Thursday Morning News 18 schools whacked Sun Times
"We heard some very impassioned comments,'' board president Rufus Williams said. "Change is hard. I understand that. ... But we've got to get better and get better right now.''
SOS! Save our schools: Protesters fight turnaround at Orr High School Medill Reports
For many of the students who attend school on the Orr campus, Cannon said the school is like a second home. The teachers are like family to them, and to lose them along with the administrators who know the students so well could negatively impact the school's culture.
Board of Education gets an earful on closings ChiTown Daily News
One person was escorted out of the chambers and many others had the microphone turned off because they went beyond their allotted two minutes -- not that the absence of a mic stopped them from shouting emotionally. Many yelled; some cried.
Parents, students protest Chicago school closings Tribune
But of the 19 schools originally named in the plan, only Abbott Elementary in the Bridgeport neighborhood was spared. A hearing officer recommended it stay open because it also houses a charter school and an Easter Seals Head Start program, and the nearest alternative is too far away.
Teachers, staff out at 8 CPS schools ChiTown Daily News
Today's decisions did not arrive without controversy and heated discussions, considering the large public turnout spilled over into an overflow room and parents of Edison Regional Gifted Center students created a picket line on Clark Street two hours before the day-long meeting began.
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Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 10:52 AM
Thursday Morning News
At this point, it almost seems as if CPS would be better off just doing a way with any semblance of a public meeting. If anything it has to be more frustrating to spend your entire day waiting around 125 S. Clark protesting in the freezing cold or sitting in cramped board room only to hear an unanimous vote on a decision so controversial that well an unanimous vote seems impossible.
It will be years before the true effect of these decisions are seen and while there may be a couple of situations here that turn out for the better, at least in the short term there really aren't any winners here.
Most of all, the kids we would like to raise by giving them hope in a democratic system and teaching them lessons of social justice, just got "wacked" with a harsh dose of reality.
People need to start to demand an elected school board, or at least a system where the people have some voice in choosing school board candidates, so that they are beholden to more than just the Mayor. At this point I'd even give up 1 or 2 seats appointed by the mayor as long as the majority were chosen by the people. These unelected officials cannot continue to make such important decisions that effect so many people.
It will be years before the true effect of these decisions are seen and while there may be a couple of situations here that turn out for the better, at least in the short term there really aren't any winners here.
Most of all, the kids we would like to raise by giving them hope in a democratic system and teaching them lessons of social justice, just got "wacked" with a harsh dose of reality.
People need to start to demand an elected school board, or at least a system where the people have some voice in choosing school board candidates, so that they are beholden to more than just the Mayor. At this point I'd even give up 1 or 2 seats appointed by the mayor as long as the majority were chosen by the people. These unelected officials cannot continue to make such important decisions that effect so many people.
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Thursday Morning News
Charlie I could not have said it better I agree.
If anything, what lessons are we teaching the future generation of leaders?
How can we possibly teach democracy, fairness and equal opportunity?
Yes wee need to fix the system but not by vote from people far removed from what actually needs to be done in the classroom.
Sí se puede!
If anything, what lessons are we teaching the future generation of leaders?
How can we possibly teach democracy, fairness and equal opportunity?
Yes wee need to fix the system but not by vote from people far removed from what actually needs to be done in the classroom.
Sí se puede!
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Thursday Morning News
Not bad, Charlie, the lesson plan is starting to work.
But take the next step (or "bring it to the next level," as you've been hearing all your life). Just because you were taught things had to come easy, and handed all those silly Oprah narratives instead of reality doesn't mean you can't learn. No. CPS is going to hold Board of Education meetings. And people are going to City Hall for City Council meetings, too. Just because that addled flunky on the 5th floor turns purple when people point out he couldn't have gotten out of eighth grade without social promotion doesn't mean the truth won't eventually be told, even in Chicago.
So the next Board meeting is on March 26. Then April 23. Then...
If you're a teacher, you might consider bringing your class for a lesson in democracy. Heck of a lesson, but worth it. It's like the sound of a billy club against somebody's skull. Definitely a lesson worth learning, and Chicago's been teaching lessons like that since the first mayor named Daley decided that massive segregation and lots of fascism was a model form of government.
What's actually going to happen from this point on is that more and more people are going to take the time to be at every Board of Education meeting. You see, they are killing these schools in slow motion. That official script fed to you by the Tribune, Sun-Times, and the cuties from the TV stations' talking head collections is starting to fray. There never was a miracle. It was just one large elaborated decade-long lie. Everybody who's heard from Arne Duncan from Edison Park all the way out to the East Side and Hegewisch can tell you at least one "Arne's a liar -- here's my example" story. Rufus is just getting in one the action.
People from the schools that have been whacked (I think we can spell it either way) will be detailing the cruelty and stupidity. We'll start with the "F____ You" packets the teachers were given by their AIOs and "Human Resources" gestapos even before the Board voted yesterday.
But there is more. The parents will have input; and as you read (and saw a teeny bit of) the students are pissed off, too.
It's been 40 years since people had to learn these lessons of democracy in the streets of Chicago and elsewhere. I was on those streets every day back then (except when I was locked up). Later, there were a lot of heroes who weren't around talking stuff about what they'd done in '68. Actually, no. They just slipped in behind deconstruction and the idea that a compelling narrative was a reasonable substitute for the truth.
These kids, and some of the teachers and parents, have heard Arne Duncan, Barbara Eason Watkins, and Rufus Williams lying for the past several years. They'll bring the truth out every month, not matter how many lies ooze out like puss from that crowd. It's going to be very interesting.
Definitely bring the kids, Charlie. Those kids who came out yesterday and got an overdose of the racism that's greased this town for about 15 years big time know what they were seeing and smelling. Just because it was painted white, scripted then with a couple of touts (I don't know whether Barabara or Rufus gets the "best supporting actor" award for this one) and perfurmed didn't mean it wasn't shit.
But take the next step (or "bring it to the next level," as you've been hearing all your life). Just because you were taught things had to come easy, and handed all those silly Oprah narratives instead of reality doesn't mean you can't learn. No. CPS is going to hold Board of Education meetings. And people are going to City Hall for City Council meetings, too. Just because that addled flunky on the 5th floor turns purple when people point out he couldn't have gotten out of eighth grade without social promotion doesn't mean the truth won't eventually be told, even in Chicago.
So the next Board meeting is on March 26. Then April 23. Then...
If you're a teacher, you might consider bringing your class for a lesson in democracy. Heck of a lesson, but worth it. It's like the sound of a billy club against somebody's skull. Definitely a lesson worth learning, and Chicago's been teaching lessons like that since the first mayor named Daley decided that massive segregation and lots of fascism was a model form of government.
What's actually going to happen from this point on is that more and more people are going to take the time to be at every Board of Education meeting. You see, they are killing these schools in slow motion. That official script fed to you by the Tribune, Sun-Times, and the cuties from the TV stations' talking head collections is starting to fray. There never was a miracle. It was just one large elaborated decade-long lie. Everybody who's heard from Arne Duncan from Edison Park all the way out to the East Side and Hegewisch can tell you at least one "Arne's a liar -- here's my example" story. Rufus is just getting in one the action.
People from the schools that have been whacked (I think we can spell it either way) will be detailing the cruelty and stupidity. We'll start with the "F____ You" packets the teachers were given by their AIOs and "Human Resources" gestapos even before the Board voted yesterday.
But there is more. The parents will have input; and as you read (and saw a teeny bit of) the students are pissed off, too.
It's been 40 years since people had to learn these lessons of democracy in the streets of Chicago and elsewhere. I was on those streets every day back then (except when I was locked up). Later, there were a lot of heroes who weren't around talking stuff about what they'd done in '68. Actually, no. They just slipped in behind deconstruction and the idea that a compelling narrative was a reasonable substitute for the truth.
These kids, and some of the teachers and parents, have heard Arne Duncan, Barbara Eason Watkins, and Rufus Williams lying for the past several years. They'll bring the truth out every month, not matter how many lies ooze out like puss from that crowd. It's going to be very interesting.
Definitely bring the kids, Charlie. Those kids who came out yesterday and got an overdose of the racism that's greased this town for about 15 years big time know what they were seeing and smelling. Just because it was painted white, scripted then with a couple of touts (I don't know whether Barabara or Rufus gets the "best supporting actor" award for this one) and perfurmed didn't mean it wasn't shit.
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Thursday Morning News
Okay, many people have said it, but I don't know if anyone knows how to do it.
How do we get rid of this appointed Board of Ed and turn it into an elected one?
Better yet. How do we can Arne?
It was one of the most sickening things I've ever witnessed. Them lumping most of the schools together and voting....not even giving each school its own vote. Who cares if it saves time since they all have scripted how it's going to go. It's called RESPECT. Something this board and especially it's president doesn't know the first thing about....no matter how much Rufus may say otherwise.
It's time they get their pink slips.....
How do we get rid of this appointed Board of Ed and turn it into an elected one?
Better yet. How do we can Arne?
It was one of the most sickening things I've ever witnessed. Them lumping most of the schools together and voting....not even giving each school its own vote. Who cares if it saves time since they all have scripted how it's going to go. It's called RESPECT. Something this board and especially it's president doesn't know the first thing about....no matter how much Rufus may say otherwise.
It's time they get their pink slips.....
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 6:29 PM
Thursday Morning News
Hey 11:06. True wasting your time. Just like running for LSC's. But, in reference to the board that you are referring to. Blame the mayor, he has the final say on what goes on. Arne meets with the Mayor and updates him on what should be done before Daley gives him the thumps up to go forward.
They should just wipe out public participation, what a waste of time and the board hates it also.
They should just wipe out public participation, what a waste of time and the board hates it also.
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Thursday Morning News
Hey, who knows of some good website that parents, teachers, students and other interested observers/participants can post their reports of what’s happening in their neighborhoods? We could all become “citizen journalists” and document the bajazus out of what’s happening. I’ve seen a few links to neighborhood news type sites (blogs?) here, but can’t find them now.
Thu Feb 28, 2008 at 9:52 PM
Thursday Morning News
that would be this site, citizen J --
when it comes to schools, i don't think there's any other place available.
so send in what you see and find and let others do the same.
it's organized by topic, not neighborhood, but oftentimes ends up focusing on a school or part of town anyway.
when it comes to schools, i don't think there's any other place available.
so send in what you see and find and let others do the same.
it's organized by topic, not neighborhood, but oftentimes ends up focusing on a school or part of town anyway.
Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 12:01 AM
Thursday Morning News
Maybe if everyone burned up their aldermans' , state legistlators' and ISBE's phones, then maybe SOMEONE would pay attention to this travesty! We do need an elected school board. I've never seen one where everyone agrees on everything all the time everytime!!!
Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 12:05 AM
Thursday Morning News
I heard ISBE is scared of CPS!! Who ever heard of such a thing...a school district in charge of a state agency. This is crazy...I wish the Feds had a special prosector to look into educational corruption!!!
Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 12:40 AM
Thursday Morning News
"...We do need an elected school board. I've never seen one where everyone agrees on everything all the time everytime!!!..." (I have an idea).
Romania until Christmas Day 1989 found that everyone agreed with Nicolai Ceausescu and his lovely wife Elena. Every vote was unanimous, and everyone clapped in unison for the Leader. Everyone agreed, all the time. Then everyone disagreed with Ceausescu and Elena all at once. So by the day after Christmas 1989 they'd been executed by their own people.
There are other cool examples from elsewhere. Unanimous votes. Orchestrated ritual praises. (Chicago has had a "miracle" of school reform since 1995 when your mayor bravely took over the public schools and you'd better believe it and repeat it or they'll sue you for a million dollars or something nice like that)...
Every time I watch our Supreme Leader in action at a media event, I think of Italy between about 1930 and 1945.
Same type of puffed out personality. Same amount of imperial power. Except Italy's Il Duce was more intelligent than our Duce by several orders of magnitude.
Romania until Christmas Day 1989 found that everyone agreed with Nicolai Ceausescu and his lovely wife Elena. Every vote was unanimous, and everyone clapped in unison for the Leader. Everyone agreed, all the time. Then everyone disagreed with Ceausescu and Elena all at once. So by the day after Christmas 1989 they'd been executed by their own people.
There are other cool examples from elsewhere. Unanimous votes. Orchestrated ritual praises. (Chicago has had a "miracle" of school reform since 1995 when your mayor bravely took over the public schools and you'd better believe it and repeat it or they'll sue you for a million dollars or something nice like that)...
Every time I watch our Supreme Leader in action at a media event, I think of Italy between about 1930 and 1945.
Same type of puffed out personality. Same amount of imperial power. Except Italy's Il Duce was more intelligent than our Duce by several orders of magnitude.
Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 1:18 AM
Thursday Morning News
Anyone who believes that the hearing officers who just completed the rituals of this round of school closings, consolidations, etc. were "independent" has a fine sense of humor.
And anyone who believe that the Inspector General is more than a KGB for the Daley dictatorship should consider the following facts, since we've just been through them while the Sun-Times told us to hail a "hero" principal for catching a low level school clerk in a couple of misdemeanors.
At the "hearings" between February 4, 2008 and February 16, 2008, there were four hearing officers I saw in action (or heard about, in the case of Bates, whom I had seen in action on numerous previous occasions): Fred Bates, Ellen Douglas, Michael Hernandez, and Respicio Vazquez.
Half the "independent hearing officers" -- Respicio Vazquez and Michael Hernandez -- are currently partners in the law firm of Franczek Sullivan PC.
Franczek Sullivan is the labor relations law firm for CPS. Franczek Sullivan negotiated all of the union contracts for CPS last summer (both the Chicago Teachers Union and the other unions) and was paid about a half million dollars for that work. More than that, Franczek Sullivan has been paid between a half million dollars and a million dollars per year in business from the Chicago Board of Education for at least the past ten years (as I've reported from time to time in Substance). The firm also receives large amounts of business from other entities in the Daley empire (I usually only pay attention to CPS spending, but might take some interest in their total take from Daley's entities going back to 1995 or so).
Even though the labor negotiations of 2007 were over by January 2008, the Chicago Board of Education continued paying huge amounts to Franczek Sullivan. This is in the context of the fact that, as some people know, the entire 7th floor of CPS is the Law Department (attorneys who work for CPS and their support staff) and CPS has been expanding the number of politically connected lawyers in other departments as well despite the fact that Arne Duncan goes around town prattling about "deficits" and claiming that he has "cut administration".
The month before the hearings, in January 2008, the Chicago Board of Education voted unanimously and without discussion to approve another payment to Franczek Sullivan in the amount of $200,000 (Board Report 08-0123-AR2, which is now available in the Action Agendas of the Chicago Board of Education).
According to the Board Report, this $200,000 is for "general litigation, labor negotiations, consultation and strategy developments."
Michael Hernandez is a partner in Franczek Sullivan PC.
Respicio Vazquez is a partner in Franczek Sullivan PC.
As partners, their annual income is based, in part, on the value of the work their firm does for the Chicago Board of Education.
VAZQUEZ presided over the hearings on Irving Park Middle School, De La Cruz, Andersen, and Edison (and possibly others, I'm still waiting for the complete hearing officer reports compiled at CPS).
HERNANDEZ presided over the hearings on Roque de Duprey elementary school and Harper High School (and possibly others, I'm still waiting for the complete hearing officer reports compiled at CPS).
Does anyone want to try and explain how these two guys were "independent" hearing officers when one of their firm's largest clients (in terms of annual dollar billings, going back more than ten years and continuing into 2008) is the Chicago Board of Education?
Don't partners in major law firms get paid based on the total revenue of those firms, or has something changed since I was working in law years ago? Respicio Vazquez and Michael Hernandez are not technically employees of the Chicago Board of Education. In a way, they have an even better deal -- the firm they partly own is one of the largest outside contractors for CPS and have been since Mayor Daley took over CPS 13 years ago.
I don't know how many attorneys there are in Chicago, but for CPS to get these people and claim they are "independent hearing officers" should even challenge the humor of the most craven fans of the Daley dictatorship. Chicago also has a major office of the American Arbitration Association and of various mediation groups who could have provided truly independent hearing officers, and the support staff that goes with that independence.
The last thing the Chicago Board of Education wanted in the recent Show Trials was to have "independent hearing officers." So they trotted out Vazquez and Hernandez and put on a fig leaf, which was then read into the record and repeated over and over again at each of the hearings. Cynical? Yes. Only in a town where the corporate media is as controlled as here could they have gotten away with this one up to today.
But they did.
As a great man used to write...
And so it goes...
And anyone who believe that the Inspector General is more than a KGB for the Daley dictatorship should consider the following facts, since we've just been through them while the Sun-Times told us to hail a "hero" principal for catching a low level school clerk in a couple of misdemeanors.
At the "hearings" between February 4, 2008 and February 16, 2008, there were four hearing officers I saw in action (or heard about, in the case of Bates, whom I had seen in action on numerous previous occasions): Fred Bates, Ellen Douglas, Michael Hernandez, and Respicio Vazquez.
Half the "independent hearing officers" -- Respicio Vazquez and Michael Hernandez -- are currently partners in the law firm of Franczek Sullivan PC.
Franczek Sullivan is the labor relations law firm for CPS. Franczek Sullivan negotiated all of the union contracts for CPS last summer (both the Chicago Teachers Union and the other unions) and was paid about a half million dollars for that work. More than that, Franczek Sullivan has been paid between a half million dollars and a million dollars per year in business from the Chicago Board of Education for at least the past ten years (as I've reported from time to time in Substance). The firm also receives large amounts of business from other entities in the Daley empire (I usually only pay attention to CPS spending, but might take some interest in their total take from Daley's entities going back to 1995 or so).
Even though the labor negotiations of 2007 were over by January 2008, the Chicago Board of Education continued paying huge amounts to Franczek Sullivan. This is in the context of the fact that, as some people know, the entire 7th floor of CPS is the Law Department (attorneys who work for CPS and their support staff) and CPS has been expanding the number of politically connected lawyers in other departments as well despite the fact that Arne Duncan goes around town prattling about "deficits" and claiming that he has "cut administration".
The month before the hearings, in January 2008, the Chicago Board of Education voted unanimously and without discussion to approve another payment to Franczek Sullivan in the amount of $200,000 (Board Report 08-0123-AR2, which is now available in the Action Agendas of the Chicago Board of Education).
According to the Board Report, this $200,000 is for "general litigation, labor negotiations, consultation and strategy developments."
Michael Hernandez is a partner in Franczek Sullivan PC.
Respicio Vazquez is a partner in Franczek Sullivan PC.
As partners, their annual income is based, in part, on the value of the work their firm does for the Chicago Board of Education.
VAZQUEZ presided over the hearings on Irving Park Middle School, De La Cruz, Andersen, and Edison (and possibly others, I'm still waiting for the complete hearing officer reports compiled at CPS).
HERNANDEZ presided over the hearings on Roque de Duprey elementary school and Harper High School (and possibly others, I'm still waiting for the complete hearing officer reports compiled at CPS).
Does anyone want to try and explain how these two guys were "independent" hearing officers when one of their firm's largest clients (in terms of annual dollar billings, going back more than ten years and continuing into 2008) is the Chicago Board of Education?
Don't partners in major law firms get paid based on the total revenue of those firms, or has something changed since I was working in law years ago? Respicio Vazquez and Michael Hernandez are not technically employees of the Chicago Board of Education. In a way, they have an even better deal -- the firm they partly own is one of the largest outside contractors for CPS and have been since Mayor Daley took over CPS 13 years ago.
I don't know how many attorneys there are in Chicago, but for CPS to get these people and claim they are "independent hearing officers" should even challenge the humor of the most craven fans of the Daley dictatorship. Chicago also has a major office of the American Arbitration Association and of various mediation groups who could have provided truly independent hearing officers, and the support staff that goes with that independence.
The last thing the Chicago Board of Education wanted in the recent Show Trials was to have "independent hearing officers." So they trotted out Vazquez and Hernandez and put on a fig leaf, which was then read into the record and repeated over and over again at each of the hearings. Cynical? Yes. Only in a town where the corporate media is as controlled as here could they have gotten away with this one up to today.
But they did.
As a great man used to write...
And so it goes...
Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 9:18 AM
Thursday Morning News
There will be posts and contacts for individuals to send complaints.
There needs to be a concerted effort to stop corruption.
Links will be posted soon.
Complaints against
Union
CPS
ISBE
IDL
MoT
There needs to be a concerted effort to stop corruption.
Links will be posted soon.
Complaints against
Union
CPS
ISBE
IDL
MoT
Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Thursday Morning News
Did anyone notice that today's CPS e-bulletin already lists all teaching positions at Orr, etc? Classy.
Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Thursday Morning News
speaking of the e-bulleting, can someone tell me how to sign up for that thing, or send me a copy?
you CPSers may feel swamped with emails and memos, but i'm trying to get as many as i can. AIO emails, directives, etc. also appreciated. sign me up!
-- alexander
you CPSers may feel swamped with emails and memos, but i'm trying to get as many as i can. AIO emails, directives, etc. also appreciated. sign me up!
-- alexander
Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 12:39 PM
Thursday Morning News
you can find it here:
2/27/08 ebulletin
and you can find them (now and in the future) on CPS's human resources website:
CPS Human Resources
The name "e-bulletin" is misleading--it's not emailed or anything. But my kid's selling girl scout cookies--want to sign up for those?
2/27/08 ebulletin
and you can find them (now and in the future) on CPS's human resources website:
CPS Human Resources
The name "e-bulletin" is misleading--it's not emailed or anything. But my kid's selling girl scout cookies--want to sign up for those?
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