catalyst-chicago.org

Teachers at a Chicago charter school are now subject to private-sector labor laws, rather than state laws governing public workers. The ruling, made by the National Labor Relations Board last month, said the Chicago Math and Science Academy is a “private entity” and therefore covered under the federal law governing the private sector, according to WBEZ.

Chicago Public Schools said Friday it has saved $23 million on purchasing contracts since April, when it hired an aggressive new head of the department that handles big buys. Chief Procurement Officer Sébastien de Longeaux said he’s tried some private-sector tactics to negotiate better deals for the district. (Sun-Times)

Three Chicago Public Schools teachers who lost their jobs this year have filed a lawsuit saying that the district's process for "turnaround" schools is racially discriminatory because it targets West and South side campuses with a higher percentage of African-American teachers and staff, the Tribune reports.