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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Karen GJ
4Lewis of Chicago, who passed away on February 8, 2021; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Karen Lewis was born in Chicago to Geoffrey
6Jennings and Martha Gakins on July 20,1953; she attended
7Kozminski Elementary School and Kenwood High School, until she
8accepted early admission at Mount Holyoke College; she later
9transferred to Dartmouth College, where she earned the
10distinction of being the only African American woman in the
11class of 1974; she married John W. Lewis; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Karen Lewis was a chemistry teacher in the
13Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system, where she taught at both
14King College Prep High School and Lane Tech High School, for 22
15years; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Karen Lewis became a member of the Chicago
17Teachers Union (CTU) in 1988, where she served as a member of
18the House of Delegates, as High School Functional Vice
19President, and as a member of the Illinois State Certification
20Board; she was elected president of the Chicago Teachers Union
21(CTU) on June 11, 2010; she was reelected to a second term in
22May 2012; she successfully led a nine-day strike against the

 

 

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1Chicago Board of Education in 2012, which resulted in a fair
2and equitable contract for her members and board agreement to
3implement many of CTU's recommendations to enhance the
4learning process; under her direction, the CTU published the
5study entitled The Schools Chicago's Students Deserve, which
6argued for education reforms within Chicago Public Schools;
7and
 
8    WHEREAS, Karen Lewis further served educators nationwide
9and throughout Illinois; she was the vice president of the
10American Federation of Teachers, representing more than 1.7
11million members; she was elected executive vice president to
12the more than 100,000 members of the Illinois Federation of
13Teachers in 2010; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Karen Lewis received numerous awards and
15recognitions for her relentless fight for education equity and
16for giving Chicago's students the schools they deserve; she
17received National Board Certification in 2002; she was
18recently presented with a Doctorate of Humane Letters from the
19National Labor College and her alma mater Mt. Holyoke College;
20and
 
21    WHEREAS, Karen Lewis worked tirelessly to foster
22excellence in the teaching and learning experience, to guard
23against opportunistic self-interest groups who would eradicate

 

 

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1public education, to advocate for equal quality education for
2all students, and to protect the rights of educators
3throughout the State of Illinois; she gave strength to tens of
4thousands of Chicago Teachers Union educators who followed her
5lead and live by her principles to this day; she will be
6remembered as a true champion and a powerful, prolific
7advocate for educators, students, their families, and the
8communities in which they live; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Karen Lewis enjoyed watching foreign films,
10playing tennis, reading, and traveling; she spoke three
11languages; she loved opera and show tunes; she will be dearly
12missed; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Karen Lewis was the doting daughter of the late
14Geoffrey Jennings and Martha Gakins; the beloved wife of John
15W. Lewis; the loving stepmother of Antionette, Randolph, and
16Adolph; the proud grandmother of Kariah, Aaron, John, Jade,
17Jasmine, and Journey; the caring great-grandmother of Angel
18and Michaela; the dear sister of Keli Jennings; and a friend to
19many; therefore, be it
 
20    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
21HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
22we mourn the passing of Karen GJ Lewis and extend our sincere
23condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved

 

 

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1her; and be it further
 
2    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
3presented to the family of Karen Lewis as an expression of our
4deepest sympathy.