A two-day conference hosted at the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) headquarters, which included workshops on protest tactics, international relations, and political organizing, has raised concerns among education advocates about the influence of political activism in schools. The event featured speakers and groups associated with socialist, anti-war, and pro-Palestinian movements.
North American Values Institute (NAVI) Chief Advocacy Officer Josh Weiner expressed his reservations, stating that the conference's agenda seemed distant from the core mission of education. "I'm not sure that has much to do with empowering teachers in the classroom," Weiner told Fox News Digital. He added, "The classroom is not the priority. It's a political agenda that's very extreme."
According to the Anti-War Action Network's (AWAN) website, the conference included sessions on protest and media tactics, tracking weapons shipments, fundraising, coalition building, and strengthening ties with labor and community groups in Latin America and Africa. Conference room names honored political figures and activists such as Fidel Castro, Nicolás Maduro, and Patrice Lumumba. Speakers represented organizations including the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the Anti-War Committee Chicago.
One speaker, Michigan preschool teacher Jessica Plichta, identified as a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, a Marxist-Leninist group. Another speaker, U.S. Palestinian Community Network Chairman Hatem Abudayyeh, had previously been a spokesperson for the Rasmea Defense Committee.
Resolutions from the conference reportedly called for an end to U.S. aid to Israel, support for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns, and expanded pro-Palestinian activism. Another resolution referred to the Iranian government as "anti-imperialist" and pledged support for Iranian sovereignty.
While the CTU was not listed as an official sponsor of the event, the venue displayed union signage. NAVI noted that CTU Vice President Jackson Potter and the union's governing caucus, CORE, follow the Anti-War Committee Chicago on Instagram. Weiner suggested that the union's stance was a deliberate effort to maintain distance while remaining connected to the organizers. "CTU didn't sponsor this conference, they weren't officially a part of it, but that's on purpose to keep themselves at arm's length of something that, clearly, they've been in the same circles as," he said.
Weiner voiced concerns that such political messaging could influence students, stating, "Children are being taught that the U.S. is imperialist, that it is the purveyor of violence throughout the world while platforming leaders that, frankly, are majorly oppressive." He emphasized that public education should focus on foundational knowledge and preparing students for productive citizenship within a democratic capitalist system.
AWAN's stated aim is to "build a country-wide movement of people who will fight against U.S. imperialism in the streets and in the halls of power." Weiner characterized the conference as the antithesis of proper education, suggesting that some educators are using classrooms to promote political agendas and teach children about power dynamics. "It's totally anti what education is supposed to be about, and this is an intentional play," he stated.
The event follows previous criticism of the CTU in April for collaborating with the National Education Association on a "curriculum build" aimed at integrating "social justice into the classroom" in anticipation of May Day. Weiner warned that similar tactics might be replicated in other cities, suggesting a broader trend of pushing political boundaries within educational settings.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Chicago Teachers Union and the Anti-War Action Network for comment.