catalyst-chicago.org

Fed up? Seriously? That's putting it mildly.

As an 8th year veteran NBCT with a master's degree and a decade of experience in the private sector in my field of teaching I don't need monetary "incentives" dangled in front of me to be a better teacher. I work my tail off, I'm great at my job, I make a tremendous difference in the lives of my students (sometimes reflected in test scores, sometimes not), and I want a competitive wage. This much I can handle.

What can't I handle?

Constantly shifting CPS education initiatives. Unfunded or useless district and/or network mandates. The relentless blame heaped upon me for working in a "failed" school. The annual, real threat of school closure or turnaround and accompanying unemployment and possible black listing. The top-down failed education policies of the last 15 years coming out of the mayor's office regardless of who is in office. Not having enough desks or books in my classroom for each student. The absence of heat in one of our classrooms in the winter. Starting school in early August on the third floor with no air conditioning with windows that are nailed shut. The literally crumbling auditorium with chicken wire on the ceiling to prevent large chunks from falling and hurting someone. 160 schools without libraries. The pathetic excuse for technology support and infrastructure from CPS and its schools. (I don't even have a computer in my room.) Mandated, scripted curricula. Class sizes in the mid-40s. Replacement of an arbitrary, meaningless evaluation system with a sure-to-be massively unreliable one that is forced upon us. The threat of merit pay, proven time and time again to *not* boost student achievement. The trashing of unionized teachers and the Chicago Teachers UNion. Rampant misunderstanding of tenure as "job protection for life". The removal of seniority rights. Abusive and incompetent principals. 25% more mandatory work hours with the promise of only a 2% raise which will be chewed up by increased health insurance costs. A decrease in preparation and collaboration time during the school day. Different laws and rules for me as a teacher in CPS compared to every other district in the state. This list goes on and on and on and on...

A fat raise is about the last thing on my mind. All I've ever wanted to do was give to poor children in Chicago's neighborhood schools the type of education I received in the suburbs. And I provide that for them them every day in *SPITE* of my employer. But honestly, I've just about had it with CPS. I don't think I'll last much longer.

A Choice

Right on. There are many things I'd rather have than a raise.

CPS has a choice. Negotiate over working conditions, class size, length of the school day, evaluations, etc. OR pay me to put up with all their bull spit.

Displaced Teachers

This is only observation of what has happened over the years. If anyone know more , please share.

In the 2001-2002 school year, I was part of the first group of teachers that became displaced due to Ren 2010 and the loss or our 'Supernumerary" status. In the late 90's "Reconstitution"happened at Harper and several other CPS High Schools. an effort was made after the passing of the Amendatory Act of 1995 ( Giving Mayor Daley control of the school board), to close down CPS schools , fire teachers and to sum it up, make them reapply for their jobs. CPS and the mayor lost the battle in court because our union contract was so well written and even though President Reese was willing to give up many concessions , the work of the Jackie Vaughn administration was so thorough that under the contract everything had not been eroded.

When Debbie Lynch was elected CTU President, the mayor and CPS were aware that a teacher from the classroom would be bait for them. They proceeded to encourage Debbie to institute a "ban on lobbying the membership" , which resulted in private negotiations (Debbie virtually alone) with experienced legislators. This ban required that no one including the House of Delegates know what was being negotiated until the deal was cut. Therefore, many of our contract rights were negotiated and lost by the new CTU administration under Lynch. This was the beginning of 10 more years of constantly chipping away at every protective right that teachers owned as a result of hard fought battles by the the Healy and Vaughn administrations.

When Marilyn Stewart was president there were so many teachers fired that Marilyn and V. P. Ted Dallas instituted Appendix H where teachers would have 10 months to find work and would be placed in the reassignment pool. With union power eroding due to the loss of "Supernumerary Power" , teachers needed this protection and Appendix H of the contract was introduced or expanded upon during the Stewart Era.

Wren Karen Lewis was elected, a similar thing happened that happened with Lynch. Karen, a teacher from the classroom, agreed to a "ban on lobbying the membership and during negotiations, agreed to along with all Illinois unions, conditions of Senate Bill 7, a union busting bill that basically strips the union of the ability to defend it's members. The right to strike severely compromised, Lewis giving up seniority to preserve the right to strike, the Longer School Day implemented and giving up bargaining over work conditions. What's left, basically bargaining for salaries and wages. Unfortunately, CPS has already declared a financial deficit and won't have to bargain for salary and wages after disclosing that they ahve no money.
All of these factors and mistakes made by our unions have resulted in huge numbers of teachers being displaced.

So let's talk about teachers being displaced. What teachers must understand is that Displaced Teachers are seen as an embarassment to the unions. It is proof to everyone that the unions are ineffective and are not protecting it's members. The last thing the CTU wants is a gropu of powerful displaced teachers organized. I know this beacuse in 2009 I organized the first Displaced Teacher forum. When I was hired at the CTU , I realized soon that the Displaced Teacher meetings were undermined constantly by the CTU. Our group was powerful and organized and creating leaders who could advocate for displaced teachers.
I cannot convey the pressure I was under as a result of the Displaced Teacher Forum I started. So shortly before I left the CTU, I handed over the forum to Pat Gerad and she is now chair of the CTU Displaced Teacher Committee.

As a result of that, I knew that we needed to continue to organize in our community around education issues. I knew we needed to do this without the control of the CTU and CPS, So I formed the Chicago Alliance of Urban School Educators to give PUSH back to the CTU and CPS regarding education initiatives and organizing strategies that effect our prospective communities.

I am also the Displaced Teachers Sub-Committee Chair forthe Southside NAACP, which meets every other Tuesday at 5:00, Operation PUSH. Currently we are working on several initiatives to bring awareness to the Displaced Teacher struggle. Since many Displaced Teachers are no longer union members, we encourage you to join CAUSE as well.

So, CAUSE is meeting everyday Tuesday evening at 6:00 p.m.. We have parents, teachers, dispalced teachers, school delegates, former union leaders and community members as CAUSE members. Come out and join us for a delightful discussion and strategies to let everyone know that "WE" the community MUST drive the education agenda that we have to live with. Come out as we educate everyone in relationship to getting what we want in our communities and " real community voice".

Genera, Question about RIF 45 days?

sb7 says we need 45 days notice for layoffs? What day is this 45 days? When will cps have to send out layoff notices? Are there any words of layoffs? Kind of scary when they dont say anything??? Or are they just got be able to skirt this one with "economic crisis". If nyone has an anwer i would love to hear it!