As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.
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In the News: CTU soldiers on with big rally plans for Sat.
The Chicago Teachers Union, whether the strike is settled or not by the end of today, is holding a "Stand Strong With Chicago Teachers" rally Saturday at noon in Union Park. It is expecting thousands of supporters to show up.
The Chicago teachers strike enters its fifth day as "number crunching" apparently delayed a deal that both sides had hoped would be reached on Thursday, according to the Tribune. Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union began the day saying they were close to a deal that could return teachers and students to the classroom on Monday, but officials left marathon negotiations early today saying they were still ironing out details.
As negotiations dragged on into Thursday night, it began to seem doubtful whether CPS and the union would reach a deal by Friday's 2pm House of Delegates meeting. (Catalyst)
Gary Rubinstein's Teach For Us blog breaks down the term "value-added," often applied to the use of test scores in teacher evaluation.
William Bennett, former U.S. secretary of education from 1985 to 1988 under President George H.W. Bush, who once condemned Chicago Public Schools, had this to say in a CNN editorial about the current teachers strike: "Once again, the Chicago Teachers Union is showing its true colors: self-serving public sector bullies more interested in their well-being than the well-being of students."
IN THE NATION
Fifth graders in schools where teachers faithfully used the Responsive Classroom teaching approach performed better on statewide assessments of mathematics and reading skills than their peers at schools that did not use the social-emotional-learning program’s strategies as much, according to new research presented at a national conference last week. (Education Week)
re: Mr. Bennett's CNN comentary
Once again William Bennett shows his true colors as a blood sucking lackey of the ruling class. Now how does that sound? My statement is maybe a little over the top I would suggest. Really, Mr. Bennett can't we elevate this dialog?
Bennett a Republican in his CNN op-ed gives advice to the Democrats effectively arguing they must support Mayor Emanuel in a battle to effectively destroy the CTU. Yes that is excellent advice from a Republican to the Democrat Party, please - please destroy your allies in the labor movement, so we Republicans can more easily take total control over the governing structure of our nation. If the Mayor is listening and he is the strategic politician he is supposed to be he will understand the political nightmare he has now entered. His best friends are folks like Bennett and Bruce Rauner who would never vote for him if there were a viable Republican alternative to him and they actually lived in the City, which neither does.
Rod Estvan
from the Bennett commentary
"If Emanuel wins, the effects would be felt throughout the large, predominantly Democratic inner-city school districts across the country."
How does Bennett propose to identify the winner?
No mention that CTU and CPS are going to sign an agreement with no apparent way to pay for the contract. Perhaps it's a joint suicide pact and taxpayers get to start over with all new players? One can dream.
I found the Rauner opinion piece more interesting and somewhat disturbing. Rauner apparently made the calculation that actual name calling of CTU teachers is politically advantageous.
Spirit of teachers
Although the media trashes us constantly, spirits are still high among teachers. We realize that this is going to be tough fight and we will be in it for the long haul. CTU was underestimated. The resolve of teachers was woefully underappreciated. Rahm has boxed himself in and it will be difficult to emerge unscathed. Had he negotiated with CTU in earnest over the summer, the political fallout could have been mitigated. However, Rahm's hubris and financial backers made decisions otherwise that are now injurious to all of Chicago. Stay strong teachers and come to the rally on Saturday!
And the strike goes on...
The House of Delegates will look at the details on Sunday afternoon, and I am not confident that the strike will end. Teachers are still angry!
Rham better be prepared to re-join the Democratic Party and get this train wreck under control, or it could be a long and politically difficult landscape over the next couple of years. He needs to distance himself from the billionaires, but that may be impossible given the greed that runs through his veins.
Once this is settled the next move wil be to prepare-organize
the anti-Rahm campaign for mayor or any other office her thinks he can run for. Settle contract now, work on this diligently later.
french president
He's done. Still want to know why a man who rents out his house with millions in the bank gets to run for mayor . Maybe he can run for the french president. Maybe ministry of propaganda is his style
hubermann
Any word from huberman. The pedagogical boy wonder
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