ISO100. Copyright Andy Marfia 2012 All Rights Reserved.
I considered other photos for my photo of the week, but it seems wrong to not mention the topic that's dominating Chicago this week, the Chicago Teachers Union strike that has put 35,000 teachers and support staff on the picket lines, and 500,000 students with no schools to go to. I'm not going to go into a long diatribe here, but needless to say, I agree with most everything the teachers are fighting for (a modest salary increase, smaller classrooms and better resources, teacher evaluations that take into account more than just standardized testing, and the recall of qualified teachers who have been laid off due to school closures), and I agree with Carol Marin that Rahm Emanuel picked this fight. I know quite a few teachers (a couple in the Chicago system) and I can tell you not one of them has gone into the profession because of the salary. They do it because they love teaching. Period. This desire by some to demonize their profession needs to stop, and I'm glad the teachers are standing up and fighting the powers that be in this city.
A note on the photo: This was taken at the September 3rd rally in Chicago's loop before the strike began. It shows the teachers marching south on Clark Street.
Update 9/19/20: 10 days after it began, the strike is over. The teachers union declares victory.
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