title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CELEBRATING THE RETIREMENT OF KAREN LEWIS AS PRESIDENT OF THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION
WHEREAS, it has come to the attention of the Cook County Board of Commissioners that Karen Lewis is retiring as the President of the Chicago Teachers Union; and
WHEREAS, Karen Lewis was born and raised in Chicago and attended Chicago's Kaminski Elementary School and Kenwood High School; and
WHEREAS, Karen Lewis received a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and music from Dartmouth College; and
WHEREAS, Karen Lewis worked as a high school chemistry teacher for 22 years at Chicago's Sullivan High School, Lane Tech High School and King College Prep, following in the footsteps of her parents who were both teachers; and
WHEREAS, In the 1990's Karen Lewis also became a member of the Chicago Teacher's Union and in the late 2000's she became active in a group called the Caucus of Rank-and File Educators (CORE) who fought to give teachers a voice in shaping the direction of local schools; and
WHEREAS, In 2010, Karen Lewis was elected President of the Chicago Teachers Union and was re- was re-elected President in 2013 and 2016; and
WHEREAS, Karen Lewis serves as a Vice President of the 1.7 million member American Federation of Teachers and was elected Executive Vice President of the 100,000 member Illinois Federation of Teachers; and
WHEREAS, Karen Lewis has received numerous awards and recognitions for her work on behalf of education equity and her devotion to local students including a Doctorate of Humane Letters from the National Labor College and from her Alma Mater Mt. Holyoke College; and
WHEREAS, Karen Lewis has fought tirelessly to foster excellence in the teaching and learning experiences of Chicago students and has been instrumental in elevating the Chicago Teachers Union into an influential organization that plays a positive role in the education of students on the local and national level; and
BE IT RESOLVED that the Cook County Board o...
Click here for full text