Even as CPS opens more new schools, children with special needs have a tougher time finding options. Placements in private therapeutic schools are scarce, and some charters are reluctant to enroll them.
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Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
By: Alexander Russo / January 10, 2009
Contributor Ben Strauss filed this account of today's CORE event at Malcolm X:
Opposition to Renaissance 2010 took a new shape on Saturday when around 500 parents, teachers, students and community activists
came together to share their experiences with Ren10 and hear a plan to
respond to this week's announcements of school closings.
Contributor Ben Strauss filed this
account of today's CORE event at Malcolm X. Feel free to add your own
observations and analysis in the comments section:
Opposition to Renaissance 2010 took a new shape on Saturday when around 500 parents, teachers, students and community activists
came together to share their experiences with Ren10 and hear a plan to
respond to this week's announcements of school closings.
Despite inches of snow piling up outside, a standing room-only
crowd of the frustrated, angry, and curious packed a Malcolm X
cafeteria for the CORE-sponsored citywide forum that could, organizers say, slow the planned closings of schools.
"This is
bigger than Arne Duncan, bigger than Barbara Eason-Watkins and bigger
than Mayor Daley," said Jitu Brown of the Kenwood Oakland Community
Organization to open the public hearing.
Several schools such as McPherson, Peabody, Kelly, Robeson, Julian,
and Senn were represented by groups of teachers. But it was the
appearance of different factions within the Chicago Teachers Union
(CTU) that was perhaps the most striking development of the event.
CTU president Marilyn Stewart was featured on the welcome panel.
Her bitter rival, Debbie Lynch, of Proactive Chicago Teachers (PACT)
was also on hand.
"Sometimes you have to work with opposition," said Stewart. "It's not a time to blame someone, but to do something about it."
The crux of CORE's mission is to bring these factions together as a unified force to take on the Board and Ren. 2010.
"We want to light a fire under the sleeping giant that is the CTU," said Jackson Potter, one of its founders.
For the event, at least, it appears to have been successful. The
activism amongst teachers is what gives Julie Woestehoff, a member of
Parents United for Responsible Education (PURE), hope that this wave of
momentum is different than those that have fallen short in the past.
"I haven't seen this kind of effort since 1987," she said, referencing the last CTU strike.
CORE
is planning to protest the January 28 Board meeting and to hold a
January 31 event. Bolstered by a successful event, CORE leader Potter
expressed confidence that actions such as these could change the course
of events.
"I'm confident that we have built something here that will be a
tremendous obstacle to corporate reform for years to come," said
Potter. As for the planned closings, Potter said that he thinks growing opposition "can
stop some of them."
Strauss is a freelance writer who was raised in Chicago.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Of course I would have loved to have seen Linda Darling-Hammond become Secretary of Education in an Obama administration. She's smart, honest, compassionate and courageous, and perhaps most striking, she actually knows schools and classrooms, curriculum and teaching, kids and child development. These have never counted for much as qualifications for the post, of course, and yet they offer a neat contrast with the four failed urban school superintendents--
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
I really like what Bill Ayers said in this column called "Obama & Education Reform" in the Chicago Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-ayers/obama-and-education-refor_b_154...
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Many don't see a problem with Ren 2010 because they've bought into the stereotype of the dysfunctional neighborhood school being saved by the benevolent, charter-school teacher who is young, energetic, well-intentioned, and "missionary-like" in her zeal to reform. They come like the colonizing missionaries of old to "spread the gospel" of "good teaching". Often what is behind this masquerade is little better than that of the practitioners who were replaced, albeit with a bit more glaze and frosting on the surface. But its believed that even if the charters aren't perfect ANYTHING is better than the status quo. This attitude of "try anything" is as irresponsible as supporting the tragic dysfunction of the school.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Last week PURE posted this list of the corporations and foundations that fund Renaissance 2010:
http://pureparents.org/data/files/Ren2010Fundlistonly.pdf
Many of these corporations and businesses give huge donations to Renaissance 2010 in order to profit from the positive publicity they expect to get from their support for these new schools. Included are businesses which seek to portray themselves as family-friendly, and which need your family budget dollars to make a profit.
Examples are McDonald’s, Wal-Mart, Sears, Microsoft, Walgreen’s, Sara Lee, Kraft, Azteca, Chase Bank, Bank of America, and Allstate. Also on the list are public utilities like People’s Gas and Exelon.
It is up to us to decide whether we want to patronize businesses that support Renaissance 2010. We might also want to ask why profits from our gas and electricity usage are being used for this purpose.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Please start to boycott the Bull's, ASPIRA, UNO--any organization that is running our poor from the schools and out of town.
If you want to put brakes on and even get daley's attention and the business community--put out a list to BOYCOTT. They have hit us in the pocketbook. It is time to hit them back in the bread basket.
Circulate a list --get someone else to circulate a list, but get a list so we can hit them where it hurts. money counts.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Hyde Park is an in-estuous place. University of Chicago is corrupt as it is wealthy. Valarie Jarret's mother anyone? I scratch your back you scratch ....
We voted him in, now we have to live with it and the expansion of charters too. Oh, what a world, what a world.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Arne and his six degrees of separation is stunning. His wife working at Lab, Michelle's brother working at Lab, Michelle at UofC Hospitals, the Lab board links, the sister at Ariel... the list goes on. Hyde Park is kinda a small world, isn't it. Chicago for that matter, and the links to Harvard and the Chicago law firms.
Out of all the gin joints...
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
"Chicago had Arne for 7 years and he was well respected enough that he earned a big promotion." ..........and his wife works at the president's kids' school, he went to the same school as the president, and he played basketball weekly with the president.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Rod Estvan-you need to be in charge of SPED for CPS-but I forgot you're way too bright and ethical....CPS loves incompetent case managers and inept SPED teachers-these are the people that never advocate for the children, demand one on one aides, materials or services listed on the IEP...a warn incompetent body is better than a competent body...the young sharp SPED teachers leave CPS...
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
I agree -- small class sizes, more teachers -- and it could fit in with Pres-elect Obama's job creation program. The problem is any idea for job creation is vetted apparently (by reading/watching the news) by this question: "Is each particular jobs creation investment a GOOD investment?"
The way it's been going, I hate to hazard the new administration's response to that question, but am hopeful!
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
I agree that principals usually are poor evaluators of the effectiveness of SPED teachers. I've been in schools, where I had to help principals write their reports (or actually write it for them) because they had no idea what was going on. I've had students who made huge gains and others who regressed due to the nature of their disability. I think most SPED teachers work extremely hard to service their students but merit pay would be extremely difficult to determine. There needs to be a better way of evaluating teachers.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
.. and think what this would do to the future supply of sped teachers. I'd guess few would enter the field (and many would leave). Didn't Obama say he would fully fund IDEA? This won't help.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Actually the article was co-authored by Joel Klein the current chancellor of NYC schools. Al Sharpton politically is making a huge mistake in his endorsement of competitive salary structures for public school teachers. Because my own work is in special education I will relate my comments to the use of this model for special education teachers. Here are some of the problems I see:
Problem 1: The measurement of effective teaching of students with disabilities can not be quantified into an administrative rubric for special education teacher assessment.
Problem 2: For the most part principals do not have an adequate background in special education in order to assess the effectiveness of special education teachers.
Problem 3: Principals and higher level administrators do not review the current Individual Education Plans or records of these students and hence have a limited basis for declaring a special education teacher either effective or ineffective for salary increases. Since progress for these students must legally be determined on an "individual" basis.
Problem 4: Gross ineffectiveness of special education teachers can reasonably be determined by principals without special education backgrounds. But because of the CPS shortage of special education teachers many principals will not remove particularly incompetent teachers, because a warm body is better than no body at all.
Problem 5: Using test results as a measure of effective teaching for special education teachers is particularly dangerous because of the fact that special education teachers are involved in providing testing accomodations for students with disabilities. Hence if the test results are going to give a special education teacher more money isn't there a real possiblity of them providing something a little bit more than "accomodations?"
Problem 6: Very large numbers of students with disabilities have both a regular and special education teacher instructing them in the sam academic area. How does a school district or a principal determine which one of these two teachers were effective or ineffective for the student with a disability.
Problem 7: If a school district is giving a special education teacher lower marks for being effective and the school district keeps puting disabled students in front of this teacher does that constitue providing the student with a free appropriate public education under existing special education laws? Do parent have the right to litigate for compensatory educational services and or private services on the basis of placing the child with a teacher declared ineffective?
Rod Estvan
Access Living
Unions has lost Al Sharpton - game over
"Finally, our coalition also promotes the development and placement of effective teachers in underserved schools and supports paying them higher salaries. By contrast, we oppose rigid union-tenure protections, burdensome work rules, and antiquated pay structures that shield a small minority of incompetent teachers from scrutiny yet stop good teachers from earning substantial, performance-based pay raises."
Sound like some crazy right wing conservattive? Nope- Al Sharpton in today's Wall Street Journal.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123172121959472377.html
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
While we are discussing budget, it's necessary to reiterate my earlier warning about the capital budget Ponzi scheme that CPS is facilitating with the charter school "bond" issues.
It will be worth repeating until it's investigated, and stopped.
Here is how it works.
Every year, CPS claims there is no money for capital improvements, and Rufus Williams (or Arne; or an AIO; or someone from Central Office) tells everyone who testifies to go to Springfield and force greedy Illinois to provide more capital dollars for CPS public schools.
That's the half truth that gets out in public.
Actually, as people who have examined the TIFs have noted, the other half of the truth is that there are enormous public resources completely under the discretionary control of Mayor Daley. The TIF dollars are merely a part of those, and they are doled out as patronage, not to create equity.
Beyond the TIF dollars, however, is an even more frightening fiscal game being played.
For the past several years, CPS has basically guaranteed the issuance of a new kind of "municipal bond" by the city's charter school operators. Using a quasi public power that is not publicly revealed in any of the budget hearings from CPS (the capital hearings were in May last year; the regular budget hearings in August; a dog-and-pony show at City Hall was held in Mayor Daley's office in July), the charter "operators" have been issuing "bonds".
Those "bonds" now constitute a public indebtedness in excess of $250 million that has not been reported anywhere publicly by CPS. (It may be much more than this amount, but it's hard to put all the pieces together, like many of these financial schemes of the past decade).
The way the charter bonds have become what I'm calling a Ponzi scheme is that they are underwritten by the continuation of the CPS expansion of the charter subsidies to the charter operators. The day CPS reigns in one operator (say, Aspira, for its almost complete corruption at every level; or Perspectives, for a different kind of corruption just coming out) or even stops the continued expansion of those outfits (by allowing an infinite number of "campuses"), the scheme collapses in the same way the Madoff scheme collapsed when too many of Madoff's "investors" tried to cash out when the financial world got rough beginning in September.
So, let's say there was an honest audit of Chicago's charters. That would reveal that most of them are average or below average (as the testimony Saturday revealed for the first but not last time). As a result, the ruthless expansion of Renassance 2010 is halted.
At that point, the Ponzi scheme collapses.
Right now, the combination of official inaction (the Illinois Attorney General; the U.S. Attorney; etc) and media collaboration in the hoax is allowing this thing to continue to grow. That pretty new building at the CICS "Ralph Ellison Campus" gym and the massive rehab of the CICS main Ellison building is just a pretty example. With hundreds of public schools in need of massive rehab, where did the dollars come from to pretty up and entire corner in Englewood for a charter school?
Bonds.
The Ponzi.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
"...To the recent posts...the CEO of CPS doesn't have a big room full of $ somewhere. There is a limit to the budget. Small class size would be nice, but there isn't money for it. .." (there is a $ limit in the district).
Dear "there"...
What you say is simply not true. It's been repeated over and over, but the repetition of a lie -- whether it's Bernie Madoff's "investment" genius or the glories of the "New Economy" -- doesn't make it fiscally true. In fact, as everyone is learning the hard way, it's far better to examine budgets carefully in their actual context, rather than repeating cliches and someone else's talking points. Were you a real person, it would be easier to discuss these facts, but let's try anyway.
It's not quite clear whether you are honest and simply propagandized or repeating talking points from the corporate propaganda machines.
Assuming you are honest, but misled (how, after all, can anyone know what's in the CPS budget when there are so many lies spun about it by Arne Duncan and others?), I urge you to go to 125 S Clark St. and ask for a copy of the "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report" that was presented at the December Board of Education meeting and which will be in print within a few days.
As you may or may not know, the CPS "Budget" actually has three iterations.
The first iteration, usually presented as late as possible and illegally for the past couple of years by Arne is the "Proposed" budget. It's supposed to be presented for public hearings in June, but Arne has stalled until August. It's supposed to be available across the city before the hearings, but last year it was not available at the public libraries or aldermanic offices prior to the (finally) August hearings, at least the first one at Lane Tech, which I went to (and testified at) before I went on vacation.
Now remember: By August 2008, the Board had violated the legal requirements on the budget in two ways. The hearings were two months late, and the bugets were not available to the public. (I won't even talk about how most of the most important information in those "proposed" budgets is on a CD which most readers at the local library can't read).
Anyway, the "Proposed" budget gives you preliminary information.
Then the Board votes (in 2008, at its August meeting) to rubber stamp the "proposed" budget.
And thus you get Budget Number Two -- the "Final Budget" currently available at CPS for anyone who wants to slog through it.
Finally, by December, you get the audited comprehensive annual financial reports.
Combining the information from all three documents (all public, but try to get them), you can get a picture that contradicts your claims that "there is no money."
The massive expansion of charter school costs (which are not itemized but lumped under "contractual and other expenses" -- this is, after all, a form of outsourcing) shows that the charter costs alone would yield lower class sizes, if the dollars were invested in real public schools.
But going into the departments of the budget (as I've done for years, most recently in "Clout's Cesspool") shows that the massive expansion of patronage has created tens of millions of dollars in excess expenses that doesn't go to the classroom. Whole departments (New Schools; High School Transformation; various Chiefs of Staff) and massively expanded other departments (Communications; Law; etc.) could be reduced by 75 percent without hurting one school. But because those departments are there for privatization (New Schools), propaganda (Communications), or defending the indefensible (Law), the keep expanding, often by hiring the relatives of politically connected people at huge salaries.
Sorry, "there is a limit..." but what you say is factually wrong.
A school-based budgeting process that we aimed at reducing class size, following federal law and court decisions (instead of evading them from desegregation to IDEA) would yield tens of millions of dollars, and the "loss" to CPS in patronage and overhead (each of these people -- none of whom is in a school is costing CPS between $120,000 and $150,000 per year, counting benefits) would not impact one child in one classroom.
In fact, by getting rid of the greatest excess bloat in history -- and I've examined these budgets for 30 years and was on the "Budget Transition Team" at Central Office in the summer of 1989 -- CPS would be a much better "school" system.
Take some time to read the data provided in the audited financial reports, and in the two budgets that lead up to it. Then repeat that mantra about "there is no money."
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Problem (italics) solved?
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Have you seen the budget? Between "Other expenses" and the Capital Projects Fund, there's well over a billion in the budget that could be used for improving instruction.
And that's not including the money flushed down the toilet for the closings and turnaround initiatives.
The extra money that CPS has been siphoning away from neighborhood schools would more than fill a single room. It also would easily unfill the rooms at our schools where kids are standing-room only.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
I agree with you.The free promo for Stewart is what she needed.
You are righ INTELLECTUAL POWER.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Let me start by giving kudos to CORE for putting on this event. I believe this is just the beginning of something big. I want to remind all the good people who are criticizing CORE for "allowing CTU to take credit for the event"; they are doing SOMETHING. What are you DOING. Struggle is not waged on a blog. I give CORE credit for having the audacity to put their jobs on the line and fight for what is right. If we are really with that mission and care as if our own lives depended on it, then we should figure out how to support them.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
To the recent posts...the CEO of CPS doesn't have a big room full of $ somewhere. There is a limit to the budget. Small class size would be nice, but there isn't money for it.
CPS has to close some schools because they are underenrolled. To the person whining about the Peabody closing--great test scores but less than half of the building full. The district has to run efficiently.
Performance pay and evaluation that doesn't rate everyone as "Excellent" is the answer!
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
I can think of many ways to "DRAMATICALLY improve results in schools" and it begins with SMALL CLASS SIZE." Yes there are a few shall I say inadequate teachers but for the most part I see dedicated, hard-working and caring teachers. Putting ALL THE BLAME on teacher performance is ridiculous! At some point, parents/guardians must be held accountable. HOW about listening to researchers such as Jim Trelease or writers like Patricia Polacco. Small class size, parents held accountable, good teaching and NO POLITICS. The amount of money that is wasted in CPS could be used to hire MORE TEACHERS.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
It's interesting how opponents of teachers unions focus on only the unions. This event at Malcolm X College included involvement from 81 schools, 7 universities, students, community organizations, parents, and others.
CORE is a caucus of the Chicago Teachers Union and was able to bring all of these constituents together to fight for the right to public education. We must not lose sight of the collaborative work among these groups of stakeholders. CTU has forsaken partnerships with families, students, and communities for too long. We are much more powerful together than we are individually.
Those who whine about unions and contracts have never had their children denied admission to what was once their neighborhood school. Their children have not been denied special education services by charter schools. They have not had their children removed from a charter school for "poor academic performance". They have not their child strip searched and been fed the shoulder shrug of a response from CPS that "the offenders are not CPS employees". Their children have not been denied access to appropriate materials, books, and physical space. They have not had children relocated from school to school multiple times because their children, their children's teachers, and their children's schools are deemed "failures".
Publicly funded public education is our city's most important public service. The effect of carving up public education into unaccountable privately operated entities results in restricted access and denies an equitable education to those students who need it the most. There is simply no justification for the denial of a student's right to an equitable education.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Performance pay, no salary schedules, teacher evaluation with teeth, unions as the enemy. These arguments are so tired and worn out. They are the product of a genuine misunderstanding - intentional or unintentional - of the public education system.
Teacher work rules are just ridiculous.
I agree. It is totally unreasonable to get paid in full and on time, have a desk and/or computer available for use, and expect CPS to provide enough desks, books, and other materials. Totally ridiculous.
We could get better teachers, but the union HATES paying for performance.
At least according to test results (so popular with the corporate crowd) there are tons of outstanding teachers in the suburbs. They do not receive performance pay. Then how, pray tell, do New Trier, Evanston, Oak Park, Naperville, etc. attract excellent teachers?
Anyone that thinks it's difficult to fire a teacher just look at the approximately 2,000 teachers fired in CPS each year. That's almost 10% of the teaching force. When is the last time 10% of lawyers in Chicago were fired? 10% of plumbers? 10% of politicians? Anyone? Not to mention the fact that coddling bad teachers is a failure of CPS administrators, not the agreement between the CTU and the Board of Education. (P.S. It's not hard to fire a bad teacher. Look up the E3 process. It's easy.)
I'm pretty sure most folks who blather on about this stuff keep themselves intentionally misinformed or uninformed.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
What planet are you on? The evaluation has teeth--3 tenured teachers were removed from our building in the last 2 years==our teachers appreciated what the principal did. Extra money makes cheating on ISAT much more likely. Remember, Arne has been decimating the neighborhood schools--forcing class sizes up and positions closed. Not fair when the selective enrollment schools get more positions for less students. As for an elected school board--wake up, if Chicago had a person of color as mayor, Springfield would repeal the laws that allow Daley to be in charge of the schools.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Look at any big city with an elected school board and you have a disaster! For example, Minneapolis has had 5 Supts in 10 years. They are losing kids fast and have direction. Chicago had Arne for 7 years and he was well respected enough that he earned a big promotion.
Elected school boards are NOT the answer. One elected official who appoints the CEO is the answer! If you don't like the CEO of CPS don't vote for Daley.
CPS is highly regarded as big cities go because of mayoral control. Why do you think LA wants it!?!
We need performance pay and no salary schedule for teachers. We need teacher evaluation with teeth! If you don't like closing schools, think of another way to DRAMATICALLY improve results. RIght now closings are the only options. The union must respond with teacher performance pay and real observations that matter for salary.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
I watched CAN TV's city meeting in late Nov. 08 regarding TIF funds. How it pits city neighborhoods against each other. Also, it talked about the new schools being built.......mentioned the South Shore community. Building new schools for the lucky children (birthright of a few). It talked that the city needs to make it transparent how these TIF funds are being used and, in some fashion, explain if it is necessary. Part of these TIF funds can be used for anything...basically shouting "who wants to dip their fingers in the honey." How is the city funding that new high school Southwest High School? And, my schools' bleachers in the gym are unsafe? It is brewing......it is coming......
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
I agree with Mr. Kugler. The answer: ELECTED school board. Why is it that Chicago is the only non-elected schoolboard in the state and one of the few in the nation?
Regarding closings...schools like Peabody, Lozano and Talcott - perhaps more... all have reached the AYP In fact reading and math scores are higher than CPS average. Could the answer for improvement be SMALL CLASS SIZE. Why displace all of these children as well as teachers who have done a great job? Isn't it clear that there is something else behind all these closings, phasing outs?
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
From what I have seen at Hyde Park, teachers get the "urban experience" and move on. I am the only on left from when I started five years ago: that is when we were hiring twenty teachers or more a year.
Why should you stay in a system that abuses the teacher (pay issues, discipline issues, inconsistent district policies, unprofessional administrators, violence, and just plane old stress). No other profession or group of workers would put up with this type of treatment. And they don't, teachers move on.
When someone gets trained and "seasoned" their marketability goes up, add a masters degree, type 75, or some other achievements and normal functioning schools or districts are more than happy to accommodate such an employee that is not an newcomer to the profession.
It is not about the students, teachers, or administrators. What it is about is the school environment that the district sets up, that disrespects the needs of students and staff. The reason being, is that most if not all of the policy administrators of CPS are non-teachers and do not have children in the open enrollment public schools of the city. One of the biggest mistakes the Board makes is the inconsistent policies it has for the different constituencies throughout the city. Education is a mechanism to help everyone have an equal opportunity, not give the privileged or connected more opportunity.
What needs to happen is that Board and CPS administrators need to be held accountable to the same standards and licensing as teachers. Then when they give preferential treatment to one school or group of students they can then be reprimanded just as a teacher would be if they acted in such a way in their classrooms. There is no accountability or oversight agency that regulates of actions of the Board or CPS administrators except in cases or “gross misconduct†or when the public gets organized and demonstrates.
I see the fight as changing the leadership culture in both CTU and CPS, but that is not easy and takes individuals that have been trained as professional educators and administrators. It will take leaders that understand and care about the needs of the students, by having a vested interest in the success of each and every student in the city.
John Kugler
kuglerjohn@comcast.net
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Teachers are fired all the time--look at teh Board reports, so bad teachrs get suspended and fired. teachers work hard, get sworn at by students and parents, get kicked and spit on and threatend and still come early and stay late and purchase out of their pocket.
Look at the drive teachers--so many of them. So jones you are worng about getting rid of the unio--it not only protects the teachers but the children and neighborhood schools too. All of the mayors friends and supporter would be running a;; the schools if there was no union. That is how the charters are run!
Unions are the Problem
Thank God they are closing more schools. Wake up people- the schools are total failures. CTU is about teachers - not students. Teacher work rules are just ridiculous. They barely work half the days in a year and then feel free to take a dozen sick days... all on Friday and Monday of course.
We could get better teachers, but the union HATES paying for performance. End result- good teachers penalized- bad teachers coddled.
Teacher Unions all across america are losing ground. Everyone realizes they are the problem. Even their 'progressive' friends are bailing. Thank God.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Are the seasoned, top-notch administrators and teachers lining up to work in the poorest, most crime-ridden, most neglected areas of the city? And please be honest! Do these noble TFA or AUSL folks stay, enrich their teaching practices, cultivate good-will in the community (school and outside) and forge lasting bonds? Anyone who is honest knows that's not the case. Sometimes principals choose the best of a bad bunch of teacher applicants because they need "somebody". Peeling away the layers of problems that make these schools what they are is laborious AND nuanced. It's not just fire the lazy teachers! Who replaces them then? And what does all this stability connote for your students, your parents? I've worked in these places before as a teacher/mentor. There's little help from downtown, but plenty of criticism and fear-inspiring memos!
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Effective quality teaching doesn't come overnight and the really low schools have alot that has to be done. Its about so much more than just having a pretty classroom, as any good teacher at a place like Peterson will tell you (shout out to the Northwest Side!). Teaching reading well isn't easy. You're developing nuanced ways of looking at things and teaching mechanical test-taking aptitude simultaneously. Isn't Sherman School of Excellence a good example of the things that don't change even when "good teachers" are in these buildings.
Doesn't AUSL have a teacher performance rubric for those "lazy" Sherman teachers?
Charlotte Danielson is appalled at how CPS is implementing her "approach" (although I know those checks she's getting look good)! CPS doesn't have the will to change the Ross, Lathrop, or Reed schools of the district because its too challenging and kids aren't widgets and lesson plans don't always do it. Doesn't AUSL's "minor victories" support this conclusion? Please don't count Dodge, because it is an utterly artificial school, with the boundaries changed and the student pop. completely different from when it was closed in 2004(?). But I guess like you, CPS has to identify failure somewhere so its easy to shut down or restruct the school.
By the way, even the Trib. said the jury was still out on Sherman and that's saying alot!
Its about so much more than protecting low performing teachers. And what happened to all those NBC teachers that were supposed to disperse like an army of angels into the "ghettos" and save the kids? What about Linda Ford's National Teacher's Academy--filled with ONLY NBC teachers making $100,000.? It didn't happen. Its so much more than money. Fenty and Rhee in D.C. are gonna see what I'm talking about too!
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Sarah, Thank you. I have said this before and I will say it again, education reform will not occur unless we address the issues of poverty. Changing the teachers will not change the living situations of the students teachers have to teach. Parents are children's first teachers. If parents do not know how to parent, teachers have to try to catch that student up to the rest of the class. Sometimes it is ten or more students that need to be caught up. On Meet the Press today, Maxine Waters proposed having a position in schools, in which the employee would make home visits when a student misses too many days, does not ever complete homework or behaves erractically (I am paraphrasing here). Teachers cannot do all this alone and neither can principals. Instead of firing teachers we should be hiring teachers. Every school needs an extra hand. In many schools administrators are monitoring the cafeteria when this is the time teachers and parents might meet with them. My school is having the benchmark test, ACCESS testing and report cards all due this month. Yes, this needs to get done but to assume that this does not require teacher time to prepare for or that teachers do not need extra time to prepare is not true. Sarah is right if you think money is only what motivates teachers, you need to spend a good week in any school in Chicago and watch all that needs to get done in that time. Meetings for inclusion, staff meetings, parents meetings, meetings with speech, ot, nurse etc...As Sarah said, "I could go on and on."
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
[i][i]So the two big Chicago newspapers gave CTU the credit for organizing the event. So what? The people who were there know better. Besides, without the CTU, the media might ignore what's going on. [/i]
That says it all. And that's where you are wrong. 500 people do not make a revolution. Yes, people who attended are energized...today. Tomorrow it will be a different story. CTU will slant it in their next issue of CUT. They will tell the press what to say and life will go on like this never happened.
Sorry to rain on the giddy optimism but time for teachers to start living in the real biz world. Think Blago & Burris. Or at least start from there
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Anyone who thinks performance pay for teachers will make students perform better doesn't have a clue. Teachers are not in the 'business' for the money; if that's the motivation they don't last long. The average CPS teacher put 5% of their salary back into the classroom for teaching and cleaning supplies, clothing for students, furniture, and myriad of other necessities just to have the honor of teaching for CPS. They have to pay their own tuition to improve their skills; they pay to have the parking lot plowed-after all CPS doesn't have snow days; they come in early and stay late to work with the children and IF they get overtime it's well below their hourly rate; they start their career with 2 weeks paid vacation and after 35 years they still only have 2 weeks paid vacation; CPS holds back about 25% of their salary during the school year and gives it to them without interest on a delayed basis during the summer; they work in some of the most crime ridden areas, in dilapidated buildings; I could go on but I won't.
They do all of this because they want to give their students a chance at a good life. To suggest that performance pay will make a teacher 'teach better' is a insult and anyone who thinks so shouldn't have anything to do with setting policy for schools.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
What was CORE supposed to do? [i]Exclude [/i]CTU President Marilyn Stewart? That would be something that...ahem...Marilyn Stewart would have done.
So the two big Chicago newspapers gave CTU the credit for organizing the event. So what? The people who were there know better. Besides, without the CTU, the media might ignore what's going on. Caring more about getting things done than getting credit for what gets done is what will make CORE successful.
Marilyn Stewart is not in charge of this movement, but she is the President of the Chicago Teachers Union until at least May 2010, and that means she is not irrelevant. Sending notices of the event to delegates and appearing personally let her many supporters and UPC stalwarts know that it was okay to attend. Having done so, they can't pretend the movement doesn't exist nor that it isn't strong.
The CORE leadership are not dupes; rather, they are pretty savvy.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
There is already a group of teachers at CTU/CPS schools that are doing peer observation and removing teachers who do not belong in the classroom. It has been a highly successful program. CPS should have expanded this program, but Daley has other plans--ethnic and poverty cleansing must happen at a faster rate.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
No video link yet on the core site--am i missing it?
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
One way to end closing would be performance pay for teachers and evaluations that were more real. The reason that CPS has to close schools is that it is there are legions of low performing teachers who stay in the business because principals don't go through the extensive firing process with their low performers and union rules make it hard to let low performers go. The union should help create a tight performance eval rubric that includes unannounced observations. Help stop school closings by changing union rules that protect low performers AND train principals to evaluatate their staff realistically. You could even bring in outside groups to observe if you're worried about the Principal being cavelier about firing.
Someone could start a new union that represented the teachers that didn't need the stong protections. This new union could charge less in dues because they wouldn't need a big legal team. They would also make less political donations since their approach would be more common sense and higher performing. Politicians would back it because it was working, not because they were getting a check. We need a choice for unions!
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
It was NOT a stewart platform--she really showed which side she is on. CORE can use what and who they need to get this ethnic cleansing to stop. And be specific with your names--'H 'means nothing. In the next CTU magazine, Stewart will be forced to put something in the meeting about it. More CORE members will speak up and more teachers will hear about CORE> Popel got to meet and hear Debbie Lynch and others who share the same thoughts and ideas and feelings. Wake up and join them
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
There were 81 schools represented at the Community Meeting on Saturday. These are schools staffed by Union members who all deserve a place at the table in regards to determining the next steps in the fight against the Renaissance 2010 juggernaut. The Union officers (Marilyn, et al) are also members and also deserve a place at the table, just as members of PACT, CSDU, and anyone else who has filled in a membership card. Remember: one member, one vote.
CORE organized not only to affect policy to best serve students, teachers, parents, and members of the community; but also to change the means we use to attain our goals. No longer can we play personality politics and point fingers. It's time to work together, argue with each other and make the process a DEMOCRATIC one.
Saturday, we witnessed voice being given to the voiceless. This is something veteran teachers told me they have never seen in the past. Teachers in their first years of the profession were given an opportunity that allowed them to enter the profession feeling empowered.
Those who want to make the claim that any one person has control of CORE really needs to take a few deep breaths and open their mind to a new way of thinking. CORE is not based on personalities; but on a democratic process. It wasn't easy organizing an event where each member of the caucus had equal voice in the decision-making process, but when I looked across the room and saw 500 attendees listening, discussing, and debating, I realized that we all worked together to organize something truly historical.
Those who question the strategy of including community groups in the meeting have to realize that teachers do not live in a vacuum. Educators are the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins, friends, and neighbors of the everyone in the community. Building bridges in crucial to the movement.
Anyone who wants to talk further about these issues, should send an e-mail to coreteachers@gmail.com.
Face-to-face always translates better than blogging.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
I am afraid that CTU(UPC)was in charge of this meeting.
You were naive and foolish creating great PR event to benefit Stewart.
I know that majority of you are honest and full of energy.
Unfortunately,you lack the expertise and experience you need.
Therefore you let tree faced H..i maneuver you as he pleased .
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
The video may be found on the CORE website:
[url=http://coreteachers.com/ new=true]CORE[/url] (scroll down)
[url=http://vimeo.com/1833826?pg=embed&sec=1833826 new=true]VIMEO direct link[/url]
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Trojan Horse is to get into the Board chambers and organize all against daley and arne's ethnic cleansing.
Did the mayor stop the meeting? Did he call it? Even if CORE had to use CTU--let them USE CTU--where else could 500 people meet?--First class? How else could all communicate? So let the enemy spy--give them time to retreat as they look racist and stupid. Mayor does not want to look like that! Alderman will be forced to listen and do something that the people who voted them in want, not only what the mayor wants. Maybe word will get to daley's precious olympic bid--I am sure they will not want to host in a city that practices and promotes apartheid, when their very citizens, ministers and teachers of all color cry out to stop it.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Dear Xian:
Do you know where i can look for the video produced by Jackson Potter(currently School of Social Justice) at Orr before he was escorted out of the building for taping kids without parental consent?
It was an act of bravery.He risked his reputation,his job and possibly freedom.Thank you,Mr.Potter .
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Good for CORE at Malcolm X. I was there in 1987 when Harold had the 'all-call'. I was a proud CTU delegate at the time, Jackie Vaughn, our leader. He pushed for what became the LSIC-LSC and at first, there was to be NO teacher representation on it. It was changed so 2 teachers would be on it and there would be eventually, a PPAC. That said, and with only ignorance and no support from Stewart, CORE IS doing the right thing. You must build a coalition with all If CTU does not support --pass her/them by. Daley has surely heard how many were there on Saturday. Daley will keep Barbara for now to keep the ethnic face during this continued ethnic cleansing, but if CORE and those united with it from the meeting stay strong, protest at the Board meeting and hassle their alderman every day, Daley will need to take a longer bath and will direct the Board and tardy, manipulating Rufus, to tread slower. (TOO bad former employer Oprah does not get a word to Rufus through her people. He is really turning out to be evil.)
CORE is about the children--remember that. Yes, CTU has a contract to protect teachers, but imagine NO contract that CTU has fought for for years. Our children would be in front of non-certified, even criminal people, class size would be in the 40s, the curriculum would be up for grabs, the AIOs could put poverty funds in pet projects, hiring pet people and the alderman would get money from the principal to have the job. There would be no tenure and ALL of the teachers at the meeting Saturday would be black-listed for practicing their Freedom of Speech and telling true stories. Historically, this is what CTU was about until Reese and now ignorant Stewart, who is taken-in by Rufus, is helping the mayor to continue to dismantle the schools and drive out the poor. All to make higher scores, create crime free neighborhoods, and have a hire tax base.
Chicago Public School Teachers stand up to this now and for decades, no matter who was in charge. Praise for CORE because someone had to do something somehow someway.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
In the end, there will always be people who seek to spread misinformation because they believe what they are doing is right. Look no further than the Office of New Schools or the people who choose to just make up stuff on this board.
Ultimately, I have a tremendous amount of faith in people. That's why I became a teacher. And even in the case of those who choose to subvert truth for their own designs, I feel strongly that they must have some good reason--a hurt in their life. Only support and truth will heal such wounds. And I believe when you hold up truth next to the accounts of those with this need to fabricate, the truth will shine through.
CORE is always open to talking to anyone. Our decision making process is democratic. And we work directly with the wonderful individual teachers who make up our union and honor our profession not through this shadowy political backdealing.
Any person can lie and play politics to try to rise, but even if they win power with that, what will they do with that power?
Please let our individual membership decide for themselves from the facts at hand how we as teachers should work together. I don't know if CORE will be chosen to lead, but I do know we stand a better chance as a group of taking back our dignity and doing best by our students and our communities.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
Is it true that Marilyn has a control over the new opposition group,Core?
Is it true that many naive teachers believe that CORE is a new,honest group of unionist fighting for members not against them?
Is it true that CORE is allowed to use City property(City Colleges) and First Class system for political purposes without consequences?
Is it true that founder of this group is a close friend to CTU employee and activist of the UPC(Sandra S.)?
Is it true that CORE supports communists and socialists
against interests of this (still)democratic country?
Trojan Horse is still here.
Successful CORE Event Raises Hopes Of Stopping Closings
500 people saw Marilyn looking stupid...3/4 of which were probably parents or community activists. They can't vote for union leadership. So don't fool yourself.
The Sun Times & Trib quoted CTU, not CORE. So to the general, uninformed public, Marilyn was in charge and doing her job. NOT CORE.
You have your head in the sand if you don't think this needs to be a "smackdown". This leadership caused what is going on now and needs to be removed. Keep it in place and you can hold all the rallies you like and it will be meaningless.
And YES, the teachers have got to mobilize. Effectively. It's called multi-tasking. It's not the one dimensional situation you seem to think it is.
p.s. George is not the voice of any of these caucus groups. Nor is he a leader to be followed.