All over the country universities stick their athletic team logos on right wing radio stations that attack teachers, public education, and unions on a daily basis.
The University of Illinois broadcasts its athletics on 9 Rush Limbaugh stations (see https://sites.google.com/... link in my sig). Maybe University of Illinois students and faculty wanting to support Chicago teachers could do it right there at the university.
The stations use material and guests fed to them and coordinated by right wing think tanks, the Chamber of Commerce, and the GOP. Other regular topics include defunding education to privatize it, attacking science, students, 'liberal' professors, and intellectualism, and making sure Republicans who support those objectives are elected as university regents and to school boards.
Teacher's Unions are a long time punching bag for right wing radio and they're sure no one will punch them back.
Just as during the OWS protests, not only are the national right wing talkers attacking Chicago teachers, so are local talkers on the Limbaugh megastation in my state, a thousand miles away. The University of Illinois Limbaugh stations will do even more, using local talkers and their guests, possibly from national think tanks. They’re probably taking paid callers on this issue. They will attack and intimidate local media and politicians objective to and favorable to teachers. They will encourage and enable media and politicians critical of teachers and unions.
How many protestors and their supporters are a few right wing blowhards at those University of Illinois-endorsed radio stations worth?
Like hundreds of other right wing radio stations all over the country those Illinois stations depend on their associations with university athletics for community standing and local sponsors. Unless the university thinks its mission statements are a joke (see the general mission statement and that of the College of Education below) it would respond to a challenge on this issue by indicating an intention to find alternatives to the partisan GOP radio stations that work endlessly and loudly to counter the objectives the university professes to pursue.
Will the University of Illinois defend its relationship with a partisan propaganda operation on the basis of reaching a few more listeners or making a few more bucks?
Maybe some of those stations and the University of Illinois could be good places to protest in support of teachers and unions.
BTW... in 2005 the University of Illinois dropped its long time Native American mascot ( which Limbaugh blamed on ‘political correctness’) so the school would be eligible to host postseason NCAA championship events. ( http://www.cbsnews.com/... In 2005 the university. see below.)
Last Thursday Limbaugh responded to Elizabeth Warren's Democratic Convention speech ridiculing Romney's declaration that "corporations are people, my friend". Limbaugh responded, saying: "Maybe corporations are Indians. If they're not people, what are they?"
Mission & Vision
The University of Illinois is among the preeminent public universities of the nation and strives constantly to sustain and enhance its quality in teaching, research, public service and economic development.
Mission
The University of Illinois will transform lives and serve society by educating, creating knowledge and putting knowledge to work on a large scale and with excellence.
Vision
To create a brilliant future for the University of Illinois in which the students, faculty and staff thrive and the citizens of Illinois, the nation and the world benefit, a future in which the University of Illinois is the recognized leader among public research universities in:
Teaching, scholarship and service
Engagement and public service
Economic development
Arts and culture
Global reach
Athletics
Guiding Values
In all that the University does, we will:
Aim high
Strive to control our destiny
Be accountable for our actions and exercise responsible stewardship
Be inclusive, treat each other with dignity and respect and promote citizenship
Value excellence, quality and service
Foster innovation and creativity
Mission Statement
The mission of the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is:
to maintain and enhance our position as a leader in research on critical issues in education.
to be leaders in the preparation of teachers, preschool through secondary education, by using the latest advances in educational research; and to prepare leaders at the doctoral level who will assume positions as faculty at other universities, as school administrators, and as policy makers at the state and federal level.
to serve the State of Illinois and the nation through our continuing professional development program for educators, including the development of alternative certification programs, and through outreach to P-12 schools, state government, community colleges, community agencies and private companies.
Fighting Illini Say Goodbye To The Chief
The University of Illinois will drop its 81-year-old American Indian mascot, Chief Illiniwek, following the last men's basketball home game of the season on Wednesday, officials said.
The move makes the school eligible to host postseason NCAA championship events.
The NCAA in 2005 deemed Illiniwek — portrayed by buckskin-clad students who dance at home football and basketball games and other athletic events — to be an offensive use of American Indian imagery and barred the university from hosting postseason events.
American Indian groups and others have complained for years that the mascot, used since 1926, is demeaning. Supporters of the mascot say it honors the contributions of American Indians to Illinois.
Illinois still will be able to use the name Illini because it's short for Illinois and the school can use the term Fighting Illini, because it's considered a reference to the team's competitive spirit, school officials said. It is unclear if the school will get a new mascot.