Chicago Teachers Union Lionizes Convicted Cop Killer Assata Shakur
The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has ignited a national firestorm following a social media post that praised Assata Shakur, a fugitive convicted of murdering a New Jersey State Trooper, after her recent death in Cuba at age 78.
On Friday, the CTU’s official X account published a tribute that declared “Rest in Power, Rest in Peace, Assata Shakur,” hailing her as a “revolutionary fighter,” “fierce writer,” and “leader of freedom.” The post further quoted Shakur: “It is our duty to fight for our freedom… We have nothing to lose but our chains.”
This move immediately drew bipartisan condemnation. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy denounced the CTU’s post as “shameful and depraved,” emphasizing that Shakur was convicted in the 1973 murder of State Trooper Werner Foerster, who was “executed in cold blood.” Several Chicago aldermen joined the chorus of criticism, planning a press conference to formally denounce the union for “glorifying extremist violence.”
Shakur, born JoAnne Chesimard, was a member of the Black Liberation Army (BLA). In 1977, she was convicted of first-degree murder and other felonies related to the traffic stop shootout that killed Trooper Foerster. She later escaped prison in 1979 and was granted political asylum in Cuba in 1984, where she lived until her death. She was placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list in 2013, with a $2 million reward offered for her capture.
With their praise for Shakur the CTU once again betrays the students they supposedly represent and shows how out of touch they are with the rest of the country.
Don Irvine
Donald Irvine is the chairman of of Accuracy in Academia (AIA), a non-profit research group reporting on bias in education. Irvine follows his father’s legacy, Reed Irvine, to critically analyze the liberal media’s bias and brings over thirty years of media analysis experience. He has published countless blog posts and articles on media bias, in context of current events, and he has been interviewed by many news media outlets during his professional career. He currently hosts a livestream weekly show on AIA’s Facebook page which discusses current events.
Irvine graduated from the University of Maryland and rose up the ranks to become chairman of Accuracy in Media until his transition to AIA.
He resides in the suburbs around the nation’s capital and is a proud father and grandfather.
