The Nation: Teachers: In a Striking Mood

They had waited for more than an hour inside Manhattan's Madison Square Garden, chatting, comparing rumors and singing songs: "The union makes us strong," "Shanker is our leader / we will not be used." Then just after 7 p.m., their leader finally arrived. Weary and bleary-eyed after a deadlocked, daylong bargaining session, Albert Shanker walked onto the floodlit stage as 20,000 New York City schoolteachers stomped and cheered. "This is the greatest teacher turnout in the history of the world!" Shanker cried. Over the next 20 minutes he denounced conditions in the...

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