Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Taking It To The Next Level With AUSL And CPS
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-farmer/chicago-collins-academy-turnaround_b_1159465.html
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Crippling the Right to Organize
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/17/opinion/crippling-the-right-to-organize.html?_r=2
Monday, December 19, 2011
50 Facts About the American Economy That Will Surprise You
http://news.yahoo.com/50-facts-u-economy-shock-205804459.html;_ylt=AuE2WOfzFJaiGzDbXgEyMqjzWed_;_ylu=X3oDMTRvOGpncHZwBGNjb2RlA2dtcHRvcDEwMDBwb29sd2lraXVwcmVzdARtaXQDTmV3cyBmb3IgeW91BHBrZwMzNWExNDU0OS1kOGExLTMxNGItODg1Zi1iNjU2ZTZlNjQwMWEEcG9zAzEEc2VjA25ld3NfZm9yX3lvdQR2ZXIDYmRkNWVhODAtMmEwZC0xMWUxLTllZWYtMTY3NGQ2ZWFiZDU0;_ylg=X3oDMTJybjZsMGFmBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDNzExZjhhOWYtZmVhOS0zZTRhLWExNTgtYWVkN2E0OWM3ZWQyBHBzdGNhdAN1cwRwdANzdG9yeXBhZ2UEdGVzdAM-;_ylv=3
According to the Huffington Post, Obama's Education Plan Gets an F
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alan-singer/obamas-educational-report_b_1147278.html
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Charter School Agency's Funding Raises Questions
http://www.wbez.org/story/charter-school-agency%E2%80%99s-funding-raises-questions-94919
Friday, December 16, 2011
Protesters Disrupt CPS Board Meeting
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-111214-cps-protest-meeting-pictures,0,2366504.photogallery?index=chi-emcps1120111214142107
CPS: Poor Performing Schools Get Less Money
http://mobile.chicagotribune.com/p.p?a=rp&m=b&_fromSocial=1&postUserId=54&postId=1347419
Monday, December 12, 2011
Letter To Alderman = "UNO RECIEVES STATE FUNDS TO OPERATE SEGREGATED SCHOOLS"
Dear Alderman Sposato:
I am writing to you not as a direct constituent but as an extremely concerned resident of the city of Chicago. I am a Chicago Public School teacher, a member of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU). I live in the 19th Ward and teach in the 10th Ward. I am also a member of CORE (Caucus of Rank and File Educators) within the CTU.
UNO literally means "one." It originally stood for "United Neighborhood Organization," but I think that translating it as "ONE" is presently much more accurate given what the organization and its political connections have created in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) over the past decade. It also has come to represent ONE word in the city of Chicago: SEGREGATION. UNO schools have literally been and are set up for ONE race in the city - Hispanics.
According to the 2011 Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) School Report Card (page 1), UNO (which has many schools but is presently still lumped together into one data file on this report card) had an enrollment of 4,328 students: of those, 95% were Hispanic; 0.7% White; 2.7% Black; and 0.2% Asian. This is not exactly "open enrollment" at its finest in the city of Chicago or within CPS, which according to the same Report Card had an overall Hispanic student population of 43.7%. It is ONE word: SEGREGATION. And this PUBLIC SCHOOL SEGREGATION completely benefits a PRIVATE organization (UNO).
UNO schools, according to the ISBE School Report Card (pages 25-26), are NOT making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Although I completely question and challenge the data used to measure AYP in our schools, the fact remains that UNO does not do any better on the measurement than the rest of us.
According to the 2011 School Report Card (page 1), and though, again, I question and challenge how these numbers are derived for all our schools, UNO's schools have significantly higher class sizes completely across the board (Kindergarten through Grades 9-12) than the Subregion, the District (Chicago), and the State. What this indicates is that for all the monetary flow heading into UNO, UNO is not spending its ample financial resources on classroom teachers and therefore, one might argue, the children/students in those UNO classrooms. And if and when they do spend any of their money on teachers, their teachers are NOT UNION MEMBERS.
UNO = UNION-BUSTING. The "Chicago Tribune" editorial writers (aka the spokespersons for the 1%) are about PRIVATIZATION and UNION-BUSTING, NOT: public school children, public education, and unionized labor (read: employees who have minimal protections when and if they point out things that are wrong in the schools, and employees who work under mostly well-established-over-time and much needed city and state policies/rules/regulations/laws/etc.). UNO = FIRE AT WILL.
Personally and professionally, I am deeply troubled by what I witnessed on two occasions from UNO and its supporters who attended CPS functions. At one CPS done-deal, public-school-closing-for-UNO-to-takeover meeting, their leader, Juan Rangel, ever-so-slightly nodded his head (with a look of utter disgust on his face toward the microphone) and the UNO members in the room got up and walked out as supporters of the public school being closed began to speak; the person who was speaking at the time literally had to stop, as had everyone else in the room, and wait for the completion of an outrageously rude exodus. UNO and its supporters did not stay to hear anything from the other side.
At another hearing held at the Board of Education for a proposed UNO expansion, I witnessed as one of the UNO leaders literally just quietly said, "Sit." All the UNO supporters obediently sat; just as they must have obediently stood on cue. Because UNO is able to turn out pretty impressive numbers of people for any hearings, etc., this has an impressive effect, unless it more-so troubles than impresses you as it does me. However, although the supporters brought out by UNO to attend such events sit, stand, and move on command, by percentages I witnessed very very few (if any) of said UNO supporters actually speak for themselves or their children at the hearings I attended.
In the 10th Ward, troubling rumors are flying around that the new school being build for an overcrowded neighborhood public school (Gallistel) is going to be given to UNO. (Alderman John Pope had already approved, and thus opened up the charter school flood gates, for another charter operation further north.) It would totally fit their pattern: find an area with an overcrowded concentration of Hispanic students and siphon them off, SEGREGATE THEM, into an UNO school, with CPS and UNO all the while proudly and publicly claiming that UNO "serves" the Hispanic community in such a manner, as opposed to stating that UNO is taking advantage of a problem that public education leaders are choosing not to address (to the benefit of UNO).
The very serious question that needs to be asked of UNO and all of Juan Rangel's political supporters is this: How does such SEGREGATION serve the city of Chicago or the United States of America or just public education in general in the new millennium? Answer: It doesn't.
Please take a stand against the destruction of public education through privatization of the public schools in Chicago. I think it's why you were voted into office - to stand against the powers-that-be. From what I heard, I would have voted for you, if I could have. I celebrated your win. Please stand for something that has honor (read: NOT UNO/ONE or any of the other privatizers falsely claiming to care about children and their education in the city of Chicago and anyone, such as parents who want something better for their children, who might out of desperation and ignorance believe them.)
Thank you for your present service to our city and for your previous service as a firefighter.
I am writing to you not as a direct constituent but as an extremely concerned resident of the city of Chicago. I am a Chicago Public School teacher, a member of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU). I live in the 19th Ward and teach in the 10th Ward. I am also a member of CORE (Caucus of Rank and File Educators) within the CTU.
UNO literally means "one." It originally stood for "United Neighborhood Organization," but I think that translating it as "ONE" is presently much more accurate given what the organization and its political connections have created in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) over the past decade. It also has come to represent ONE word in the city of Chicago: SEGREGATION. UNO schools have literally been and are set up for ONE race in the city - Hispanics.
According to the 2011 Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) School Report Card (page 1), UNO (which has many schools but is presently still lumped together into one data file on this report card) had an enrollment of 4,328 students: of those, 95% were Hispanic; 0.7% White; 2.7% Black; and 0.2% Asian. This is not exactly "open enrollment" at its finest in the city of Chicago or within CPS, which according to the same Report Card had an overall Hispanic student population of 43.7%. It is ONE word: SEGREGATION. And this PUBLIC SCHOOL SEGREGATION completely benefits a PRIVATE organization (UNO).
UNO schools, according to the ISBE School Report Card (pages 25-26), are NOT making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Although I completely question and challenge the data used to measure AYP in our schools, the fact remains that UNO does not do any better on the measurement than the rest of us.
According to the 2011 School Report Card (page 1), and though, again, I question and challenge how these numbers are derived for all our schools, UNO's schools have significantly higher class sizes completely across the board (Kindergarten through Grades 9-12) than the Subregion, the District (Chicago), and the State. What this indicates is that for all the monetary flow heading into UNO, UNO is not spending its ample financial resources on classroom teachers and therefore, one might argue, the children/students in those UNO classrooms. And if and when they do spend any of their money on teachers, their teachers are NOT UNION MEMBERS.
UNO = UNION-BUSTING. The "Chicago Tribune" editorial writers (aka the spokespersons for the 1%) are about PRIVATIZATION and UNION-BUSTING, NOT: public school children, public education, and unionized labor (read: employees who have minimal protections when and if they point out things that are wrong in the schools, and employees who work under mostly well-established-over-time and much needed city and state policies/rules/regulations/laws/etc.). UNO = FIRE AT WILL.
Personally and professionally, I am deeply troubled by what I witnessed on two occasions from UNO and its supporters who attended CPS functions. At one CPS done-deal, public-school-closing-for-UNO-to-takeover meeting, their leader, Juan Rangel, ever-so-slightly nodded his head (with a look of utter disgust on his face toward the microphone) and the UNO members in the room got up and walked out as supporters of the public school being closed began to speak; the person who was speaking at the time literally had to stop, as had everyone else in the room, and wait for the completion of an outrageously rude exodus. UNO and its supporters did not stay to hear anything from the other side.
At another hearing held at the Board of Education for a proposed UNO expansion, I witnessed as one of the UNO leaders literally just quietly said, "Sit." All the UNO supporters obediently sat; just as they must have obediently stood on cue. Because UNO is able to turn out pretty impressive numbers of people for any hearings, etc., this has an impressive effect, unless it more-so troubles than impresses you as it does me. However, although the supporters brought out by UNO to attend such events sit, stand, and move on command, by percentages I witnessed very very few (if any) of said UNO supporters actually speak for themselves or their children at the hearings I attended.
In the 10th Ward, troubling rumors are flying around that the new school being build for an overcrowded neighborhood public school (Gallistel) is going to be given to UNO. (Alderman John Pope had already approved, and thus opened up the charter school flood gates, for another charter operation further north.) It would totally fit their pattern: find an area with an overcrowded concentration of Hispanic students and siphon them off, SEGREGATE THEM, into an UNO school, with CPS and UNO all the while proudly and publicly claiming that UNO "serves" the Hispanic community in such a manner, as opposed to stating that UNO is taking advantage of a problem that public education leaders are choosing not to address (to the benefit of UNO).
The very serious question that needs to be asked of UNO and all of Juan Rangel's political supporters is this: How does such SEGREGATION serve the city of Chicago or the United States of America or just public education in general in the new millennium? Answer: It doesn't.
Please take a stand against the destruction of public education through privatization of the public schools in Chicago. I think it's why you were voted into office - to stand against the powers-that-be. From what I heard, I would have voted for you, if I could have. I celebrated your win. Please stand for something that has honor (read: NOT UNO/ONE or any of the other privatizers falsely claiming to care about children and their education in the city of Chicago and anyone, such as parents who want something better for their children, who might out of desperation and ignorance believe them.)
Thank you for your present service to our city and for your previous service as a firefighter.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
LINK to Vexatious Outcome: New Illinois Law Hurts Freedom of Information Act
http://bgathinktank.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/vexatious-outcome-new-law-hurts-foia/
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Link to - Chicago Teachers Union grid for Contract Battle
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20111203/ISSUE05/312039985/chicago-teachers-union-girds-for-contract-battle
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
African American Teachers Drop to 19.5 % from over 51% in the late 90'[s
iirc.niu.edu
Illinois Interactive Report Card Web site - the premier web site for test results and other school accountability information for Illinois schools.
CAUSE SCHOOL CLOSING WORKSHOP DECEMBER 6, 2011 @ OPERATION PUSH 4:00 P.M.
Parents, Teachers, Clergy and Community Let’[s Support our School Communities
IS YOU SCHOOL ON THE CLOSING LIST?
COME TO OUR SCHOOL CLOSING WORKSHOP DECEMBER 6, 2011
You Need Us BE- C.A.U.S.E. !
CAUSE has an EXPERIENCED team to educate you about saving your school.
CAUSE has EXPERIENCED former CTU union officials waiting to help your school.
CAUSE has EXPERIENCED Union leaders who have ran successful campaigns to save Beidler School, Bouchet, Tilton and Marconi from being consolidated or turned around.
ALSO; Do you know a teacher who has been terminated from 2005- 2011?
Did you know that teachers teaching in minority communities are terminated 10X more than anyone else? Are you tired of being the target of firings by race and school closings?
Did you know that African American teachers have been terminated at a ratio of over 100:1 and that they have dropped from 51% to 27% since the late 90’s. ?
(They have been e-3rd given unsatisfactory ratings and charged more than anyone else)
Have you faced race and age discrimination on your job?
Are you aware that the current union leaders have supported and signed Senate Bill 7 where teachers right to seniority, tenure, extended school day and the right to strike have been diminished? Join the fight for your jobs, pension, seniority, tenure collective bargaining rights.
Let’s UNITE To Fight School Closings and Turn-Arounds.
Visit our Blog = http: -//causeillinois.blogspot.com
JOIN C.A.U.S.E.
Meet with C.A.U.S.E. every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Operation PUSH - 950 East 50th Street, Chicago Illinois 60617
Rosita Chatonda, Founding President of C.A. U.S.E.- rcchatonda@yahoo ( 773) 440-7417
C.A.U.S.E. – “ A New Kind of Teacher for a New Generation of Students”Monday, December 5, 2011
Link to Catalyst- Teacher Diversity Matters
http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/news/2011/11/28/19646/record-teacher-diversity
School Closing Hearings
Nash Elem. -Erie/Cicero
Fri. Jan. 6th @ Austin HS, 6-8pm
Fri. Jan. 20th @ Austin HS, 6-8pm
Tues. Jan. 25th @125 S Clark, 8-10pm
Best Practice HS- Adams/Damen
Fri. Jan. 6th @ Creiger/Noble St., 6-8pm
Fri. Jan. 20th @ Creiger/noble St., 6-8pm
Tues. Jan. 25th @125 S Clark, 5:30-7:30pm
Casals Elem.- Division/Homan
Mon. Jan. 30th, @125 S. Clark, 5:30-7:30pm
Doolittle East Elem.- 35th/ King
Fri. Jan. 6th @ Dunbar HS, 6-8pm
Fri. Jan. 20th @ Dunbar HS, 6-8pm
Thurs. Jan 26th @125 S Clark, 5:30-7:30pm
CVCA HS - 87th/ Skyway
Fri. Feb. 3rd, @125 S Clark, 5:30-7:30pm
Crane HS - I-290/ Western
Fri. Jan. 6th @ Malcolm X College., 6-9pm
Fri. Jan. 20th @ Malcolm X College, 6-9pm
Tues. Jan. 24th @125 S Clark, 5:30-8:30pm
Dyett HS - 51st / King
Fri. Jan. 6th @ Hayes Center, 6-8pm
Fri. Jan. 20th @ Hayes Center, 6-8pm
Friday Jan. 27th !125 S Clark, 5:30-7:30pm
Fuller Elem. - 42nd/ Vincennes
Wed. Feb 1st @ 125 S Clark, 5:30-7:30pm
Guggenheim Elem.- 71st/ Morgan
Fri. Jan. 6th @ Shiloh Baptist, 6-8pm
Fri. Jan. 20th @ Shiloh Baptist, 6-8pm
Thurs. Jan. 26th @125 S Clark, 8-10pm
Herzl Elem. - Douglas/ Lawndale
Tues. Jan. 31st @125 S Clark, 5:30-7:30pm
Lathrop Elem. - 15th/ Christiana
Fri. Jan. 6th @ Collins HS, 6-8pm
Fri. Jan. 20th @ Collins HS, 6-8pm
Fri. Jan. 27th @125 s Clark, 8-10pm
Marquette Elem - 65th/ Sacramento
Mon. Dec. 5th @ Marquette Park Field-house, 4pm *special meeting called by community teachers and parents
Thurs. Feb. 2nd @125 S Clark, 5:30-7:30pm
Piccolo Elem. - Thomas/ Kildare
Mon. Jan 30th @125 S Clark, 8-10pm
Price Elem. - 43rd / Drexel
Fri. Jan. 6th @ King HS, 6-8pm
Fri. Jan. 20th @ King HS, 6-8pm
Mon. Jan 23rd @125 S Clark, 5:30-7:30pm
Reed Elem. - 63rd / Stewart
Fri. Jan. 6th @ Antioch Baptist, 6-8pm
Fri. Jan. 20th @ Antioch Baptist, 6-8pm
Mon. Jan. 23rd @125 S Clark, 8-10pm
W. Smith Elem. - 103rd/ Cottage Grove
Wed. Feb 2nd @125 S Clark, 8-10pm
Stagg Elem. - 74th / Morgan
Tues. Jan. 31st @125 S Clark, 8-10pm
Tilden HS - 47th / Union
Fri. Feb. 3rd @125 S Clark, 8-10pm
Woodson South Elem. - 44th/ Evans
Wed. Feb. 1st @125 S Clark, 5:30-7:30pm
Friday, December 2, 2011
Report Finds Charters are Struggling Like All CPS Schools
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-charter-schools-performance-1130-20111130,0,1660032.story
Turmoil Seems to be Chief Product of Education "Reform" - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2011/12/turmoil_seems_to_be_chief_prod.html
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Superintendent Call on Monday, December 5
 |
Dear Superintendents:
The U.S. Department of Education invites you to our regular conference call for superintendents
and district staff on Monday, December 5, at 2:30 PM EDT. During this call, I will host district-level staff to present on their work with School Improvement Grants (SIG) and the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF). There will be time for questions and discussion. CONFERENCE CALL/WEBINAR INFORMATION
DATE: Monday, December 5, 2011
TIME: 2:30-3:30 p.m. EST / 1:30-2:30 p.m. CST / 12:30-1:30
p.m. MST / 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
PST
WEBINAR ACCESS:
Go to https://educate.webex.com/educate/k2/j.php?ED=174651652&UID=1237676232&HMAC=0a48400c9c9bd17887dd5577cf2de6847886a4c4&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D and enter your name and email address.
WEBINAR PASSWORD: Welcome
CALL IN #: 1-800-857-4869
PASSCODE: EDUCATION (given verbally)
RSVP: Please RSVP to Intergovernmental@ed.gov by COB Friday, December 2 if you or a
designated representative will be able to join the call.
NOTE: In
order to accommodate a large number of participants, please only use
one line per office.
Also, please call in 10-15 minutes early.
I look forward to joining you on this call and learning more about the great work you are doing in
your districts.
Sincerely,
Michael Yudin
Acting Assistant Secretary
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
U.S. Department of Education
|
School Overhaul Plan A Boon for Private Groups
http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/cps-plans-to-close-four-schools-phase-out-and-merge-four-others/
CPS Names Schools to be Phased Out
http://www.wbez.org/story/cps-names-schools-close-phase-out-94471
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Principals Protest Role of Testing in Evaluations
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/28/education/principals-protest-increased-use-of-test-scores-to-evaluate-educators.html?_r=4&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1322511024-fG0z21243LRfX1TwtD
Steps needed to correct deftness deficit at the CTU
http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2011/11/time-to-step-aside-karen-lewis.html
Monday, November 28, 2011
Big Expansion For Teach for America
http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Big-expansion-big-questions-for-Teach-for-America-2295410.php#page-3
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Why So Much Disrespect Towards Teachers?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/ct-perspec-1127-school-20111127,0,6535204.story
Legislative Scholarships Given to Top State Lobbyist
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-preckwinkle-scholarships-20111127,0,6549186.story
Saturday, November 26, 2011
CPS Grants 75K Grants to Charters
http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/notebook/2011/11/22/19638/in-news-cps-gives-75k-grants-charters
List of CPS Closing Schools 2011
http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/notebook/2011/11/15/dozens-schools-meet-closings-criteria
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Chicago Board of Education ignores inspector general's call for revoking exec Tim Cawley's residency waiver
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-10-28/news/ct-met-cps-cawley-waiver-1028-20111028_1_residency-waiver-cps-staff-third-highest-ranking-schools-executive
Seven States Apply for Race to the Top Funds
http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/seven-states-apply-race-top-round-3-funds
Monday, November 21, 2011
TAKE THE CAUSE SURVEY
Please view and fill out the survey. It is on Facebook as well
CAUSE Survey- http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B99SQYJ
Videos- Karen Lewis Mocks Arne Duncan
ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUGgJ14mL8o 35 MINUTE VIDEO
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8431640 - NEWS CLIP
http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/8831372-418/ctu-president-karen-lewis-jokes-about-education-secretary-duncans-lisp-her-smoking-pot.html - 4 MINUTES
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8431640 - NEWS CLIP
http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/8831372-418/ctu-president-karen-lewis-jokes-about-education-secretary-duncans-lisp-her-smoking-pot.html - 4 MINUTES
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Negative Fallout From the Lewis Video + Cartoon featuring Karen Lewis and Arne Duncan
http://chicagoist.com/2011/11/18/the_karen_lewis-arne_duncan_feud_in.php
http://www.enewspf.com/opinion/28974-leading-quglyq-not-the-answer-for-organized-labor-chicago-teachers-union.html.
http://www.chicagonow.com/white-rhino/2011/11/karen-lewis-and-other-reasons-people-hate-chicago-teachers/
http://www.enewspf.com/opinion/28974-leading-quglyq-not-the-answer-for-organized-labor-chicago-teachers-union.html.
http://www.chicagonow.com/white-rhino/2011/11/karen-lewis-and-other-reasons-people-hate-chicago-teachers/
Friday, November 18, 2011
NEW YORK TIMES ON THE KAREN LEWIS VIDEO
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/18/us/karen-lewis-chicago-teachers-union-president-apologizes-for-remarks-in-seattle.html
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Inteview With Brizard Part 1
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/charting_my_own_course/2011/11/chicago_reformation_qa_with_cps_ceo_jean-claude_brizard_part_2.html
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
According to Fomer CTU Official - This May Hurt Negotiations
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8434652
Chicago Tribune- Defiant CTU President Says She Won't Resign
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-defiant-ctu-president-says-she-wont-resign-20111116,0,5084851.story
Washington Times on Karen Lewis Video
http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/middle-class-guy/2011/nov/16/ctu-president-karen-lewis-disgusting-behaviior/
Monday, November 14, 2011
KAREN LEWIS CTU President Mocks ARNE DUNCAN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUGgJ14mL8o 35 MINUTE VIDEO
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8431640 - NEWS CLIP
http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/8831372-418/ctu-president-karen-lewis-jokes-about-education-secretary-duncans-lisp-her-smoking-pot.html - 4 MINUTES
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8431640 - NEWS CLIP
http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/8831372-418/ctu-president-karen-lewis-jokes-about-education-secretary-duncans-lisp-her-smoking-pot.html - 4 MINUTES
CPS Fails to Close the Achievement Gap
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-cps-racial-gap-1114-20111114,0,7622731.story
Saturday, November 12, 2011
LINK to Article- States Face Teacher Diversity Gap
http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/notebook/2011/11/10/in-news-states-face-teacher-diversity-gap
Friday, November 11, 2011
Senate Bill 7 Links -
Let's educate ourselves about this key legislation
Here are the links to Senate Bill 7 - PACT - Debbie Lynch's CAUCUS is passing around a flier to oppose Senate Bill 7
Stand For Children - http://www.blueoregon.com/2011/07/jonah-edelman/
NEA- http://www.ieanea.org/featured/get-information-on-the-school-reform-bill-sb7-here/
CTU- http://www.ctunet.com/legislative/sb7
ABC NEWS- http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local/illinois&id=8073470
Socialist Alternative - http://www.socialistalternative.org/news/article10.php?id=1592
http://www.wrex.com/Global/story.asp?S=14644366
Democrats for Education Reform - http://www.dfer.org/2011/06/state_legislati.php
LINK to CPS School Progress Reports
http://www.cps.edu/Performance/Documents/SY2011SchoolProgressReport.pdf
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Support HR610: Right to OCCUPY
In the Illinois House
IL State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford (8th Dist.) today filed a resolution (HR 0610) recognizing the hardships suffered by the people of Illinois and expressing support for "the peaceful exercise of First Amendment Rights" by people engaged in the Occupy Illinois protests..
On Tuesday, November 8, it may come to a vote but definitely by Thursday, November 10.
Please contact your state rep AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and ask their support for this resolution (HR0610).
Also, please sign the petition to drop all charges against Occupy protestors.
Then SPREAD THE WORD.
COMPLETE HOW-TO GUIDE HERE: http://yougenics.net/occupyresolution.html
****MAKE A CALL THAT ONLY TAKES 2 MINUTES!****
It is so easy. You simply tell the assistant and s/he writes it down!
1. CALL YOUR STATE REP and urge them to co-sponsor and vote yes on HR0610.
2. GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS and ask for a CALL BACK so we know they process the call.
3. BE POLITE and maintain good relations.
4. LET OCCUPY KNOW that you made the call by emailing <s-eisenman@northwestern.edu> so we can better strategize!
****HOW TO FIND YOUR STATE REP****
You have one state representative and you can find that person here:
Their contact information is here: http://www.ilga.gov/house/default.asp
PLEASE CALL both the district office and Springfield.
****SAMPLE CALL STATEMENT ****
My name is _____ and I live at ______. I am calling to ask Representative ________ to co-sponsor HR0610. This Resolution recognizes the hardships of Illinois families due to the economic crisis and supports the exercise of free speech by the Occupy movements in Illinois.
As someone who has suffered hardships myself, it is very important to me that s/he recognize the voices of those who are speaking out.
Please give me a call back to let me know if my Representative will co-sponsor and support this resolution. Thank you so much.
(The resolution is sponsored by Rep. La Shawn K. Ford.)
_______________________________________________________
FULL TEXT OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 0610
LINK:
WHEREAS, The people of Illinois are suffering from an ongoing economic crisis that threatens their health, wealth and security, and
WHEREAS, Occupy movements in Illinois are supported by people of all trades and occupations, from school teachers to military veterans, who are stirred to protest economic injustice by the examples of the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City and the numerous other Occupy protests across the country; and
WHEREAS, In Illinois, the unemployment rate is 10% (numbering more than 660,000 people), the poverty rate is more than 14% (1.8 million people), and the rate of people living in extreme poverty (income less than $11,000 for a family of four) is nearly 7% (680,000 people); and
WHEREAS, The average after-tax household income of the top 1% of the United States population grew by 275% between 1979 and 2007, and the average after-tax household income of the lowest 20% of the United States population grew by just 18% in that same period; and
WHEREAS, The top 1% of income earners control 40% of the wealth in the United States; and
WHEREAS, The foreclosure rate in Illinois last month was the ninth worst in the country (1 of every 463 units), the rate in Cook County was even worse (1 of 357 units), and nearly 45% of the mortgage loans on Chicago homes are “underwater”, that is, the amount of the home mortgage loan exceeds the value of the home; and
WHEREAS, The cost of the foreclosure crisis to Illinois taxpayers in 2012 is expected to reach $12 billion, blighting whole communities with decreased police and fire protection, higher crime rates, less access to health care, poorer schools, deteriorated infrastructure, diminished recreation services, reduced library services, and park closures or reduced park hours; and
WHEREAS, People of all ages (from young adults to seniors) and backgrounds, individuals from all Chicago neighborhoods, and persons who live in the suburbs, downstate cities, and rural areas are lawfully protesting the failures of Wall Street, the subsequent economic crisis, and the failure to address the needs of 99% of the population; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the hardships experienced by the people of Illinois as a result of the economic injustices and we stand in support of the continued peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights by Occupy protesters.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Link to Union Caucuses and Union Alliances
http://causeillinois.blogspot.com/
http://www.upc4ctu.com/index.html
http://www.ctunet.com
http://coreteachers.com/category/csdu
http://www.seacaucus.net
http://www.upc4ctu.com/index.html
http://www.ctunet.com
http://coreteachers.com/category/csdu
http://www.seacaucus.net
C.A.U.S.E. Chicago Alliance of Urban School Educators
TEACHERS – You Need C.A.U.S.E. !
Are you a teacher working in a minority community?
Did you know that teachers teaching in minority communities are terminated 10X more than anyone else?
Are you tired of being the target of firings by race and school closings?
Did you know that African American teachers have been terminated at a ratio of over 100:1 and that they have dropped from 51% to 27% since the late 90’s. ? (They have been e-3rd given unsatisfactory ratings and charged more than anyone else)
Have you faced race and age discrimination on your job?
Are you aware that the current union leaders have supported and signed Senate Bill 7 where teachers have lost seniority, tenure, extended school day and the right to strike?
Join thee fight for your pension, seniority, tenure and collective bargaining rights.
Find out what your future holds!
JOIN C.A.U.S.E.
Meet with C.A.U.S.E. every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Operation PUSH - 950 East 50th Street, Chicago Illinois 60617
Rosita Chatonda, Founding President of C.A. U.S.E.- rcchatonda@yahoo ( 773) 440-7417
C.A.U.S.E. – “ A New Kind of Teacher for a New Generation of Students” C.A.U.S.E. Endorses Pam Touras and Maria Rodriguez for CTPF Pension Election
Sunday, October 30, 2011
According to Catalyst News, CPS Will Use a Special Formula to Close Schools
Chicago schools officials will use a complicated formula to help determine which schools will be closed, consolidated or designated to be turned around.
My interpretation of what the formula is:
Here is the formula for closing;
1. Give students a biased, unfair test standardized on a population of students in rural communities.
2. Blame them for not being able to pass the unfair standardized instrument
3. Lie on their teachers and say they are not doing their jobs.
4. Go to the poorest communities where parents and students are most undeserved and close them.
5. Place 4 Teachers for America ( alternative certification) interns in one school and watch the scores plummet.
6. Blame the drop in scores on the veteran teachers who stayed in the community when the interns left after 3-4 years.
7. After the young white interns have gotten their free Masters Degree and moved on to the profession of choice, close their schools due to non-performance.
8 In addition, E-3 veteran teachers and make up charges so the minority teachers can never work again.
9 Open a new school and replace minority experienced veteran teachers with 22 year old white college graduates trying to pay off student debt.
(Make sure they are NOT education majors.) The students will not learn anything and the school will be much easier to close.
10. Tell all the principals not to hire the veteran minority teachers and don't forget, go to the State of Illinois and try to get them to revoke all of the teachers licenses so that the historical record will be destroyed.
My interpretation of what the formula is:
Here is the formula for closing;
1. Give students a biased, unfair test standardized on a population of students in rural communities.
2. Blame them for not being able to pass the unfair standardized instrument
3. Lie on their teachers and say they are not doing their jobs.
4. Go to the poorest communities where parents and students are most undeserved and close them.
5. Place 4 Teachers for America ( alternative certification) interns in one school and watch the scores plummet.
6. Blame the drop in scores on the veteran teachers who stayed in the community when the interns left after 3-4 years.
7. After the young white interns have gotten their free Masters Degree and moved on to the profession of choice, close their schools due to non-performance.
8 In addition, E-3 veteran teachers and make up charges so the minority teachers can never work again.
9 Open a new school and replace minority experienced veteran teachers with 22 year old white college graduates trying to pay off student debt.
(Make sure they are NOT education majors.) The students will not learn anything and the school will be much easier to close.
10. Tell all the principals not to hire the veteran minority teachers and don't forget, go to the State of Illinois and try to get them to revoke all of the teachers licenses so that the historical record will be destroyed.
CTU Leadership Forges Alliances with Opposing Caucuses
The Chicago Teachers Union has purged members of the CORE Caucus from the CTU. 100% of contracts non renewed were employees from the Caucus of Ranks and File Educators. The New Union leadership seems to be distancing itself from the caucus responsible for it's win. Four leading CORE members got the boot from their own caucus when contracts were renewed this year or before the end of the year. Caucus members that opposed them in the 2010 election were all renewed for the 2011 year. What does this say about the future of CORE?
Writers needed for C.A.U.S.E.
If you are interested in writing about public education, please contact us at 773-440-7417 or simply contact us via email or this blog! cause.alliance@yahoo.com.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Preachers Endorse Charters Even Though Research Does Not Support that Charters Improve Scores
http://vimeo.com/31241111
Monday, October 24, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
We Are One Rally in Springfield, Illinois Wednesday October 26, 2011
If you are having trouble viewing this email please click here.
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Stand Up for Your Rights! |
Illinois Federation of Teachers.
500 Oakmont Lane
Westmont, IL 60559
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C.A.U.S.E. Members Testify at the September 26, 2001 Board of Education Meeting
http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?page=2651
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Pensions Under Attack
Dear Union Member,
Last spring, we took a stand and showed Illinois the enormous strength of working families. And we won.
Thanks to our unprecedented efforts, we protected the pensions of Illinois’ public employees, fending off an aggressive campaign to slash our life savings.
But we aren’t out of the woods yet. Legislators are heading back to Springfield next week for Veto Session, and our pensions are once again on the chopping block.
It’s up to us to protect our life savings. Help us strengthen our coalition by sharing this email with 5 friends and family members. Click here to ask your friends and family to join our fight to protect public employee pensions.
For decades, Illinois politicians have shorted the employer contributions required by law, creating the current pension debt. But all this time, public employees have been contributing their fair share, typically 8 percent or more from each paycheck. These pensions are their life savings. Since most Illinois public employees are not eligible to receive Social Security, reducing pensions would leave many retirees without much to fall back on.
In addition to spreading the word about our coalition, join We Are One Illinois and working men and women from across the state at noon on Wednesday, October 26 as we rally in the State Capitol rotunda. Stand with us again as we urge lawmakers to protect the life savings of all public employees.
On behalf of the more than 1 million working men and women of the We Are One Illinois Coalition, thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
The We Are One Illinois Coalition
Last spring, we took a stand and showed Illinois the enormous strength of working families. And we won.
Thanks to our unprecedented efforts, we protected the pensions of Illinois’ public employees, fending off an aggressive campaign to slash our life savings.
But we aren’t out of the woods yet. Legislators are heading back to Springfield next week for Veto Session, and our pensions are once again on the chopping block.
It’s up to us to protect our life savings. Help us strengthen our coalition by sharing this email with 5 friends and family members. Click here to ask your friends and family to join our fight to protect public employee pensions.
For decades, Illinois politicians have shorted the employer contributions required by law, creating the current pension debt. But all this time, public employees have been contributing their fair share, typically 8 percent or more from each paycheck. These pensions are their life savings. Since most Illinois public employees are not eligible to receive Social Security, reducing pensions would leave many retirees without much to fall back on.
In addition to spreading the word about our coalition, join We Are One Illinois and working men and women from across the state at noon on Wednesday, October 26 as we rally in the State Capitol rotunda. Stand with us again as we urge lawmakers to protect the life savings of all public employees.
On behalf of the more than 1 million working men and women of the We Are One Illinois Coalition, thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
The We Are One Illinois Coalition
llinois Education Labor Relations Board votes 5-0 Blocking Longer School Day
Illinois Education Labor Relations Board votes 5-0 to seek injunction blocking unlawful implementation of ‘longer school day’
http://www.ctunet.com/blog/illinois-education-labor-relations-board-votes-5-0-to-seek-injunction-blocking-unlawful-implementation-of-longer-school-day
http://www.ctunet.com/blog/illinois-education-labor-relations-board-votes-5-0-to-seek-injunction-blocking-unlawful-implementation-of-longer-school-day
Chicago Board of Education Meeting October 26, 2011
Dear C.A.U.S.E. Supporters,
On October 26, 2011 C.A.U.S.E. is looking for teachers, parents or community members to speak at the Board of Education Meeting.
We are supporting teachers who have been e'3rd , given unsatisfactory ratings, brought up on unsubstantiated charges and terminated or fired due to economic layoffs. Minority teachers have been e'3rd, charged and terminated, and fired in all categories at a rate 10X that of white teachers. Older white teachers are experiencing a higher rate or termination than younger ones. African American Teachers have dropped from over 51% in the late 90's to 27% today.
HELP FIGHT AGE AND RACE DISCRIMINATION AT CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Come out on Wednesday October 26, to support out teachers YOU MAY BE NEXT!
Sign up to speak between 7:00- 9:00 a.m, BOE Meeting starts at 10:30 - Debrief with C.A.U.S.E. 9:00-10:00 am..
On October 26, 2011 C.A.U.S.E. is looking for teachers, parents or community members to speak at the Board of Education Meeting.
We are supporting teachers who have been e'3rd , given unsatisfactory ratings, brought up on unsubstantiated charges and terminated or fired due to economic layoffs. Minority teachers have been e'3rd, charged and terminated, and fired in all categories at a rate 10X that of white teachers. Older white teachers are experiencing a higher rate or termination than younger ones. African American Teachers have dropped from over 51% in the late 90's to 27% today.
HELP FIGHT AGE AND RACE DISCRIMINATION AT CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Come out on Wednesday October 26, to support out teachers YOU MAY BE NEXT!
Sign up to speak between 7:00- 9:00 a.m, BOE Meeting starts at 10:30 - Debrief with C.A.U.S.E. 9:00-10:00 am..
C.A.U.S.E. Informational Flier
Parents, Teachers, Clergy and Community
CAUSE NEEDS YOU!
Are you a teacher, parent or community member?
Do you want excellent schools in your community?
Are you a public worker?
Have you been fired from your job?
Have you faced race and age discrimination on your job?
Fight for your pension.
Fight for your seniority, tenure and collective bargaining rights.
Find out what your future holds! JOIN C.A.U.S.E.
Meet with C.A.U.S.E. every Tuesday at 4:00
Where: Operation Push
950 East 50th Street
Chicago Illinois 60617
Rosita Chatonda, Founding President of C.A. U.S.E.- rcchatonda@yahoo ( 773) 440-7417 – (773 ) 414-7417
C.A.U.S.E. – “ A New Kind of Teacher for a New Generation of Students”SENATE BILL 7 LINKS
Here are the links to Senate Bill 7 - PACT - Debbie Lynch's CAUCUS is passing around a flier to oppose Senate Bill 7
Stand For Children - http://www.blueoregon.com/2011/07/jonah-edelman/
NEA- http://www.ieanea.org/featured/get-information-on-the-school-reform-bill-sb7-here/
CTU- http://www.ctunet.com/legislative/sb7
ABC NEWS- http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local/illinois&id=8073470
Socialist Alternative - http://www.socialistalternative.org/news/article10.php?id=1592
http://www.wrex.com/Global/story.asp?S=14644366
Democrats for Education Reform - http://www.dfer.org/2011/06/state_legislati.php
5 ways to help ANSWER Chicago help Occupy Chicago!
1) Spread the word: Mass March with Occupy Chicago this Saturday Night, October 22. Meet at Jackson and LaSalle, 6:30 pm. More info soon
2) Get involved with ANSWER. Work Session Tonight at 6 pm at the ANSWER office to Paint Banners, Assemble Placards, discuss the movement and more (scroll down for more info)
3) Make a donation. ANSWER Chicago is providing sound for Occupy Chicago. We have an immediate need to repair and upgrade our system for this Saturday's action and we need your help. Click on the link or call 773-463-0311 to donate over the phone.
4) Send a letter to Mayor Emanuel: Hands off Occupy Chicago!
5) Come to the Tues., October 25 discussion forum: "The Occupy Movement and the Struggle against Wall Street, War and Racism" (scroll down for more info)
Work Session
Tonight, Thursday, October 20, 6 pm
4802 N. Broadway #202
(Red Line - Lawrence Stop)
Info: 773-463-0311
Directions
Join us to paint a huge banner that will read, "People over Profits! Occupy Chicago," put together lots of placards and discuss the Occupy Movement and where it's headed. Now is the time to get involved in the movement for jobs, education, health care, housing and justice. No experience needed to volunteer with ANSWER Chicago. See you tonight.
Tonight, Thursday, October 20, 6 pm
4802 N. Broadway #202
(Red Line - Lawrence Stop)
Info: 773-463-0311
Directions
Join us to paint a huge banner that will read, "People over Profits! Occupy Chicago," put together lots of placards and discuss the Occupy Movement and where it's headed. Now is the time to get involved in the movement for jobs, education, health care, housing and justice. No experience needed to volunteer with ANSWER Chicago. See you tonight.
The Occupy Movement and the Struggle against Wall Street, War and Racism
An ANSWER Chicago Discussion Forum
Tuesday, October 25, 6 pm
4802 N. Broadway #202
(Red Line - Lawrence Stop)
Info: 773-463-0311Directions
Join us. We'll have an introductory presentation and then have an open forum for the exchange of political ideas and experiences.
Topics Include** Why did Occupy Wall Street spread across the country like a fire and what can we do help it grow into a force that can make real change?** What will it take to tax the rich, end the wars and occupations and defeat racism and all oppressions?
** Organizing for jobs, education, health care, housing and justice
** Are the trillions of tax dollars given to the Pentagon really about defense?
** 2012: People's struggle and the elections
An ANSWER Chicago Discussion Forum
Tuesday, October 25, 6 pm
4802 N. Broadway #202
(Red Line - Lawrence Stop)
Info: 773-463-0311Directions
Join us. We'll have an introductory presentation and then have an open forum for the exchange of political ideas and experiences.
Topics Include** Why did Occupy Wall Street spread across the country like a fire and what can we do help it grow into a force that can make real change?** What will it take to tax the rich, end the wars and occupations and defeat racism and all oppressions?
** Organizing for jobs, education, health care, housing and justice
** Are the trillions of tax dollars given to the Pentagon really about defense?
** 2012: People's struggle and the elections
Monday, September 26, 2011
Chicago's Longer School Day
Chicago's Longer School Day: Much-Needed Reform Or Political Cynicism?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
First Posted: 9/16/11 05:27 PM ET Updated: 9/17/11 12:00 AM ET
React
When Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced last year that he would begin a campaign toward his current gig, it was only a matter of weeks before he introduced his "longer school day" proposal. The issue didn't raise many eyebrows during the campaign, but in recent months it has led to near-daily blows between the Chicago Teachers Union, the school board and the Emanuel administration.
As the days go by, the blows strike lower and the stakes move higher. Last week the teachers union filed an unfair labor lawsuit against the mayor-appointed Chicago Board of Education. The suit claims that CPS has attempted to bribe and coerce schools into approving the longer school day pilot program--circumventing their existing contract by signing up for the longer work day.
Since CPS teachers were denied their contractually-obligated 4 percent raises -- worth an estimated $100 million -- earlier this year under the pretense that the system was too broke to afford them, many have wondered how the city is paying for pilot program incentives -- which could cost as much as $30 million, depending on how many schools join.
Both sides have had their say in the press, with the union accusing the board and the mayor of ignoring their proposals and turning the school debate into a PR battle and longer day supporters accusing the union of being unwilling to budge. And last week, CTU president Karen Lewis told reporters Emanuel pointed his finger toward her and yelled "F--- you, Lewis" after the two had discussed the longer school day in his office.
But putting aside questions of who said what in the ongoing war of words between the union, school administrators and Emanuel, what is the longer school day battle really about? And what will the extra 90 minutes accomplish? Once again, the jury seems to be out.
A NUMBERS GAME
First, there are the teachers at nine CPS elementary schools, as of Friday, who have voted to waive their contracts for the present school year and start working longer days immediately. In return, the schools receive a lump sum of discretionary funding -- either $150,000 or $75,000 depending on how soon the change is implemented -- while their teachers each receive a one-time payment similar to 2 percent of their district's average salary.
But on the flip side, "about 20" CPS schools have voted, thus far, to uphold the existing contract and not extend their instructional day this year, according to CTU press secretary Stephanie Gadlin. On Tuesday, Gadlin told the Huffington Post, Hendricks Elementary Community Academy in the city's Canaryville neighborhood voted unanimously against extending the school day this year. An AP report Friday disclosed that two more schools -- Colemon Elementary on the city's South Side and Burnham Elementary on the West Side -- voted against the day.
When the point was raised by NBC Chicago to CPS, a spokeswoman for the mayor's office replied that "there have been no schools to vote no."
"Of course CPS and the board won't tell you all the story of the scores of schools that have said 'no' to this because that is not the story that they want to tell," Gadlin said. "They want to continue using the press as their publicist and, so far, they're doing a great job of that."
Gadlin claims that the mayor's office and CPS press team is "trickling out" news of elementary schools breaking from the union to help further their preferred story line. Because the schools that have turned down the waiver have reportedly voted to do so during an "informal" vote before the waiver is officially extended, CPS is technically correct in their claim of a blemish-free school voting record on the issue.
"If a barrage of schools were signing up for the longer day, we would hear about more than one a day," she continued.
The union publicly mentioned between 20 and 30 schools rejecting the pilot program, but Carroll said some schools have asked the union to stop naming them as pilot program rejectors.
"There are schools on [the CTU's] list [of schools voting 'no' to the longer day] that have no business being there," she said.
Further, Carroll said, "at the end of the day, the only vote that matters is a waiver vote. Until a waiver vote happens, no other formal, informal poll or snapshot in time matters."
As for where the pilot program funding is coming from, Carroll said if 50 schools sign up by January, the incentives will cost the system an estimated $7 million -- much less than the $100 million price tag that the Board of Ed-rejected teacher raises carried.
"A $7 million investment in return for helping our children who are in dire need of getting more time in the classroom with their teachers is well worth those dollars," Carroll added, "And CEO Brizard is willing to make some additional, painful cuts in our budget in order to fund that investment in our students.
"We are willing to support the teachers and schools who are willing to add more time to the day in any way necessary to make that happen."
HOW SOON IS NOW?
At the heart of the ongoing longer school day debate, regardless of which schools are voting which way on the waiver offer, is what benefit an hour-and-a-half-longer school day will ultimately offer to the system's students -- not to mention what educational content those 90 minutes would include.
Carroll reiterated Thursday that CPS "believes very strongly, and this is backed by mounds of research, that a longer school day can provide districts with the tools to help students be successful in the classroom."
Stand For Children, the non-profit advocacy group which was the driving force behind Senate Bill 7, legislation passed earlier this year which paved the way to a number of educational reforms across Illinois including Emanuel's long-promised longer school day, agrees.
Mary Anderson, Stand For Children's executive director, told The Huffington Post her organization was "very excited" to see the handful-plus-one of CPS schools that have agreed to the longer day pilot program. She feels the longer day will allow for more enrichment programs, plus longer meal periods, recess time and time allowing for teacher intervention with students who may be struggling in a core academic area like math or reading.
"This is what parents want and what is in the best interests of children," Anderson said. "The groundswell of support indicates that they want it to happen and they want it to happen now. I hope that more schools will sign on."
And while Anderson understands the CTU's concerns over how the extra instructional time will be allocated, she said that she felt "we need to get away from the noise and focus on what's best for the students" in the midst of the ongoing squabbles. A CPS-led task force, which the CTU's Lewis declined to be a part of, is currently at work designing a blueprint for the new, longer school day.
"At the end of the day, the adults have to figure this out because thousands of CPS students are being left behind and that's simply unacceptable," Anderson added.
Andrew Broy, president of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, shares Anderson's frustrations with student performance in the city's struggling school system and called the union's concerns over instructional content during the additional time as a "smoke screen."
"Clearly [a longer day] is a step in the right direction," Broy told the Huffington Post. "I don't think it's easy to defend the length of the school day we have and we should have fixed it 10 years ago."
He challenged the union to "come forward with ways to do this constructively" and described a recent event he attended in support of the longer day as, ultimately, "the rally to be average."
Even with the extra 90 minutes, Broy says, CPS non-charter schools will still register among the national average instructional time. School days at the charter schools in his system are nearly two hours longer than Chicago Public Schools and his network's leadership has publicly applauded Emanuel's proposal.
"I'm not saying the union isn't right to have some concerns about implementation, but I'm suggesting that the time to fix the problem is now," he added. "The longer school day is a necessary precondition to reform. I'm glad to see Rahm's fighting for it because it's something that really matters."
POLITICS AT ITS WORST OR REFORM AT ITS BEST?
Recent analyses of instructional day length's correlation with learning outcomes have lent credence to the CTU's call for a "better school day," rather than, more simply, a longer one.
As the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday, some high-performing school districts in affluent Chicago suburbs -- including Glen Ellyn, Elmhurst and Elgin -- have instructional days on par with those non-charter schools within city limits.
Influential SmallTalk education blogger, author and educator Mike Klonsky said the Tribune's analysis is in line with his belief that school performance -- often tied to students' test scores -- is "a measure of poverty, not one's going on in the classroom."
Klonsky described Emanuel's push for the longer school day as "cynical" and "politically-driven."
"What you're seeing is that, under mayoral control, a two-tiered school system is under development [in Chicago]: one for the elite, middle-class kids and another system for the poor; one filled with enrichment programs and things like that and the other has a test-and-punishment curriculum," Klonsky said.
Klonsky further described CPS's offering of mysteriously-funded waivers to longer day pilot schools as "improper and probably illegal."
"In order to push through this politically-geared agenda for the mayor, a lot of damage is being done and a lot of irresponsible kind of funding plans are being put into practice," Klonsky said. "I think the union is right, but the question is what will happen next? "It's a mystery and Rahm has no plan."
COMPROMISE AHEAD?
As for what happens next, all parties involved appear to be on the same page about one thing: The longer school day will be the order of the day systemwide in CPS schools beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year, after the existing teacher contract expires.
Until then, CPS is continuing their rallying cry for the lengthened day. Carroll said she expected more schools to join the pilot program in the coming days and weeks.
"Our students are struggling … and it's incumbent upon us, as adults, to come together and work out a solution," Carroll said. "Why wait a year from now and shortchange kids for a year if their teachers at their schools want to do it today and want to give their students that opportunity to get a leg up to be successful?"
As for the union, Gadlin said she hopes CPS will "come to its senses and stop these illegal elections and this union-busting campaign they're engaging in." The union's priorities, she said, remain to plan for improved day-to-day curriculum as part of the inevitable longer day coming to CPS schools -- and better compensation for the teachers themselves. She also said a majority of Chicagoans support the union's plan, citing a recent poll conducted by Lake Research Partners.
"Our call for a better school day is not far off from what people want for their students: a world-class education," Gadlin said. "We don't understand the urgency to do this right now. Rahm has already decreed that a longer school year is coming to Chicago so, OK, let's take a year to plan it properly to ensure students and educators have the best working conditions and learning environment possible."
As the days go by, the blows strike lower and the stakes move higher. Last week the teachers union filed an unfair labor lawsuit against the mayor-appointed Chicago Board of Education. The suit claims that CPS has attempted to bribe and coerce schools into approving the longer school day pilot program--circumventing their existing contract by signing up for the longer work day.
Since CPS teachers were denied their contractually-obligated 4 percent raises -- worth an estimated $100 million -- earlier this year under the pretense that the system was too broke to afford them, many have wondered how the city is paying for pilot program incentives -- which could cost as much as $30 million, depending on how many schools join.
Both sides have had their say in the press, with the union accusing the board and the mayor of ignoring their proposals and turning the school debate into a PR battle and longer day supporters accusing the union of being unwilling to budge. And last week, CTU president Karen Lewis told reporters Emanuel pointed his finger toward her and yelled "F--- you, Lewis" after the two had discussed the longer school day in his office.
But putting aside questions of who said what in the ongoing war of words between the union, school administrators and Emanuel, what is the longer school day battle really about? And what will the extra 90 minutes accomplish? Once again, the jury seems to be out.
A NUMBERS GAME
First, there are the teachers at nine CPS elementary schools, as of Friday, who have voted to waive their contracts for the present school year and start working longer days immediately. In return, the schools receive a lump sum of discretionary funding -- either $150,000 or $75,000 depending on how soon the change is implemented -- while their teachers each receive a one-time payment similar to 2 percent of their district's average salary.
But on the flip side, "about 20" CPS schools have voted, thus far, to uphold the existing contract and not extend their instructional day this year, according to CTU press secretary Stephanie Gadlin. On Tuesday, Gadlin told the Huffington Post, Hendricks Elementary Community Academy in the city's Canaryville neighborhood voted unanimously against extending the school day this year. An AP report Friday disclosed that two more schools -- Colemon Elementary on the city's South Side and Burnham Elementary on the West Side -- voted against the day.
When the point was raised by NBC Chicago to CPS, a spokeswoman for the mayor's office replied that "there have been no schools to vote no."
"Of course CPS and the board won't tell you all the story of the scores of schools that have said 'no' to this because that is not the story that they want to tell," Gadlin said. "They want to continue using the press as their publicist and, so far, they're doing a great job of that."
Gadlin claims that the mayor's office and CPS press team is "trickling out" news of elementary schools breaking from the union to help further their preferred story line. Because the schools that have turned down the waiver have reportedly voted to do so during an "informal" vote before the waiver is officially extended, CPS is technically correct in their claim of a blemish-free school voting record on the issue.
"If a barrage of schools were signing up for the longer day, we would hear about more than one a day," she continued.
The union publicly mentioned between 20 and 30 schools rejecting the pilot program, but Carroll said some schools have asked the union to stop naming them as pilot program rejectors.
"There are schools on [the CTU's] list [of schools voting 'no' to the longer day] that have no business being there," she said.
Further, Carroll said, "at the end of the day, the only vote that matters is a waiver vote. Until a waiver vote happens, no other formal, informal poll or snapshot in time matters."
As for where the pilot program funding is coming from, Carroll said if 50 schools sign up by January, the incentives will cost the system an estimated $7 million -- much less than the $100 million price tag that the Board of Ed-rejected teacher raises carried.
"A $7 million investment in return for helping our children who are in dire need of getting more time in the classroom with their teachers is well worth those dollars," Carroll added, "And CEO Brizard is willing to make some additional, painful cuts in our budget in order to fund that investment in our students.
"We are willing to support the teachers and schools who are willing to add more time to the day in any way necessary to make that happen."
HOW SOON IS NOW?
At the heart of the ongoing longer school day debate, regardless of which schools are voting which way on the waiver offer, is what benefit an hour-and-a-half-longer school day will ultimately offer to the system's students -- not to mention what educational content those 90 minutes would include.
Carroll reiterated Thursday that CPS "believes very strongly, and this is backed by mounds of research, that a longer school day can provide districts with the tools to help students be successful in the classroom."
Stand For Children, the non-profit advocacy group which was the driving force behind Senate Bill 7, legislation passed earlier this year which paved the way to a number of educational reforms across Illinois including Emanuel's long-promised longer school day, agrees.
Mary Anderson, Stand For Children's executive director, told The Huffington Post her organization was "very excited" to see the handful-plus-one of CPS schools that have agreed to the longer day pilot program. She feels the longer day will allow for more enrichment programs, plus longer meal periods, recess time and time allowing for teacher intervention with students who may be struggling in a core academic area like math or reading.
"This is what parents want and what is in the best interests of children," Anderson said. "The groundswell of support indicates that they want it to happen and they want it to happen now. I hope that more schools will sign on."
And while Anderson understands the CTU's concerns over how the extra instructional time will be allocated, she said that she felt "we need to get away from the noise and focus on what's best for the students" in the midst of the ongoing squabbles. A CPS-led task force, which the CTU's Lewis declined to be a part of, is currently at work designing a blueprint for the new, longer school day.
"At the end of the day, the adults have to figure this out because thousands of CPS students are being left behind and that's simply unacceptable," Anderson added.
Andrew Broy, president of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, shares Anderson's frustrations with student performance in the city's struggling school system and called the union's concerns over instructional content during the additional time as a "smoke screen."
"Clearly [a longer day] is a step in the right direction," Broy told the Huffington Post. "I don't think it's easy to defend the length of the school day we have and we should have fixed it 10 years ago."
He challenged the union to "come forward with ways to do this constructively" and described a recent event he attended in support of the longer day as, ultimately, "the rally to be average."
Even with the extra 90 minutes, Broy says, CPS non-charter schools will still register among the national average instructional time. School days at the charter schools in his system are nearly two hours longer than Chicago Public Schools and his network's leadership has publicly applauded Emanuel's proposal.
"I'm not saying the union isn't right to have some concerns about implementation, but I'm suggesting that the time to fix the problem is now," he added. "The longer school day is a necessary precondition to reform. I'm glad to see Rahm's fighting for it because it's something that really matters."
POLITICS AT ITS WORST OR REFORM AT ITS BEST?
Recent analyses of instructional day length's correlation with learning outcomes have lent credence to the CTU's call for a "better school day," rather than, more simply, a longer one.
As the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday, some high-performing school districts in affluent Chicago suburbs -- including Glen Ellyn, Elmhurst and Elgin -- have instructional days on par with those non-charter schools within city limits.
Influential SmallTalk education blogger, author and educator Mike Klonsky said the Tribune's analysis is in line with his belief that school performance -- often tied to students' test scores -- is "a measure of poverty, not one's going on in the classroom."
Klonsky described Emanuel's push for the longer school day as "cynical" and "politically-driven."
"What you're seeing is that, under mayoral control, a two-tiered school system is under development [in Chicago]: one for the elite, middle-class kids and another system for the poor; one filled with enrichment programs and things like that and the other has a test-and-punishment curriculum," Klonsky said.
Klonsky further described CPS's offering of mysteriously-funded waivers to longer day pilot schools as "improper and probably illegal."
"In order to push through this politically-geared agenda for the mayor, a lot of damage is being done and a lot of irresponsible kind of funding plans are being put into practice," Klonsky said. "I think the union is right, but the question is what will happen next? "It's a mystery and Rahm has no plan."
COMPROMISE AHEAD?
As for what happens next, all parties involved appear to be on the same page about one thing: The longer school day will be the order of the day systemwide in CPS schools beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year, after the existing teacher contract expires.
Until then, CPS is continuing their rallying cry for the lengthened day. Carroll said she expected more schools to join the pilot program in the coming days and weeks.
"Our students are struggling … and it's incumbent upon us, as adults, to come together and work out a solution," Carroll said. "Why wait a year from now and shortchange kids for a year if their teachers at their schools want to do it today and want to give their students that opportunity to get a leg up to be successful?"
As for the union, Gadlin said she hopes CPS will "come to its senses and stop these illegal elections and this union-busting campaign they're engaging in." The union's priorities, she said, remain to plan for improved day-to-day curriculum as part of the inevitable longer day coming to CPS schools -- and better compensation for the teachers themselves. She also said a majority of Chicagoans support the union's plan, citing a recent poll conducted by Lake Research Partners.
"Our call for a better school day is not far off from what people want for their students: a world-class education," Gadlin said. "We don't understand the urgency to do this right now. Rahm has already decreed that a longer school year is coming to Chicago so, OK, let's take a year to plan it properly to ensure students and educators have the best working conditions and learning environment possible."
Teachers Union Plays Race Card
www.nbcchicago.com
The Chicago Teachers Union issues a press releases claiming minority teachers and minority teachers are hit hardest by layoffs.
Rosita Chatonda commented on NBC Chicago.I am so happy that the CTU has finally gotten on board with this issue. The sad thing is that there has been a purge of this system for 10 years with the number of African American teachers dropping from 51% in the late 90's to 29.6 today. The drop this year actually has been smaller than previous years. The impact of losing 1.7 to 2.0 % annually over more than 10 years have been devastating to the economy in the AA community. Also, in terms of how teacher are fired, African American teachers are 10x more likely to be E-3"d ( given unsatisfactory ratings). Charged with unsubstantiated charges and fired. Schools in the AA community have been phased out, turned around, consolidated and closed for low enrollment substantially more than any other schools in Chicago.
Rosita Chatonda commented on NBC Chicago.I am so happy that the CTU has finally gotten on board with this issue. The sad thing is that there has been a purge of this system for 10 years with the number of African American teachers dropping from 51% in the late 90's to 29.6 today. The drop this year actually has been smaller than previous years. The impact of losing 1.7 to 2.0 % annually over more than 10 years have been devastating to the economy in the AA community. Also, in terms of how teacher are fired, African American teachers are 10x more likely to be E-3"d ( given unsatisfactory ratings). Charged with unsubstantiated charges and fired. Schools in the AA community have been phased out, turned around, consolidated and closed for low enrollment substantially more than any other schools in Chicago.
Rosita Chatonda Founding President of C.A.U.S.E..
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