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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Teachers union election battle heating up
By: Rebecca Harris / March 26, 2010
The Chicago Teachers Union election isn’t until May 21, but the campaign’s opening salvos were fired this week, and the election may turn into a contest over who has opposed district officials the most.
Incumbent president Marilyn Stewart held a press conference this week to hail a binding arbitration that could force the Chicago Public Schools to pay thousands of dollars in back pay to hundreds of teachers who were forced out of their schools. The Chicago Teachers Union election isn’t until May 21, but the campaign’s opening salvos were fired this week.
On Thursday, incumbent president Marilyn Stewart held a press conference to hail a binding arbitration that could force the Chicago Public Schools to pay thousands of dollars in back pay to hundreds of teachers who were forced out of their schools. At issue was their right to claim vacant positions.
The legal victory is politically significant because it involves teachers who were displaced under Renaissance 2010 school closings and turnarounds, as well as those squeezed out by falling enrollment or changes in academic programs. Stewart’s opponents have campaigned in part on what they see as her weak response to Ren10, the district’s – and mayor’s – primary reform initiative.
On Monday, Deborah Lynch, a former CTU president seeking a return, filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn a CPS edict forbidding the distribution of union campaign material on school property. CPS countered that the ban was an effort to preserve the district’s neutrality in the CTU election and in response to “numerous complaints” about political e-mails sent to teachers’ CPS accounts.
But Lynch contends that it violates the right to free speech. “When management interferes with an election, it benefits the incumbent,” she says.
Displaced teachers
The rights of displaced teachers in CPS have been an issue since the Chicago School Reform Act was adopted in 1988. That act loosened the hold of seniority in filling teacher vacancies. In negotiations over the current teacher contract, the CTU won a provision requiring the district to give these teachers first crack at any positions that are open after Oct. 1 of the school year.
In the meantime, they serve as substitute teachers. In exchange for working four days a week as subs, they are able to maintain their previous salaries and benefits for 10 months before their pay decreases to that of a regular substitute.
CPS is supposed to match teachers to open positions, as long as they have the proper certification, and give them a two-month trial period to prove themselves to their principals.
In a grievance filed a year ago, the CTU charged that the district refused to fill open positions until after they had been left open for two months, leaving displaced teachers without jobs and forcing students to languish under substitute teachers.
In response, CPS officials said that “aging” the vacancies helped the district cope with the rapid changes in staffing needs that occur at the start of the year, and “allow(ed) principals the opportunity to fill positions with individuals of their own choosing.”
District officials also argued that they had been using the procedure since a 2006 memorandum of understanding on the issue of displaced teachers, and that – although it was not in the language – CTU officials knew about the practice all along.
The case of Antoinette Barnes
Antoinette Barnes, who taught at Chicago Military Academy – Bronzeville until her position was closed in spring 2008, was named in the grievance.
She says she was unable to find a job during her time in the reassigned teacher pool, despite sending out hundreds of applications. She expected that, as a last resort, the district would appoint her to a vacancy.
“I did not know how long it would take, I just expected that they would do the right thing,” Barnes says. “I expected that this was just a normal procedure.”
But months went by without word from the district, even though she saw positions in her subject area being advertised. She approached the CTU about filing a grievance in March, and she was terminated from the reassigned pool in June 2009.
Peter Myers, the arbitrator in the case, ordered the district to stop the practice of aging vacancies. In addition, he ordered CTU officials and the district to review all records from the 2008-09 school year, identify teachers who “suffered any actual harm” from the process, and come up with remedies.
It isn’t clear how many teachers will be affected, or how much money they will get from the district. One of Stewart’s opponents said teachers could recoup as much as $30,000.
Jackson Potter, running for vice president on the slate of the group CORE, for Caucus of Rank and File Educators, maintains that the arbitration ruling is too little, too late. “The union has created this problem by not being more aggressive in combating the district’s attempts to create a more flexible workforce,” Potter says.
Although happy with the outcome of the arbitration, Antoinette Barnes isn’t planning to vote for Stewart. She says it took the union too long to catch on to the problem of position aging, and she feels the union hasn’t advocated strongly enough on behalf of displaced teachers.
Her vote, she says, will go to the Coalition for a Strong and Democratic Union slate, led by Linda Porter. The caucus was launched by Ted Dallas, who was elected with Stewart but then had a falling out. “They are for job protection,” says Barnes. “I believe they are the only ones who can run the union effectively. If we won tomorrow and had to negotiate a contract, they could hit the ground running.”
Election materials flap
Meanwhile, Lynch contends that the board’s own filings in her lawsuit support her contention that their ban on campaigning is politically motivated.
E-mails CPS filed as exhibits show that in advance of an internal referendum the union held in November, Stewart asked CPS to shut down First Class e-mail because “some [union] members and former members are abusing the system with political garbage.”
As far back as fall 2007, then-CTU vice president Ted Dallas and current recording secretary Mary McGuire complained about messages sent by Potter, Lynch and other teachers. After Dallas launched his opposition caucus, McGuire complained about e-mails that he sent.
Lynch says that a dozen of her caucus’s campaign events have been canceled because of the board’s ban, issued March 12.
Potter says his group has had to cancel about 20 events. Just this morning, Potter was kicked out of a parking lot at Sawyer Elementary for distributing campaign material.
In a season of layoffs, budget cuts, proposed class size increases, and teacher pension cuts that now seem certain to become law, this year’s union election may turn into a contest over who has opposed district officials the most.
Teachers union election battle heating up
VICTORY AGAINST THE BOARD OF ED!
The federal court has granted our motion for a preliminary injunction against the Board, who is "prohibited from interfering with (i) Plaintiff's right to organize before and after school meetings in Chicago Public Schools during non-work hours to discuss their candidacies for elected union office, and (ii) Plaintiff's right ot have campaign literature distributed in school facilities, including school mailboxes, before and after school hours."
The case is Lynch, Perry, et al vs. Huberman and the Board of Education of the City of Chicago.
Teachers union election battle heating up
Potter's right on this one -- where has Marilyn been for YEARS for displaced teachers? It's a sad state of affairs when our elected Union leadership only defends our jobs near election time -- when THEIR cushy Union jobs are threatened.
Teachers union election battle heating up
This is kind of a no brainer... Marilyn has no vision for CPS. Marilyn is about Marilyn! Dallas is part of the old regime... that leaves us with CORE and Lynch... hmmmmmm
Teachers union election battle heating up
Restraining Order Granted against Huberman/CPS Discrimination
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/31586228/Restraining-Order-Granted-Teachers-...
AFT, IFT and CTU did nothing to stop the discrimination in fact CTU told the school board to do the discrimination against opposition union members.
read the documents below that contain emails from union officials to management asking for their own union members to be disciplined.
Defendant's Memorandum of Law in Opposition
(Evidence of Union working against members)
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/31169771/Defendants-%28CPS%29-Memorandum-of-...
Teachers union election battle heating up
CSDU was in power and when the 2007 contract was negotiated. Only then they were the UPC- the same folks who didn't help her. Ted Dallas, then vice president gave us Marilyn Stewart because he needed somebody black to run against Debbie Lynch. Now he's hiding behind Linda Porter's skirts - same old same old. Now Marilyn's taking credit for the work Antoinette did. Why didn't Dallas and Porter file that grievance years ago??? They were too busy eating steaks from Gibson's and driving Cadillacs to care about the members. So Barnes is being used again, but she's getting something. Good luck!!!
Teachers union election battle heating up
We are in sad state. Look at the union candidates we are left with. Huberman must be loving this. We are so fractured and divided as a union. I haven't heard from anyone on how they plan to unite the union. All we get as union members is how horrible the other group is. What happened to looking out for the members and what is right for all and not just the few?
And if one caucus gets in, will they do the same as Marilyn Stewart did and leave all who are not apart of their group out in the cold? No input from all concern union members?
Huberman and Daley might just get their wish and at long last bust up our union, with help from those who are charge and want to be.
I'm glad I only have short time left. I don't want to be around when CTU finally crashes.
Teachers union election battle heating up
I am much more hopeful for our Union than "Doomed" above.
It is because of Marilyn Stewart's mismanagement--financial, public relations, internal politics, member services--that many members feel the Union is going in the wrong direction. Once the membership decides to turn Stewart out of office, it must decide who has the best team to turn things around.
Ron Huberman's ban on electioneering would have kept our members from receiving information essential to making that decision. Now that PACT has stopped him cold, campaigning can begin in earnest.
That we are "fractured and divided" is due to 6 years of the Stewart administration (4 years of which were Stewart-Dallas-Porter) trying its best to stomp out democracy in the Union. It's no wonder the UPC split (CSDU and SEA), CORE was founded, the Independent Caucus revived, and PACT (which had been the only opposition caucus for 4 of the past 6 elections) kept chugging along.
It is not a bad thing that there are five opposition caucuses. Don't despair. The strongest will win.
"Doomed" also writes: "And if one caucus gets in, will they do the same as Marilyn Stewart did and leave all who are not apart of their group out in the cold?"
Well, if that caucus is PACT, then the answer is a definite No.
I say that based on our history. When we were in office from 2001-2004, we fostered democracy in the House of Delegates, in the system of Union committees (hundreds of people served on the committees, including many from the UPC), in the hundreds of school visits conducted by the officers (a practice Marilyn has continued, especially this election year), and in the creation of an e-mail army to keep the membership informed.
Our goal is to unite the membership, but we are not so naive as to think there won't always be an opposition group. Still, everyone will be allowed their voice in the Union. Each member pays for that right.
Teachers union election battle heating up
The plantation style of politics must end. It manifests itself in city hall and on Clark St. It is unbelievable in this day and age our present leadership in the teacher's union is lacking in vision, so inept and who's moral compass so off course that it is frightening. We don't need parasites leeching off our dues and wasting resources that would be better spent making the workplace in schools a better place for all children and teachers. Just as city hall and Clark St needs reform so does the union. Say NO to Marilyn and Dallas.
Teachers union election battle heating up
Marilyn-Porter-Dallas same old garbage. What is Debbie going to do differently? Nothing. It's still about her not the members. Why does she keep running and running and running and running??? CORE seems to be honest, but where's their experience. Who is Sea and Independent?
Teachers union election battle heating up
The country is broke, the state is broke, we cannot afford to give our legal citizens a decent education. CPS is proposing approximately 40 students per classroom. We must insist on educating only children of US citizens. We cannot afford to educate and/or reward the lawbreakers which are those that came to this country illegally. We must stop the incentives for the illegals to immigrate here.
Teachers union election battle heating up
WOW, my computer is broke too.
I don't know why my post jumped to this topic - I was on the bi-lingual ed blog.
As for the CTU, I am voting for Marilyn. She has done a good job holding up our contract. I don't want any newbie learning on the job.
Teachers union election battle heating up
HB 5569 Seeks Ban Chicago Teachers Unionâ€
Illinois Republicans aim to further cripple Chicago Teachers Union
http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?page=1272#comment16432
John Kugler - March 28, 2010
The Chicago Board of Education is trying to get legislation (HB 5596) introduced by Illinois State Republican House representatives to allow the school board to to reopen the Chicago Teachers Union contract without the agreement of the union.
The bill seeks to prohibit any educational employee from going on strike during the time when the contract would be opened by the school board because it does not want to fulfil the contractual agreement for salary increases. In addition to the prohibition on striking when the employer breaks the contract for not wanting to pay the negotiated pay raises, there would be significant penalties for striking: the exclusive bargaining agent shall be removed and declared ineligible for representation for 2 years; employer cannot deduct dues for the exclusive bargaining agent for 2 years; fines may be imposed on the bargaining rep and officers.
continued
http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?page=1272#comment16432
Teachers union election battle heating up
People who support all the caucuses can and must work together. Whether it's CORE's Michael Brunson testifying in the TRO hearing or when all the caucuses came together to stop UPC from using the CTU to endorse their candidates for the pension board we have done it in the past.
I do think that some people cannot be worked with. Anybody like Marilyn Stewart and Ted Dallas who actually goes to the Ron Huberman and asks him to discipline union members for conducting contract sanctioned union business, does not deserve to be a member of the union, yet alone in a decision making role.
However, I have a lot of respect for people in other caucuses. It doesn't mean I agree with them on everything and a healthy democratic process is necessary and will only make the union stronger.
The stakes are not a 4% raise. The stakes are our very existence. Look at what's happened in Rhode Island, Washington, and Georgia. Look at what just happened to our pension fund. Look at HB 5569 says. We're going to be fighting for our lives here regardless of who gets in.
Teachers union election battle heating up
To Thomas Edison:
Why are you willing to vote for someone that has sold out CTU members? Marilyn has lied to the membership. She has members monopolize the microphones. Marilyn has members motion to adjourn meetings so that they can leave early or so that she won't have to answer questions. She went on PBS last week and mentioned that CPS in past allowed people to campaign and was not sure why it was happening. Part of it is because of her! She spied on people on FirstClass rather than fight for members that were losing jobs. She is supposed to fight for members, not help get members fired because she does not support them. She refuses to allow transparency. She refuses to allow dissent. She does not know how to run a meeting. She does not know how to fight CPS. She has demoralized the union and teachers. She needs to go and I will do everything I can to get her out!!!!!! - Sam
Teachers union election battle heating up
I will vote for Marilyn, too. Why? - because I hate the Union and she will destroy it!
Teachers union election battle heating up
Rumor has it Marilyn called Ron to remind him to send out the March 12th letter reminding principals to stop other caucuses from visiting schools. Also heard that UPC members were told to complain to Rachel Resnick about campaign literature. Any confirmation???
Teachers union election battle heating up
Did Marilyn Call Ron???...
According to CPS the CTU leadership contacted CPS numerous times to demand that Union members - all in opposition to the current leadership - be denied access to school buildings, digital communication systems, and mail boxes. CTU leadership also demanded that its own Union members be disciplined by CPS for legitimate Union activity.
A CPS legal memorandum specifically cites in their defense communications from President Stewart, (former) Vice President Dallas, and Recording Secretary McGuire, among others, who contacted CPS demanding that CPS take immediate and direct action against opposition caucuses.
Teachers union election battle heating up
Thanks More - That's all I needed to know. I will tell all my friends what she did. I just saw the evidence from the TRO. Ted Dallas asked for CPS to discipline Lynch? She started the whole click off thing, right? Now isn't Dallas supporting someone, too? This election is going to be crazy.
Teachers union election battle heating up
You asked about the SEA. Please take a look at our website.
www.seacaucus.net
Teachers union election battle heating up
Can't Sterwart be censured for doing this to fellow CTU members?
Teachers union election battle heating up
The School Employee Alliance (SEA) has an experienced Contract Expert as their Presidential Candidate.
http://seacaucus.net/
Teachers union election battle heating up
Teachers, CORE is sponsoring a Dinner for Displaced and Reassigned Teachers April 10, 201010. Please go to the link below to reserve your seat.
Date April 10, 2010
Time 2:00
Place Apostolic Church 6320 South Dorchester
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000204803732#!/event.php?eid=363603076889&ref=mf
Teachers union election battle heating up
does anyone know if Huberman cut any of the consultants at the board in his latest round of cuts? Also, I was a displaced teacher for a very long time until I got my current position. It amazed me that I would sub in schools with new teachers when I had first hand knowledge of all the displaced teachers. It hurt also that CPS was spending tens of millions on mentoring for new teachers yet when I talked to new teachers, many didn't see their mentors on a regular basis. I was further disturbed when I saw that most of the mentor teachers were young and had only taught for three years(check out the cntc website for proof). Does CORE or any of the other people running for office plan to look into that? Or the fact that CPS is still actively recruiting out of state when we have thousands of displaced teachers.
Teachers union election battle heating up
So c.o.r.e. is having a dinner for displaced and reassigned teachers? Wow, thanks, guys.
The CSDU and even Marilyn Stewart helped DARTs win an arbitration ruling that protects their jobs.
But, meal's on c.o.r.e. I'll be there!
Teachers union election battle heating up
Marilyn S. is part of Daley's team. The CTU under Marilyn S. is corrupted. I do not know who should be the next president. I think all members should take a look at the NEA/IEA instead of just looking at IFT. Use the same critical thinking, analytical thinking and inferential thinking skills you are supposed to model and teach to children in order to decide about your union and union leaders. I just believe that Marilyn S. is not advocating for members - she is part of the Daley machine.
A few Problems:
* Too many (lying) non-city residents teach in positions while city residents are displaced - the union looks the other way
*Daley sabre rattles and continues threatening to break the teacher contract with no concrete union reprisals
*Organizations like AUSL use bully tactics to coerce teachers to work without pay
*Pension refunds are not being paid to resigned teachers from 2007 forward; CPS is blamed for the delay - union does not-a-thing!
*Teachers have to formally complaint to the union about CPS violations although violations OPENLY occur; when teachers secretly complaint to CTU their anonymity is not protected
I do not think Lynch would be better. I do not know if any union would do the job, but I think other channels atleast deserve a look-see.
Teachers union election battle heating up
Yes Sean, we are holding a luncheon for displaced teachers, it should be a good time. I'm looking forward to it. Of course we also have a displaced teacher in Michael Brunson running for Recording Secretary. Of course the biggest thing we've done for displaced teachers has been leading the charge against school closings. The teachers from those schools that we have helped save, were saved from turnaround status. Our EEOC complaint has cleared two hurdles and is finally moving to completion. However, if you think that Marilyn and UPC or the people who put her in power (CSDU) are the way to go, that's your prerogative. I hope to see you at the luncheon.
Teachers union election battle heating up
Just a reminder to come to the PACT Party tomorrow from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at McGee's Tavern & Grille. McGee's is located at 950 W Webster (near Sheffield). The nearest parking lot is 1-1/2 blocks north on Sheffield). For a $20 donation there will be hot hors dourves, an open bar, and a great time. Come on out so that attendees can meet our great team!
Teachers union election battle heating up
If your child can read, thank a teacher. If your child cannot read, thank a teacher's union. I am so glad I got my child out of public schools.
Teachers union election battle heating up
Kit Kat
I'm a Chicago Teachers Union member, and I'm glad you "got [your] child out of public schools," too.
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