Education Advocate Criticizes Activist Conference Hosted at Chicago Teachers Union

A gathering of left-wing activists focused on anti-war, socialist and pro-Palestinian causes took place over two days at the Chicago Teachers Union’s facility, prompting backlash from education policy experts. The event included sessions addressing protest strategy, labor organizing, weapons tracking and international coalition-building, according to organizers’ materials.

Josh Weiner, chief advocacy officer at the North American Values Institute, disputed the relevance of such activities to classroom instruction. He contended that the conference’s emphasis on political organizing suggests a disconnect between activist priorities and educational mission.

The Chicago Teachers Union did not formally endorse the conference, though union branding and merchandise appeared at the venue, according to reporting by the Washington Free Beacon. Conference organizers assigned names of political figures including Fidel Castro, Nicolás Maduro and Patrice Lumumba to individual session rooms.

Speakers presented from a platform decorated with a Palestinian flag. The program featured representatives from numerous activist organizations, including the U.S. Palestinian Community Network and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, which identifies as Marxist-Leninist.

Michigan preschool teacher Jessica Plichta, affiliated with the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, appeared as a speaker. She was arrested on camera following a televised statement supporting Nicolás Maduro, with police citing alleged failure to disperse from a blocked roadway.

Conference resolutions endorsed ending U.S. military assistance to Israel and expanding Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaigns targeting Israel. Additional measures characterized the Iranian government as “anti-imperialist” and pledged backing for Iran’s sovereignty.

Weiner accused the union of maintaining deliberate distance from the conference while operating within overlapping activist networks. He noted that CTU Vice President Jackson Potter and the union’s governing caucus follow anti-war accounts on social media.

Weiner warned that teachers are introducing extreme ideologies into classrooms by instructing students that America functions as an imperialist force. He said education should instead prioritize foundational knowledge and preparation for citizenship within the existing democratic capitalist framework.

The Anti-War Action Network states on its website that it seeks to “build a country-wide movement of people who will fight against U.S. imperialism.” Weiner predicted the organizing tactics demonstrated in Chicago will expand to other cities.

The controversy follows criticism the Chicago Teachers Union faced in April for partnering with the National Education Association on curriculum initiatives designed to integrate “social justice” concepts before May Day celebrations.