Published on Aug 16, 2012 by CTUTV1

The Chicago Teachers Union is currently on the front lines of a fight to defend public education. On one side the 30,000 members of the CTU have called for a contract that includes fair compensation, meaningful job security for qualified teachers, smaller class sizes and a better school day with Art, Music, World Language and appropriate staffing levels to help our neediest students.

In January 2011, the media reported that Chick-fil-A was co-sponsoring a marriage conference along with the Pennsylvania Family Institute (PFI), an organization that has opposed same-sex marriage legislation in California and Pennsylvania.^[29] Chick-fil-A clarified that “one of our independent Restaurant Operators in Pennsylvania was asked to provide sandwiches to two Art of Marriage video seminars.”^[30] The WinShape Foundation also stated it would not allow same-sex couples to participate in its marriage retreats.^[31][32] The Wall Street Journal reported that “Through their WinShape Foundation, created in 1984, the owners of Chick-fil-A have donated millions to various causes, including Christian organizations dedicated to preserving traditional heterosexual marriages.”^[33] In response, students at several colleges and universities formed grassroots efforts to ban or remove the company’s restaurants from their campuses.^[34]

In June and July 2012, Chick-fil-A COO Dan Cathy made several public statements supporting what he believes to be “the traditional family,” saying about same-sex marriage that those who “have the audacity to define what marriage is about” were “inviting God’s judgment on our nation”.^[35]

Several prominent politicians expressed disapproval.^[36]Boston mayor Thomas Menino and Chicago alderman Proco “Joe” Moreno said they hoped to block franchise expansion into their areas.^[37] The proposed bans drew criticism from liberal pundits, legal experts and the American Civil Liberties Union.^[38] The Jim Henson Company, which had a Pajanimals kids’ meal toy licensing arrangement with Chick-fil-A, said it would cease its business relationship and donate the payment to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.^[39] Chick-fil-A stopped distributing the toys, citing unrelated safety concerns that had arisen prior to the controversy.^[40]

In response to criticism of the Cathy family’s support for “traditional marriage,” politician Mike Huckabee created the counter-protest for August 1 called “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.”^[41][42] The company reported that many stores reported historic sales for the event.^[43] The company states that sales have set a company record; however, the company declined to give specific sales figures.^[44] One location had to close early after nearly selling out of chicken in Augusta, Georgia.^[45][46]

more from the NYT: “Few Resist the Temptation to Opine on Chick-fil-A”

In a largely symbolic vote, the U.S. Senate passed a $250 million Democratic bill to extend the Bush-era tax cuts to individuals earning under $200,000 and families earning under $250,000, while renewing three tax credits enacted or modified in 2009.

The bill’s passage late Wednesday afternoon is largely considered symbolic, as it is expected to die on arrival in the GOP-controlled House of Representatives.

Earlier in the day the Senate voted to kill a $405 billion Republican proposal which would have extended the tax cuts for earners at all levels of income, but let the American Opportunity Tax Credit for college tuition expire, as well as expansions of the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit, which were modified to include more lower to middle income citizens in 2009.

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