Academic career

Ayers is currently a Distinguished Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Education. His interests include teaching for social justice, urban educational reform, narrative and interpretive research, children in trouble with the law, and related issues.[35]

Ayers began his career in primary education while an undergraduate, teaching at the Children’s Community School (CCS), a project founded by a group of students and based on the Summerhill method of education. After leaving the underground, he earned an M.Ed from Bank Street College in Early Childhood Education (1984), an M.Ed from Teachers College, Columbia University in Early Childhood Education (1987) and an Ed.D from Teachers College, Columbia University in Curriculum and Instruction (1987).

Ayers has edited and written many books and articles on education theory, policy and practice, and has appeared on many panels and symposia.

Civic and political life

Ayers worked with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley in shaping the city's school reform program,[36]and was one of three co-authors of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge grant proposal that in 1995 won $49.2 million over five years for public school reform.[37] In 1997 Chicago awarded him its Citizen of the Year award for his work on the project.[38] Since 1999 he has served on the board of directors of the Woods Fund of Chicago, an anti-poverty, philanthropic foundation established as the Woods Charitable Fund in 1941.[39]According to Ayers, his radical past occasionally affects him, as when, by his account, he was asked not to attend a progressive educators' conference in the fall of 2006 on the basis that the organizers did not want to risk an association with his past.[40]

In a letter to the editor in the Chicago Tribune, Ayers wrote, "I condemn all forms of terrorism — individual, group and official". He also condemned the September 11 terrorist attacks in that letter. "Today we are witnessing crimes against humanity on our own shores on an unthinkable scale, and I fear that we may soon see more innocent people in other parts of the world dying in response."[23]

Views on his past expressed since 2001

Ayers was asked in a January 2004 interview, "How do you feel about what you did? Would you do it again under similar circumstances?" He replied:[24] "I've thought about this a lot. Being almost 60, it's impossible to not have lots and lots of regrets about lots and lots of things, but the question of did we do something that was horrendous, awful? ... I don't think so. I think what we did was to respond to a situation that was unconscionable." On September 9, 2008, journalist Jake Tapper reported on the comic strip in Bill Ayers's blog explaining the soundbite: "The one thing I don't regret is opposing the war in Vietnam with every ounce of my being.... When I say, 'We didn't do enough,' a lot of people rush to think, 'That must mean, "We didn't bomb enough shit."' But that's not the point at all. It's not a tactical statement, it's an obvious political and ethical statement. In this context, 'we' means 'everyone.'"[25][26]

Ayers' political views

In an interview published in 1995, Ayers characterized his political beliefs at that time and in the 1960s and 1970s: "I am a radical, Leftist, small 'c' communist ... [Laughs] Maybe I'm the last communist who is willing to admit it. [Laughs] We have always been small 'c' communists in the sense that we were never in the [Communist] party and never Stalinists. The ethics of Communism still appeal to me. I don't like Lenin as much as the early Marx. I also like Henry David Thoreau, Mother Jones and Jane Addams

...I think we heard McCain throw in the towel tonite.

I'm relieved he may have come to his senses...and his better angels have prevailed!! Oh, Ayers is also on the Board of the U of South Carolina!! such a hotbed of radical communism there!!!

.... unloosing a force that he could not control and stepped back. I honestly don't think that Ayers' reputation can ever be rehabilitated. What has happened to him is much like what happened to some "leftists" in the McCarthy era.

That said, it is nice to see a fuller presentation of Ayers' biography.

I remember watching the documentary "Weatherman Underground" a few years ago, and the film really bothered me, Hitchens really bothered me, because the scene was my scene, I ran away from home 1972 at 15 to be part of the scene, the antiwar scene.. I didn't like the film.

When I saw the news about Obama and Ayres I got chilled. Obama is younger than me, so he had no idea what was going on any better than I did... Ayres should have been in prison like Charles Manson. I'm sure if Manson took that swaztickka (or however you spell it) off his forhead, like Ayres, he too could become a paid propegandist in the programming institutions some dare call universities.

Anyways.. Here's my take. The Obama Ayres chapter is actually a message to antiwar citizens. YOU ARE TERRORISTS.

The poster Bruce helped me out in his response:

IF YOU ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ANTIWAR YOU ARE A TERRORIST.

And your article here has Ayres, who should be in prison, agreeing antiwar are terrorists.

That said. When these protests started, I remember I was afraid of Bush because the neocons would report you.. I was reported here for saying Bush should be assassinated for signing assassination into US policy, and I knew people where I lived who had been reported, turned in and investigated by TIPS, but the protests were wonderful for 5 years. The police were kind. There were allot of them, but it was all relaxed and so I relaxed, because Clinton was brutal.. I protested Clinton and it got brutal in CA.. but now, did you see what happened at BOTH the Democratic and Republic Party debates to the antiwar protesters? Chilling.

Obama is going to win in a landslide. McCain is running to lose the GOP off the map, hold on. McCain and the neocons are not running a campaign to win. If you were a republican and you wanted to vote for McCain or show support for McCain you would find it so hard, he's had 6 campaign managers now?

The woman who started the Obama campaign here, big time antiwar activist, much loved on the right and left in our community was replaced about 6 weeks ago by someone who is not from here.. a big shot for the DP, opened a office with all the bells and whistles next to our post office, and they have put up signs in community areas... appears some neocons are sporting Obama stickers, and tourists while our ex Obama supporter has been protesting Obama.

So, I'm sad about the message Obama is sending we the peaceful people, we the little flowered powered old sweet hippies with our holey tie dyes and eternal peace signs..

Obama hardly knew us.

other then the stupid kids that blew themselves up in New York......Mason carved the swaztika on his forehead during his trial...as a "message"..he's in prison for life...Ayers, I don't believe did much time at all...due to the FBI provocateurs who provided the Weathemen with explosives, and encourage, pushed for a violent response....without the FBI....a whole lot of hot air....! By the way Ralph was in Des Moines yesterday!! with the same "no difference between McCain and Obama...like there wasn't any difference between Gore and Bush...well, except for the invasion of Iraq and Weak regulation. Lax oversight. Millions of jobs lost. Record deficits. A blind eye to corporate excess, and a cold shoulder to a middle class under siege the disastrous economic legacy of George Bush.

Becasue I have been personally attacked, harrassed, threatened, shunned, insulted and discriminated against by Democrats for my legal and Democratic support for Ralph Nader, I have found Democrats worse than Republicans, who might laugh or feel sorry for me for backing an honest man doing an honest job... the laughing doesn't hurt.. The law suits, vandalism and threats HURT, and why for me, Democrats are worse than Bush.

I understand in Bush's speach, he's voting for Obama too. You see.. the cor[porate elite don't need a GOP. They can do much more with one party that works to ensure everyone follow the plan or go to prison for being a terrorist.

That's the Obama McCain Clinton Bush plan

NADER 08

doesn't change the economy one bit...glad you're back on voting for good old Ralph! He could use the support! ...oh, it certainly seems to take alot of your enegy to stay up on that cross! Ad Bob Parker would say..."cooome on down!"

Pat Its a good enery kinda like solar. I LOVE YOU

You are very special to me because I am very proud of you and respect you very much for getting involved and running for office. I have never supported a candidate outside the state I reside.. Not even Ron Paul. Only you.

This is my fourth and last vote for Nader which I count as blessings.

thank you very much....I am very fond of you too...obviously, only call my children, grandchildren and nieces and nephews sweetpea! =o) Don't ount on this being your last vote for Ralph! He's like William Jennings-Bryant...he'll run til he drops dead! You should read his famous "Cross of Gold" speech sometime...and rent "Inherit the Wind" with Spencer Tracy, it's about Scopes Trials, and Bryant, and Clarence Darrell...(played by Spencer Tracy) it's pretty good, and unfortunately, timely once again! I appreciate your support as well, this has been quite a learning experience..so much so, no matter what the outcome, I'm running again in 2 years...finally learned enough...AND I've got 500 yard signs already!