What’s the difference between corporations and teachers’ unions, according to Mitt Romney? Apparently corporations are “people”—at least in the Citizens United definition—and should be allowed to give unlimited campaign contributions and other political donations, while teachers' unions are evil influence peddlers who buy politicians’ favor and shouldn’t be allowed to give campaign contributions.

That’s what you’ve got to infer from his comments Tuesday to an education forum sponsored by NBC, where he told moderator Brian Williams:

Chicago's striking teachers will head back to school today after the Chicago Teachers Union's House of Delegates voted to suspend their strike while members consider an agreement framework.

The Chicago Teachers Union's House of Delegates voted today not to suspend the strike that started Monday, but to take the tentative contract deal to the picket line for discussions over the next two days with the 26,000 striking teachers and school staff.

The Chicago Tribune reports there is a framework for a deal between Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) Local 1 and the Chicago Public Schools.

The Tribune spoke to CTU attorney Robert Bloch, who said:

I’m pleased to report that the talks today were very productive....We are still continuing to work out the details of the contract, but we are hopeful that we will have a complete agreement to present to the union’s House of Delegates by Sunday.

While newspaper editorial boards, right-wing pundits and school privateers are criticizing Chicago’s 29,000 public school teachers and educational professionals who were forced out on strike, Chicagoans—especially parents—are backing the teachers. 

While contract talks between the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and the city continue today, the 29,000 teachers and education professionals who were forced out on strike to gain a contract that provides students with the education they deserve were on the picket lines early this morning and then gathered for three large rallies across the Windy City.

At 12:01 a.m. today, for the first time in 25 years, more than 29,000 teachers and education professionals of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) were forced out on strike to gain a contract that provides students with the education they deserve.

CTU expressed disappointment in the school district’s refusal to concede on issues involving resources for students, job security and compensation—including the district’s decision to strip teachers and paraprofessionals of an agreed-upon 4 percent raise. Resources for students also are highlighted in a one-page paper excerpt of their 46-page comprehensive study, “The Schools Chicago’s Students Deserve,” outlining the type of school and educational environment their students should have. Its recommendations include:

Work connects us all. The Chicago Federation of Labor's new YouTube video, "Rise," is a powerful reminder that working people built this country and continue to keep it running every day. 

The video states:

We breathe life into every neighborhood every day...separate stories, different voices—but joined together. 

Watch the video in the post or on the Chicago Federation of Labor's YouTube channel.

Nicole Aro is the AFL-CIO Digital Strategies deputy director.

My mother is a high school teacher. Growing up, the joy that she took in her students learning each day was inspiring (and still is!). She spent thousands of dollars of her own money on classroom and after school activities, countless days and weeks over the summer poring over classics so she could better educate her seniors on their Advanced Placement (AP) work and endless nights and weekends creating her own supplemental material when the textbooks just weren’t engaging enough (think sketch comedies using characters from The Iliad and The Odyssey).

Inspired largely by my mom, when I got to college in Chicago, I promptly signed up to be a part-time teaching assistant in the Chicago Public School system.