Third, teachers are the front line of resisting this bipartisan austerity agenda. Chicago teachers won a historic 2012 strike that laid the foundation for the wave of successful teacher strikes that followed in red states such as West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and in blue cities such as Denver, Los Angeles and Oakland, California. The CTU’s unity with working people and marginalized communities led it to reject the city’s offer that focuses on teacher pay and health benefits. Instead, the CTU is also demanding vital services and staffing that its members know Chicago’s most disadvantaged students need to thrive — such as a librarian in every school, more nurses and health care professionals, and an expansion of sanctuary and community schools.