During the summer of 2010, the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), under the corporate management leadership of CEO Ron Huberman, gave local principals the unlimited power to dismiss 1,289 tenured teachers without due process. Despite the fact that over 95% of the teachers had previously received “excellent” or “superior” ratings, to the media and public, these dismissed teachers were painted with the b
road brush of “unsatisfactory”. They drew from the pain and anger of home foreclosures, bankruptcy, crushing medical bills, lack of insurance and loss of respect in the community. They drew from the trauma of being terminated ̶ unable to work in their chosen profession. But as creative people, they redefined what it is and continues to be for them as artist, teacher and now arts education advocate. ART TEACHERS REDEFINED is an exhibit of the art teachers’ frustration toward a system that has forgotten its educational mission. But it is also the artists' hope the show serves to demonstrate that art -- as the art teachers -- can proffer insight and inspiration to the educational community in the midst of the conflict and crisis.
![Met Nathan Saunders, the President of the Washington [DC] Teachers Union at the "National Conference to Fight Back for P...](https://img5.ngos1.com/188/462/214917111884627.jpg)
