What’s it all about? Emanual and union president Karen Lewis each tell a different story. Lewis’s can be heard in the above video.
But when it comes to exactly what the strike it about, the stories of the city and the union vary dramatically. Shortly after Lewis finished saying that the union was striking over contract negotiations, teacher evaluations, lack of proper air conditioning, and broader pedagogical issues — such as class size and out-of-class services for poor kids — Emanuel addressed the press.
“This is totally unnecessary, this is avoidable, and our kids do not deserve this,” he said.
The mayor, who fashions himself an education reformer, wore no tie. While Emanuel usually doesn’t mince words, his anger appeared more internalized, more resolute. At moments, he appeared to be on the verge of tears. His hand shook visibly as he took a sip of water in between statements. “This is a strike of choice,” he said.
From Emanuel’s perspective, after weeks of negotiation, only two issues remain unresolved. The first is a principal’s right to choose the teachers that work in his or her school. “It’s essential that the local principal who we hold accountable for producing the educational results not be told by the CPS bureaucracy … and not be told by the union leadership who to hire,” he said.
Second, he added, is the impasse over how to implement a recent law that requires standardized tests to count for, initially, one quarter of all teacher evaluations. “I’m telling you, these were the final two issues,” he said, exasperated.
There is no way for us to tell how long the strike will contine. One has to ask why these things aren’t hand;ed before the school year starts. Many of these same issues face the schools here in Virginia. 40% of the teacher evaluation is based on test scores–something again teachers don’t have total control over. PWC has some of the worst classroom overcrowding in the northern Virginia. Teachers here haven’t had a step increase in several years, yet supervisors are toying with the idea of yet another housing development to bring in more kids for unbuilt schools.
Only 25% of the striking teachers’ evaluations are based on test scores. Maybe they are the lucky ones.
Teachers cannot strike in Virginia and in much of the south. There are no legitimate teachers unions. There are professional associations to represent the teachers and to ensure that they receive due process. If a teacher strikes in Virginia, by law that teacher’s license to teach will be pulled and confiscated. That’s it in Virginia. I have mixed feelings.
Further reading: Huffington Post: Chicago Teachers Strike: Union, Emanuel Disagree On Bottom Line
350,000 students and 25,000 teachers affected by this strike according to the news.
Teachers’ unions catching hell.
More than 80 percent of Chicago students qualify for free lunches because they come from low-income households, and Chicago students have performed poorly compared with national averages on most reading, math and science tests.
The union estimates that a quarter of all teachers could lose their job.
The question is, who wants their job? Who would they hire to replace the teachers?
The average teachers pay in PWC is about $60,000. The average teachers pay in Chicago is about $73,000.
Note the word AVERAGE.
Is that before of after benefits? How much is their benefits package?
I don’t know. Do you object to teachers having benefits?
Of course some organizations count FICA as a teacher benefit. PUH-leeze!
“Emanuel inherited a school district facing a $700 million budget shortfall. Not long after, his administration rescinded 4 percent raises for teachers. He then asked the union to reopen its contract and accept 2 percent pay raises in exchange for lengthening the school day for students by 90 minutes. The union refused.”
I believe those teachers are being offered 3% this year and an additional 2% over the next 5 years. Salary isn’t the issue in this strike, I do not believe.
So whose side are you on, Blue? Emanual or teachers?
@Moon-howler
I think it’s a fair question. How much is their benefits package? How much is their share of healthcare spending? How much retirement does the city/county/state fund?
What is their total compensation?
Then how is that TC relative to the average family they serve. Maybe the numbers prove they are underpaid. Not sure. But I’m curious.
Also tickles me that the Charter, Religious and Private schools are still open.
Repeat. I don’t Know.
Repeat: Do you object to teachers receiving benefits?
The amounts I put up were salaries.
Why would it “tickle” 🙄 you that those schools are still open? Why would they close? Unless they are part of the Chicago school system, they would not be part of the union. Some “charter” schools might be involved.
Does it “tickle” you that Detroit schools are still open? That makes as much sense. Anne seton High School and Manassas Christian Schools also don’t get raises every time City of Manassas Schools do.
I don’t see what difference it makes. re marin. The important question would be whether the heath care is paid post employment. That is what often runs up costs.
Ask the retirement question differently.
Do you mean how much is put into th eteacher pension or how much might be put in a 403B?
Who gets to determine how much is under or over paid?
I don’t think salary is in dispute. They are getting a 3% raise with 2% raises following for the next 5 years, I believe. I don’t believe benefits are part of the strike either.
Not sure why I am supposed to know this information.
@Marinm
Before benefits
From CPS website:
Compensation and Benefits
CPS offers highly competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package for our employees and their families. If you are eligibile for benefits, you will be able to elect coverage for yourself, your spouse/dependents, or same-sex domestic partner after your staffing is completed. Highlights of our benefits package include:
Medical coverage
Dental coverage
Basic and Enhanced Vision coverage
Flexible Spending Accounts
Basic Life Insurance
Long-Term Disability Insurance
Supplemental Retirement Plans
Group Financial Planning
Group Legal Services
A braying jackass keeps trying to post here. BJ–get your facts straight. You really don’t understand how this all works and you don’t know what you are talking about.
68.34.47.15
You have been warned not to come to come to this blog. I will continue to post your IP address each and every time you come to this blog. Last time I did that some in Fairfax County ran in to a lot of trouble for harassing people on this blog.
I’m a bit offtopic (identifying that doesn’t make it any better but it does make ME feel better…:) I’d be very surprised if that average figure includes benefits of any sort. I think it’s a difficult argument to make that if you increase teacher pay, you’ll get better teachers. Are the lousy ones going to decide that they’re overpaid and leave the profession? If the intent in raising salaries is to attact people who are more expert in their field will that not drive their salaries up so that their current employers are competitive? Also, just because you might be more expert in your field doesn’t mean you’re any good at all in teaching same to anyone. I’ve got 14 years of experience running my own businesses, does that mean I’m a good business teacher? Not a chance….
Being a teacher is a tremendously difficult job but it is not without its benefits. Your annualized pay would be somewhere near an average of $100k. That’s a fair bit of cash. That 25% delta is also money that cannot be realized w/o a summer job. As with any job, there are plusses and minuses.
I imagine that being a teacher in Chicago might have a lot of minuses. Schools are a microcosm of the communities they werve. Given the violence, teachers should be getting combat pay.
I don’t think it is a difficult argument at all to suggest, especially in our area, if you increase salaries you get better teachers. Let’s say you are a lazy principal and don’t do your hiring until July. There is a good chance that your better teachers have been snatched up by other areas that pay better. Interestingly enough, MP, CoM and PWC have gone through stages of snagging each other’s teachers.
The bigger pool of teachers you have to choose from, the better your chances of getting high quality people. As summer rolls to a close, the lesser qualified folks are who are left.
Now, if you think that lesser qualified doesn’t matter and that just anyone can teach, well, then nothing I say will change that.
Being more expert in your field doesn’t make you a better teacher at the K-12. I agree. In fact, I had the head of the math department at UVA as a math teacher for 2 years when I was in high school. (long story why) It took me years to recover. He did this for free. It didn’t make him a good teacher. It made his credentials impressive.
I think that great teachers are hard to find and pay is only a single factor. If it were the sole differentiator, Manassas, at the 5th best paying jurisdiction in the state, would be the belle of the ball.
I don’t disagree. Great teachers are hard to find and it is an art, not a science. However, I think we want to attract good teachers, even if they aren’t great. There is definitely more to it than money. However, in a highly competitive area, money is going to make the difference in the rank and file teacher over the years.
There is also the angle of…what does best paying mean? Starting salary? Does the pay merely attract those right out of college? Many jurisdictions jack up beginning pay and then fail to keep pace once the hook is out there. How does the pay look at the upper end of the scale?
What kinds of benefits are out there? Prince William has the supplemental retirement on a sliding scale that many folks think is very attractive. Recent events in the past 5 years have eroded the attractiveness of that incentive.
Huffingtonpost.com:
You can find classes that large right here in PWC and it isn’t a new concept either. PE classes have been that large for years. So have lots of closses. The evaluations are also time consuming and basically show nothing. It isn’t just Chicago.
I understand the teachers’ issues. They are correct. However, their timing to go balls to the wall sucks. Rahm Emanual also. Ahem…folks…this is an election year.
Emanual needs an arse whupping and so do the teachers. No one has thought this one out.
Meanwhile, while supporting the complaints, I can’t support the stupidity.
I hate closed shop also.
The Chicago School Board took back a scheduled 4 percent pay raise for teachers last year because of budget problems. Emanuel is offering a 2 percent pay increase annually over the next four years. The union wants the rescinded raise restored, plus higher annual increases.
The $70k seems high for average and it include pension contribution but no other benefits. And that’s with a Master’s!!!!! Sure replace them. Who’s babysitting? How many kids are left alone because the schools with their now EXTENDED day are not open for daycare I mean the school day. Chicago schools extended their hours this year while taking back a pay raise.
The problem appears to be in city management.
I think public school teachers are abused as a group. Make belligerent Johnny read by third grade with little or no parental support or youre a failure.
What kind of raise did the cops and firefighters get?
UFB – satellite police stations in public schoos at the expense of public schools processing students. How longe will public schools be pillaged and plundered by our society. Read this – these teachers couldn’t be screwed much more than this. It even impacted pensions.
CHICAGO – A newly-acquired secret agreement obtained in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) confirms that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) diverted about $70 million, largely from teacher salaries and unemployment benefits, to avoid paying teachers a promised 4 percent contractual raise last school year. The money was instead given to the Chicago Police Department (CPD), mostly as payment for services previously rendered under prior agreements. CPS then falsely told the media that these payments were “owed” to CPD, and that CPS “had no choice” but to make these payments.
Records obtained from the FOIA lawsuit show that CPS has been paying about $8 million per year to CPD since 2002 for two police officers to be stationed at approximately 100 high schools to process arrests of juvenile offenders. The officers are supervised exclusively by CPD personnel. CPS provides, at its own expense, computer terminals connected to CPD for the officers’ use. CPS approved this continuing arrangement on February 24, 2010 (10-0224-PR16), authorizing the $8 million annual payments from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2012, for a total cost of $32.8 million.
In 2011, CPS claimed to be broke. On June 15, 2011, in their first meeting, the newly-installed Emanuel appointed School Board voted to cancel a promised 4 percent raise for teachers in the 2011-12 school year on the grounds that there wasn’t enough money in the budget and the district faced an alleged $712 million deficit (11-0615-RS2). This also negatively impacted the pensions of any teachers who retired at the end of the 2011/12 school year. In 2007, under Mayor Richard M. Daley and then-CPS chief officer Arne Duncan, teachers signed a five-year contract ending with the 2011/2012 school year that granted them the raises.
But a month after CPS cancelled last school years 4 percent raises to CPS teachers, which would have cost an estimated $80 million, CPS then authorized a renegotiation of its CPD deal to pay the Police about $25 million per year, more than three times the agreed amount, for the same time period 2009-2012, for a total increase of $70 million for these same services. It also approved a retroactive payment of $47 million for services already rendered. (11-0727-PR18)
@Moon-howler
That IP address may or may not solely belong to BJ. To save IP addresses, most ISPs use technology that allows their clients to share IP addresses. So while it is a good indicator that the same person is visiting your blog, it is not a guarantee.
A teachers’ union on strike when school is not in session? Who would notice?
The strike started now because budget issues could not be resolved to the satisfaction of the people who went on strike. That is, the teachers wanted more money.
Supposedly, both the teachers and the mayor are on the side of the children. Here is a little food for thought. The government of the City of Chicago runs these schools. If we cannot trust the mayor and rest of his government, why should we trust the teachers hired by the City of Chicago?
Wages and benefits should follow the law of supply and demand. Its when we have a monopoly, particularly a government-run monopoly, citizens start asking “so whose side are you on?”
Frankly, if we got the government out our the education BUSINESS, I think we would have much better paid teachers and a lot less administrative overhead. Moreover, if parents did not trust the teachers, they could go somewhere else — and take the money being used to educate their children with them.
@Lyssa
You have brought up some hard hitting problems and stuck them under the lamp. Give back your raise and entend the school day. That sort of takes a nerve. Then the teachers are bad for not liking this?
Why is it that teachers are supposed to be in it for the love of children at raise time?Teachers are like everyone else. they like having money to spend and a roof over their heads. You can LUV your job and still want adequat compensation.
Whoever said it was the best teacher pay in the nation was just not accurate.
As an aside, Prince William County extended the school day by a half hour AND those teachers did not get a raise or step increase. Did they strike? No. It is against the law.
@Moon-howler
When the government owns, operates, and regulates a BUSINESS, these little things arise that in private BUSINESS we would call a conflict of interest.
Through the tax system, politicians encourage employers to offer these things we call benefits. Otherwise, most people would just ask for the money and arrange their own benefits. Consider this common, everyday example. You want to save for retirement? Then why would you let your employer keep and manage your money? Government employees do it because we trust politicians. Right?
@Citizen Tom
This person has been a pest and a nuisance for a long time. They were warned. I have no pity for him and if his boss finds out he is wasting company time trying to harass me, awwwwww.
But satellite booking stations in the schools paid with funds intended to support education? I give up.
@Citizen Tom
Financial arrangements for this year should have been made last year. That was my point. I agree with you abour striking during the summer. Who would notice?
Citizen Tom, I am afraid you and I will never agree about the role of public education.
I think you have stopped a few steps short of a desired outcome. In the days when education was totally private, only the elite where educatedl. That certainly makes for a master/worker bee society if you ask me.
Supply and demand in this case is greatly oversimplified.
As for being on the side of the children, I am not so sure that is even a reasonable answer.
Let’s assume teachers are doing a J-O-B. They can love their J-O-B and still want to earn an acceptable living. I expect my vet to love animals but I don’t expect her to work for free.
Desired outcome? I don’t think it is my business to tell other people how to educate their children. What concerns me is when other people demand the right to achieve a “desired outcome” with respect to other people’s children.
When people don’t educate their children, that is child abuse. However, when other people insist upon educating other people’s children, that can also lead to child abuse.
Consider the not so distant past. In the days when our ancestors were serfs, the royals provided everything for “their” serfs, including an education in servitude. In the days of slavery, slave owners did the same for the children of “their” slaves. Then, as elites do today, the elites provided a private education for their own children, thus ensuring their special role in society. That’s why I see public education as a step back into the past.
What once distinguish America is the time and effort parents took personally to choose who taught their children. Unfortunately, politicians have coaxed us step-by-step to let them take charge — with predicable results.
@Citizen Tom,
Western society educates children. Parents in America may choose to home school their children or send them to private school if they don’t want them in public schools. I see public education as a great equalizer for all.
If you don’t want your children in public school, by all means, don’t send them. People who feel as you do generally are PITAs to the school system anyway.
I don’t know your age but my serf ancestors were a LONG time ago. Most of my more recent ancestors were educators, as a matter of fact. Burnley-Moran Elementary School is named for my GG-Aunt Carrie. She was kicking about during the Civil War so I guess I am hooked as far as thinking its a duty to see that the children of Virginia are educated.
@Moon-howler
“If you don’t want your children in public school, by all means, don’t send them. People who feel as you do generally are PITAs to the school system anyway.”
Of course with that you mean don’t send the kids but continue to pay our our share by paying our taxes. You won’t absolve us of that. PITA as in engaged parents – yup. That’ll be me! I swear to be the biggest papa grizzly questioning everything. Sorta goes along with being a responsible parent.
So I read somewhere that Chicago teachers pay only 3% of their cost of healthcare, are the number 1 or 2 most highly paid teachers in the nation, and that the avg income in Chicago is in the 40k range. Which means the avg teacher is getting almost 2x as much as the families they serve, probably better (and cheaper) healthcare, a pension and a job where it’s ridiculously hard to be fired from.
Why are they on strike again???
Don’t get me wrong. I want them to be on strike. Let this sucker play out for weeks on end. Sow us the importance of union and worker solidarity – all with the backdrop of one of the most expensive and least educated school systems in our country. Bravo. Let the CTU eat cake!!!
@marin
I can’t imagine why anyone would want to do that to their children–get known as a PITA. You do them no favors. Of course, that is thinking about what is good for you and not what is good for the children. Most children are more successful when they see home and school working together. Can yo imagine the stress of knowing your parent is going to come in and do something that might make your teacher think less of you? Most little children really do care what their teachers think.
but as you said, anyone can be a jackass…its your right. How sad that you think you know more than they do.
The Chicago teachers haven’t been on strike for 30 years. Again? Hardly seems like a pattern to me.
As for top in the nation, not even close. The salaries start of high to attract new teachers and then peter out the longer the teacher has been there. I don’t know what part of their health care is paid. I don’t care if the school system pays all of it. If the average pay is $73,000 which includes what is given to the pension fund, good for them.
Many teachers wouldn’t even apply just because of the crime rate that spills over into the school system. Most folks I know wouldn’t teach there for double that amount.
You seem to resent educators and how they are compensated.
I figure it isn’t my problem. I live here and my gkids go to school here….not in Chicago.
I might give the parents an F, rather than the teachers in chicago. Might.
I forgot to address paying those taxes for education….that is just part of being an American. It is a long-standing tradition and investment in this country to educate the children through through the public coffers.
Its just what we do. I don’t know why some people keep fighting it. An uneducated population weakens society.
I can’t think of another industrialized nation that doesn’t educate its population.
“but as you said, anyone can be a jackass…its your right. How sad that you think you know more than they do.”
Its sad that you assume they know more than I. I just want them taught correctly. If that teacher isn’t the right one, I want to fire him/her and get the right one. I’m not here to make ‘friends’ with those teachers. I’m here to advocate for them to get the BEST education they can get. If I can’t afford a private school and must deal with a public school — then I have to advocate for them.
“The Chicago teachers haven’t been on strike for 30 years. Again? Hardly seems like a pattern to me.”
I didn’t mention a pattern but I am tickled by them doing this. Chicago is a sewer and for this bastion of liberal thought to have so much infighting makes me happy. That adults are fighting adults and that children are left behind (while those that can afford charter, religious or private schools don’t deal with the same issue) makes me happy. As you say, I don’t have a dog in this hunt so I can enjoy this from afar.
“The salaries start of high to attract new teachers and then peter out the longer the teacher has been there.”
Even if they ‘peter out’ the average is higher than everyone else. Chicago ain’t drawing a PWC average pay.
” I don’t know what part of their health care is paid.”
Teachers pay 1.3 to 2.8 of their salary into their healthcare plan. That is an amazing deal and something the average Chicagoan isn’t privy to.
“I don’t care if the school system pays all of it.”
As a person that works and pays taxes — you bet I do.
” If the average pay is $73,000 which includes what is given to the pension fund, good for them.”
All while maintaining an almost third world nation caliber of graduates — the ones that don’t drop out. Yes, good for them. Bilk the poor unconnected saps that pay taxes (middle class) so they ‘get theirs’.
“You seem to resent educators and how they are compensated.”
My wife said the same thing and now won’t talk to me tonight. 🙂 It’s ok. I won’t let her vote this year.
“I forgot to address paying those taxes for education.”
The point being I still have to pay mine even if you tell me to go to hell and take my kids with me. Its about money and not kids……
The sins of the father are not visited upon the children. I don’t wish your kids in hell at all. I like your wife also.
However, I am sorry you have such a deep hatred of educators and think they are second rate. Perhaps the shortcomings are yours rather than some unknown group of teachers.
I am not sure if you have read those numbers correctly that represent the amount paid in to the health care. I know lots of people who don’t pay anything for their health care. Their employer does. Why should teachers not be afforded the same benefits? As a customer anywhere you are paying for those employees benefits. That’s just how it works. If you want a professional teaching faculty, you need to be prepared to pay and pay them a professional salary. Educators must be educated themselves and they must maintain standards as mandated by the school system or state board, same as any other professional. The education required is not free and often is not negotiable. Graduate courses just to mantain standards are often a grand, easily.
You are going strutting around like you single handedly pay their salary. I think you need to look at the fact that the citizens paid to educate you and now you must pay to educate other little ones, regardless of whether they are yours or not.
No the average isn’t higher than everyone else. Check it out for yourself. $70k which includes pension is hardly rich man’s territory. In fact, I think it is fairly paltry considering it is a city and cities always cost more to live. Average is a funny word. Much would have to do with how much experience most of the faculty has. A school syste that is rapidly growing, like PWC always is because of the never ending development, you are going ot see lower averages. An older, less mobile community like Arlington Co will probably show a higher average because there isn’t the continual need to drag in new, inexperienced teachers.
By all means you should advocate for your children. However, what you are describing isn’t being an advocate. It is being a pain in the ass and acting like you know more about education than a highly trained professional. I would let them do their job. That’s what they went to college for and in most cases, they have experience that tells them best practices.
Its all in the attitude.
Oh and you said AGAIN…that implies repeat behavior. I used the word pattern to describe repeat behavior.
Teachers in Chicago should be paid more. Its much easier to teach a class of middle class PWC kids or even those not so middle class compared to inner city kids who have problems that our kids have probably never thought of. When 80% are on free lunch, that is a sad situation.
I don’t know why you would use the word liberal. What’s liberal about educating children? Do you want to let them all go uneducated? Do you want to seal them off in a ghetto? What is it exactly that is liberal? I am very curious.
http://www.suntimes.com/14298715-460/blue-collar-suburbs-offer-blue-chip-teacher-pay.html
Interesting. This negotiation has been going on since last November. Out of town lawyers seemed to be on only ones at the table.
A science teacher on TV said he had been teaching 10 years and he didn’t make $74,000. He said those with several masters and PHDs skew those numbers.
Pensions are also messed up. CPS went on hiatus for 10 years from funding the pension fund so teachers will end up with about half what they bargained for.
The political calculus here is interesting, with Emanuel the former Obama CoS fighting the teachers unions. What are the teachers unions and the Obama campaign thinking?
I don’ think Obama cares. He has the unions and he has their money. The strike gets out their vote. But then, Wisconsin also comes to mind with voters who can look at a 16 percent increase over 4 years at public expense when they are already 700 million in the hole and already making over $70,000 on average per school year or about $100,000 per annum — and to hear the unions its really about teacher evaluations and test scores.
I don’t get the test score problem. Isn’t it easier to raise scores from 30 to 70 than it is from 90 to 95?
So why now? Did they think Emanual would role in an election year? It has worked in the past. I don’t think Emanual can role., which means this could take a while.
I really don’t think you understand the test score concept with this, Blue. Its pass rates or at least it is here.
They have all sorts of unrespolved problems. I will agree with you as far as timing. It couldn’t be worse.
Pensions are a problem also. CPS didn’t pay on pensions for about 10 years so people will only be getting half what they are due. That’s a problem. They are protesting their evaluations being based on test results. They feel that there are too many factors beyond their control. It isn’t just about money. Make no mistake though, money is part of it. I have no problem with employees wanting money.
I saw a Chicago teacher on TV last night who said he wad been with them for 10 years and he didn’t make $70k. He also said that averages were skewed by the multiple MA’s and PHD’s. Anyway, $70k isn’t living in the lap of luxury. I don’t know how you turn $70K which includes pension into $100k. That is just bogus. You might take on $10k more max. Even so, people in the middle of their career making between $70-$100k is not that unusual. We are talking about professional people, who often have post graduate course work and degrees. Why should they sit around with a tin cup. Furthermore, they are in a city. Cities always are more expensive to live.
I would expect to make double that…just for combat pay. I expect it is dangerous to teach in many of those schools.
I expect Rahm wouldn’t like to hear me say that.
Funny watching the media coverage of this. Barely a mention on Huffington Post. “Teachers Strike?…What teachers strike?”
Its there. Here you go. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/10/chicago-teachers-strike_n_1872255.html
Other things are more important today…like 9/11
Chicago had the gall toi add a half hour on to the school day without compensation.
Wait, PWCS had the gall to add a half hour to the day and the teachers also have not had a step increase in several years.
So I would say PWC has more gall.
The Prince William County supervisors thought it was more important to listen to a man from Fairfax county asking for funds to put in a parking lot at Rainbow riding than it was to listen to its own teachers who haven’t had a raise in several years and who will not be getting one for several years.
All it would take would be setting the tax rate a few cents higher.
Its more important to pave a parking lot. Shame on the supervisors!
Washington Post:
Butt out Romney! Real educational reform should be something fairly simple. Throw NCLH and all its stupidity out the window.
Right now the subgroups are ruling what happens in every school in the United States. It seems to me that common sense should prevail.
Ask yourself if it makes sense that a kid who has learning disabilities should learn the same material in the same length of time to the same in-depth degree as a student without learning disabilities.
The answer is obvious. However, that is exactly what we are asking to happen in NCLB. That is why our schools are getting crappy results. Well duh!!!
Let’s go back to state and local control of education. Lets set realistic goals for those who aren’t progressing at the normal speed. Why is that? disabilitiies…ok. Let’s set goals that are realistic. Lazy as hell? Then lets apply a carrot or a boot in the arse. Minority? Some minorities are outstanding students. Let’s narrow that one down better. ESOL? Lets not hold them accountable after only 1 year like what is happening now. Doh. How about 5 years. Does that sound more reasonable.
Economically disadvantage? How do we want to handle that? How is that determined? If you get free lunch,you are economically disadvantaged, That’s where the label comes from.
All of these factors are driving the programs in your kids school, not the regular old average kids.
Regarding private schools – its not affording them its prioritizing. Secular private schools are way out there in tuition but plenty of church schools around. The quality of the education is pretty high due to required parental involvement and the common philosophy that the parents are the primary teacher. I and my siblings all went K-college in private schools due to tremendous planning and sacrifices on our parents part. My kids went pre-k through 8th and then public due to being assured PWC’S were “first class”. JP the Great opened a year too late for us.
PWCS was the worst mistake – let me be clear – the teachers were all great (they stayed in speciality programs). Academics as a mission was about fourth or fifth on the list. Talk about culture shock. Delighted to get out as quickly as we could.
Do I support public schools I’m trying because I think our future depends on it. We were in church school because that’s all we knew and religion plays a major role in our lives.
I’m appalled at the lack of support and respect shown toward a group of highly educated people who choose the CPS for a career and deal with the issues presented only to have their pay reversed to fund Police activities in the school. Funding for satellite booking stations, funding for free lunch…where is Academics as a priority. Oh, let’s blame the teachers not city management or well paid administrators that never get their hands dirty.
Its much easier to blame the teachers.
As you are dedicated to private schools, I am dedicated to public schools working right…and they should. Not all private schools are good. Not all public schools are good.
The basic problem with public schools is…they have to take everyone. That leads to a lot of things people find unacceptable.
I think most teachers prioritize academics. Administration–not so much. Some do and some dont. Some are misguided. One of the middle school principals here in PWC continually chewed out the language arts teachers for having sets of novels in the classroom and said it was a waste of time to do in class reading. That was something that could be done at home. Seriously. A principal got made at language arts teachers for having the students read in school.
The down side of private school is that most are religious. If you don’t want a religious school you are screwed. I graduated from a sectarian private school. I don’t have a very good opinion of them because I believe they have giant gapping holes in the curriculum.
Interesting that Obama won’t pick sides. Also interesting that Rahm has invoked Obama’s name to say that the O sides with him against the Unions.
Either way the Unions will still support Obama so I doubt it makes any difference to him. And its not like it impacts Rahm or Obama as they have kids in non-union private schools……
And, if you are of means, its not like you choose to send kids to public schools… Especially in Chicago. 😉
It really isn’t any of Obama’s business, now is it? He needs to stay out of it. It can only hurt him, the teachers and Rahm.
No president can have children in public school. It is far too disruptive. Jimmy Carter wanted to put Amy in public school and the Carters were told absolutely not. It is a secret service disaster.
I am sure there are good neighborhood schools in Chicago. Not every school is inner city.
“It really isn’t any of Obama’s business, now is it?”
Why do we have a Department of Education again? I keep forgetting.
“It is a secret service disaster.”
A public school education would also be a disaster for that kids future prospects..
Not necessarily.
Last I looked, Dept of Ed isnt in charge of strikes. Right now, this strike is a local issue.
So many people on all sides of educational debates talk about the best way to attract the best teachers…
OK…got, it. You want highly intelligent, well-educated (Masters’ Degrees or higher), dedicated, enthusiastic, creative people. People who are willing to give over their lives to this profession.
I KNOW! Let’s show these fine future educators what lies in store for them! Have politicians, pundits, parents, and any other people you can find disparage all things TEACHER. Make sure they question their agendas, their dedication, their intelligence, their professionalism, their decisions at every turn.
Disrespect them on national television. Tell stories of all the horrible teachers in your lives, neglecting other reasons or sides of the story. Make sure they know that though the human mind is incomprehensibly complicated, and endless factors affect academic performance…they will be expected to overcome any human factor for 30 students per class. Their very job depends on it! Superhuman or magical powers are a must!
Complain that things aren’t creative enough. Complain that there is not academic rigor. Complain that expectations are too high and too low at the same time. Complain that teachers teach to the test, then complain that test scores aren’t high enough while tying teacher salary to said test scores. Complain that teachers are too hard on your child. Complain that teachers aren’t hard enough on every other student. Complain that there is not enough PE in school, and then complain about paying money to fund staffing for more PE.
Tell future educators that public education is a joke and that you shouldn’t have to spend your money on it. Tell them that private education or home education are better choices. Expect them to be ultra-educated in their fields, and to continue to pay for their own professional development throughout their careers, while offering more favorable praise to charter and private school teachers (whom do not necessarily have to be credentialed/licensed or educated in the field or to the same level).
Let these teachers o’ the future know that their summer vacation and basic health benefits will always be held against them as proof of their laziness and entitlement. Let them know that if they ever dare to advocate for their themselves or their fellow employees (even if they have very valid points and their working conditions become unreasonable), that this will be proof that they don’t care about children. After all, teachers aren’t REAL people with LIVES; I mean, they shouldn’t have gotten into this to earn ANY money, right? Tell them that teachers, by nature, are a greedy, unionizing, devious lot.
Show them that the world is a true sea of armchair educators who will always know better. YES, THIS IS EXACTLY HOW TO GET THE BEST TEACHERS INTO ALL CLASSROOMS! They’ll definitely come a runnin’ now!
Look, I could go on for days with this bit. I actually was a teacher with good test scores and was decently respected by staff, students, and parents…so this is not sour grapes. I’m still in the education game. Some of the best and brightest teachers I know get this treatment and are burnt out from continuous bashing. I just get soooooooooooooooo tired of all the negativity directed towards teachers.
I find myself wondering if we (educators) are all crazy sometimes. Why do we enter the field and stay when it seems like so many are determined to crap all over us? I can tell you this…I didn’t do it because I thought it would be easy, or because I thought I would get great pay/benefits or a summer vacation. I did very well at a great college, and I had the opportunity to go in other career directions. I just have a passion for my field, and I think I’m pretty good at it. I will continue to do my best because I care about kids and their families. I will try listen more to those who are supportive and constructive…but it is difficult to drown out the barrage of negativity one has to deal with day in and day out.
Standing ovation for Diversity Gal!!!!
You rule.
Sorry for any errors in the previous post! I was more than a tad frustrated:)