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Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
By: John Myers / March 12, 2010
Residency requirements for Chicago teachers are back on the Springfield agenda, this time with an unlikely sponsor.
State Sen. Heather Steans says she was able to convince Sen. President John Cullerton to extend the deadline for SB 3522, a bill that would scrap the rule requiring teachers in traditional Chicago public schools to live within the city limits. Mayor Richard M. Daley has long defended the requirement, established in 1996, as a way to try and beef up the city housing market and keep teachers close to the communities they serve.
Should Steans successfully move the bill out of the Senate Executive Committee next week, she believes it could reach a vote on the Senate floor—the first time a residency bill has done so.
Residency requirements for Chicago teachers are back on the Springfield agenda, this time with an unlikely sponsor.
State Sen. Heather Steans says she was able to convince Sen. President John Cullerton to extend the deadline for SB 3522, a bill that would scrap the rule requiring teachers in traditional Chicago public schools to live within the city limits. Mayor Richard M. Daley has long defended the requirement, established in 1996, as a way to try and beef up the city housing market and keep teachers close to the communities they serve.
Should Steans successfully move the bill out of the Senate Executive Committee next week, she believes it could reach a vote on the Senate floor—the first time a residency bill has done so.
Charter school principals do not have the same residency restriction.
“Principals in regular schools shouldn’t be hamstrung,” contends Steans, suggesting the rules unfairly restrict the pool of teacher talent from which principals can hire. “I don’t think it is sound education policy.”
The Chicago Teachers Union says the residency requirement can put members in a tight financial bind, especially during the recession.
“What happens to a teacher if they have to move in with a relative in the suburbs [for financial reasons]?” asks CTU lobbyist Traci Cobb-Evans. She notes that only Chicago teachers would face termination of their employment in that situation.
Steans agreed to push the residency changes if the union would drop the issue during negotiations over charter cap expansion and teacher evaluations earlier in the year, says Cobb-Evans. The senator has been an avid supporter of charter schools and, the union lobbyist admits, seems “an unlikely sponsor.”
But Steans says the requirement gives charters an unwarranted advantage over traditional schools when it comes to teacher hiring. “We should get rid of some of the mandates that traditional schools have to live under,” adds Steans.
The union has pushed similar legislation unsuccessfully for years. The mayor’s continued opposition suggests a tough road ahead for this year’s effort, too.
A bill sponsored by Rep. Marvin Colvin passed the House in 2008 only to die in the senate. Colvin has “pre-sponsored” House legislation that would kick start this year if Steans’ bill passes.
Lifting the requirement would be revenue-neutral for Chicago schools, whose leaders are seeking pay and pension concessions from teachers to help fill a massive $900 million budget hole. Moreover, Cobb-Evans says, support from senators like Steans raises the odds for success. Still, she says members will need to call lawmakers by the thousands to see the bill through.
That may not happen. Leaders from a rival union caucus say a change in residency rules could have major “unintended consequences.”
Karen Lewis, co-chair of the Caucus of Rank and File Educators, says she supports an end to the residency requirements. But she doesn’t trust political support from Steans. Lewis is also worried that teachers who have been displaced by school closings and turnarounds will face more competition on the job market if the rules change.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
It seems that the residency issue is a side issue that should take a back seat to the union trying to make case for better working conditions. That is why we need to get rid of the present leadership now! Marilyn has always had her priorities out of sync with her teachers.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
If police and fire and all other city employees have to live in the city,what makes teachers any different?We need all of our role models in the city,right?Many single parents out there!!!Keep your real estate taxes in the city so they can help pay your own salary!Shop where you live!Help pay for all the freebies to the have nots.Invest in your idealism for real change!Stay where your paid!You just won't be able to protect yourself!Call 911 if your elitist attitudes only apply to others!If you want sympathy,it's in the dictionary,it's between s--t and a common std.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
If police and fire and all other city employees have to live in the city,what makes teachers any different?We need all of our role models in the city,right?Many single parents out there!!!Keep your real estate taxes in the city so they can help pay your own salary!Shop where you live!Help pay for all the freebies to the have nots.Invest in your idealism for real change!Stay where your paid!You just won't be able to protect yourself!Call 911 if your elitist attitudes only apply to others!If you want sympathy,it's in the dictionary,it's between s--t and a common std.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
As a teacher, there will never be a classroom emergency that requires me to get to the school immediately during my off hours. Police officers and firefighters may need to get to emergencies at the drop of a hat. I do not need to live in the city in order to do my job. Nor do I need to earn my own job by paying taxes for my own paycheck. That doesn't even make any sense. People have been preaching this nonsense for so long that others have actually bought into the fallacy without even thinking for themselves any more. Analyze your comments. Think before you speak. It's what we teach your children to do.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
at the schools I work at (there are 3) tend to be late, tend to take more days off and EVERY day, leave at the bell because they have to beat traffic. There are good reasons to have a city residency for teachers.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
Don't you think the timing for this residency is a bit interesting? Now that Elgin has lost 500+ teachers, cut backs all over the state and CPS saying there will be 37 in a classroom??? So if CPS teachers decide they won't take concessions, what are their options? STRIKE? Not with all those suburban people ready to step in and take those jobs.
Don't forget it's also an election year for the CTU. Won't the incumbents look like the won something after an entire year of legislative losses? Charter caps lifted? Vouchers okayed? Two-tiered pensions? UGH! We're doomed.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
To "b ill" you speak of Police and Fire and all city workers having to live in the city, then answer me this... Why were the Teachers the only city workers caught up in the pension reform bill? The schools are going to have to look far and wide to start filling vacancy's in years to come. Having to work until age 67 to receive a full pension is nuts. The effects of this bill on our children's, children when they are school age is so far reaching. To the other comment about being late to work, I'm sorry but I know of teachers that live with in walking distance that are either late or just make it in time plus I could live on the south side and teach on the north side and still have a longer commute than someone living in the burbs next to the city limits, so that excuse is no good. There are many thousands of teachers that take great pride in their job and being a role model to our sons and daughters and make it to work early each day and stay late no matter where they live. I believe the time is now to lift that residency rule and give our teachers the freedom of choice of where we lay our heads each night.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
Any teacher not living in this city who is not grandfathered in is committing fraud and should be fired.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
Everyone keeps saying "Teachers should live in the same neighbors as the students they teach" , C'mon I have yet to see a teacher being a neighbor of any student that they teach. This is a free country, America, whether it be teachers, or any city employee, or anyone should be able to live where they want to live. You live your life and hopefully make great choices to go to school and get a career, and have nicer things in life. If you want to live in the suburbs or in the city that should be your right. It's so nice for our sweet mayor to say that all teachers should live in Chicago, not everyone can afford to live in the nicer part of Chicago like he does.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
I live 4 blocks from my school. Several other faculty members walk to work. Sorry, don't make blanket statements you don't know anything about.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
I was actually commented on my personal experience. You can't sit there and say that most teachers do. I have been teaching for over 10 years, so I know what I am talking about. So, its not entirely a blank statement.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
I'm with you Blain, I would love to live in the suburbs and work in Chicago. As it is, I work at a Charter school so this is possible. There are several teachers at my school that live outside of Chicago. Like with students, persistent tardiness is not a distance problem but an attitude problem.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
I cant wait until this idiotic residency rule is gone. I have taught at an inner city school for several years and lived in a not so nice neighborhood in Chicago for 30. I have been shot at, had my cars crashed into, and every night I go to bed hoping that there arent any gang shootings near my home. I have a young child and would leave in a heartbeat because I literally fear for the well being of my family but guess what I can't because of this rule. Mayor Daley and his family do not have to live through this. Why should I. I pray every day that this restriction is lifted.
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
Don't be surprised if your job goes with you. I'd like to move too, but how many more teachers are waiting for our jobs since they already lost theirs?
Teachers union pushing again for end to Chicago residency rule
Teachers in Chicago and America, you have A REAL issue, while you are losing your jobs the Gulen Movement out of Turkey is managing 150 US Charter schools and are migrating un qualified teachers from Turkic speaking countries (they claim on the h1-b visas they cannot find qualifed American teachers for math,science, English, computer science, etc) Are you going to allow a foreign entity to steal your jobs?
http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2010/nov/23/public-charter-school-funds-under...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngmgmTH_SAA
HB-1 Visa wage.com These are all schools in the SSA netowrk.
http://www.h1bwage.com/index.php?q=science%20teacher
http://perimeterprimate.blogspot.com/2010/07/gulen-schools-and-their-boo...
http://gulencharterschools.weebly.com/importing-english-teachers-from-tu...
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