CONTACT:Karen Lewis
CORE CTU Presidential Candidate
For Immediate Release
May 22, 2010 at 11:15 a.m.
CORE Media Relations
Liz Brown
Kenzo Shibata
Preliminary CTU Election Results Statement
In a five-way race for the leadership of the Chicago Teachers Union, a run-off on June 11, 2010 appears likely between the Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators (CORE), headed by CORE Presidential Candidate Karen Lewis and the incumbent party UPC headed by Marilyn Stewart. At the time of this corrected release based on 17,797 tabulated votes and verified by CORE’s on-site representative on the Canvassing Committee charged with CTU election vote counting oversight, the preliminary vote count stands at UPC 6,283, CORE 5,970, PACT 3,144, CSDU 1,273 and SEA 1,127. It is reported that approximately 35 schools’ ballot boxes have not yet been received. Final vote tallying will continue on Monday, May 21, 2010.
“What this election shows us is that teachers and PSRPs are fed up. CORE’s success is we are a big-tent, grass-roots group led democratically from the bottom up. That was why CORE began in the first place – to activate and energize all members in running the Union. It also turned out to be a winning campaign strategy. I sincerely thank all of our supporters for their tireless work and dedication to our shared cause,” said Karen Lewis.
Throughout the campaign, CORE has called for an end to business as usual, transparency from both the CTU and Chicago Public Schools, and a unified effort to improve Chicago’s public schools among its natural allies – teachers, students, parents and community members. “CORE invites all caucuses and Union members to join us to reinvigorate rank-and-file members and wake up the sleeping giant that is the Chicago Teachers Union,” said Lewis.
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CORE, the Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators, is a reform caucus of the Chicago Teachers Union that represents teachers and educational paraprofessionals, and the students and families they serve.
