Chicago City Wire

Chicago Public Schools teacher Katy Heavener believes in preaching the virtues of progressive activism— to her second graders.

The teacher at Polaris Charter Academy in Humboldt Park was open in advocating for activism to her 7- and 8-year-old students on a teach-from-home class session last May.

Heavener released a video to her class on May 31 just after riots and protests spread throughout Chicago in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

“The reason that we went out into the street and made this message really loud and clear is to demand that the rights of black people are respected by everyone in our country so that black people can feel safe, happy and free to live,” Heavener told her class.

The rioting and protests Heavener participated in cost affected business owners an estimated $66 million.

She warned her class against listening to the news regarding the riots, defending it as being “part of protests.”

“You might hear a lot about riots and glass being smashed or cars being set on fire or something like that,” Heavner said. “That stuff does happen sometimes. And that's part of protests because people are really angry about what's going on and they feel like they're not being listened to.”

She likened the riots to children acting out.  

“So when you're not being listened to, you act out just like that happens in the classroom,” she said. “Sometimes if you feel like you're not being listened to, it's hard for you to control your emotions and your reactions.”  

Heavener did not mention the damage to buildings and affected business owners alike.  

The riots also preceded a looting streak in the city and a sharp increase in the city’s murder rate. 

After discussing the history of slavery and her weekend protesting with the students, Heavener launched into a reading of “’A’ is for Activist,” a children's ABC book advocating activism.

In addition to its progressive concepts, the book advocates for a cooperative socialist-style living over capitalism.

“C is for co-op cooperating cultures, creative counter to corporate vultures,” Heavener read to her class from the book.

Heavener further expanded on the passage’s meaning to her second-grade audience.

“What this is saying is that some corporations, really big corporations or big businesses that make millions and billions and billions of dollars ... lots of times they don't treat their employees very well,” she said.

“They keep all the money to themselves and only give their employees just a little bit or they don't take care of their health sometimes. So what they're saying is that these corporations are kind of acting like vultures when it comes to money. They're being really greedy.”

Heavener’s Twitter feed is filled with reposts of left-wing and often activist-related material.

“’A’ is for Activist” made Washington Post's 'The best books for raising activists kids' list. 

The book’s feature blurb is attributed to ‘Occupy Wall Street.’

“Reading it is almost like reading Howard Zinn's 'A People's History of the United States,' but for two-year olds—full of pictures and rhymes and a little cat to find on every page that will delight the curious toddler and parents alike,” Occupy Wall Street’s review of  “’A’ is for Activist” reads.

Polaris Charter School is a member institution of Chicago Public Schools.

Progressive activism is built into the school’s curriculum for its 434 students. 

“Polaris’ community-centered student-initiative is to combat racial stereotypes and build positive relationships between youth and the police,” the school said in a blog post.

The school is said to focus on “expedition learning” which gets them involved in progressive political activities in the surrounding neighborhood. 

As part of the lesson, Heavener promised to teach the children how to make banners to wave at a protest. 

Polaris Charter School did not respond to requests for comment.

The school is funded by taxpayers.