Teachers and Reform

Drawing on archival as well as rich interview material, John F. Lyons examines the role of Chicago public schoolteachers and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) in shaping the policies and practices of public education in Chicago from 1937 to 1970. Using political action, public relations campaigns, and community alliances, the CTU successfully raised members' salaries and benefits, increased school budgets, influenced school curricula, and campaigned for greater equality for women within the Chicago public education system. Taking into consideration the larger political context, such as World War II, the McCarthy era, and the civil rights movements of the 1960s, this study analyzes how the teachers' attempts were constrained by internal divisions over race and gender as well as external disputes between the CTU and the school administration, state and local politicians, and powerful business and civic organizations.