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Post by boxcar on Sept 11, 2012 17:55:22 GMT -5
Katie Pavlich
It's day two of the 26,000 unionized teacher strike in Chicago. More than 400,000 students are still without their classrooms and apparently, without any reading skills. From CNSNews:
Seventy-nine percent of the 8th graders in the Chicago Public Schools are not grade-level proficient in reading, according to the U.S. Department of Education, and 80 percent are not grade-level proficient in math.
Once again, let's revisit why the teachers are on strike. First, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel dared to try and tie teachers to standardized testing scores and proposed evaluating . Second, teachers aren't happy with their median $71,000 salary (not counting benefits) and turned down a 15 percent pay increase because they wanted a 35 percent increase instead.
On top of Chicago students not being capable of reading by the time they reach 8th grade, teachers have been asking students to strike with them on the picket lines.
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Post by Swampy on Sept 11, 2012 18:52:12 GMT -5
15% ain't good enough, eh? And what's the unemployment rate again?
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Post by jerryfmcompushaft on Sept 12, 2012 8:14:17 GMT -5
This is exactly why I have such a high regard for Unions-- and teacher's unions in particular. And they want to be considered professionals
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Post by Sir John on Sept 12, 2012 13:55:29 GMT -5
We are in the midst of exactly the same thing, teachers demanding 10% per year for the next 3 years.
A famous Premier here in Victoria said in the early 1960s during a teachers strike, "they can march up and down until they are bloody well footsore".
He beat them.
SJ
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Post by jerryfmcompushaft on Sept 12, 2012 16:05:45 GMT -5
I would only hope our gvt officials had the same "intestinal fortitude"!
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Post by boxcar on Sept 12, 2012 19:35:33 GMT -5
From Michelle Malkin Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis walks, talks and barks like a rootsy Occupy Wall Street activist. But this Big Labor loudmouth who's leading the abandonment of nearly 400,000 schoolchildren in the Windy City is just another power-grabbing union fat cat. Instead of academic excellence, she rails about "social justice." Instead of accountability, she fumes about "profits" and curses merit pay. Lewis has marched with the Occu-clowns denouncing capitalism and promoting "socialism (as) the alternative." And she earned praise as a "fist-in-the-air, crowd-rousing, dynamic union leader" by former Communist Party revolutionary turned Obama-funded "school reformer" Michael Klonsky. townhall.com/columnists/michellemalkin/2012/09/12/a_is_for_agitation_radical_chicago_teachers_on_parade |
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Post by Swampy on Sept 12, 2012 20:04:35 GMT -5
If they were really concerned about social justice, they would be focusing on academic excellence.
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Post by boxcar on Sept 13, 2012 12:14:08 GMT -5
Once they finish, how will Chicago Public Schools pay for any new contract they forge?
There’s no easy give in the budget, because CPS already depleted its rainy day “reserve’’ fund to help plug a $665 million deficit this school year.
And if officials eke out enough cuts to pay for the cost of teacher raises this school year, a $1 billion deficit — and no “reserve’’ cushion — awaits them next school year, when a pension relief package expires.
“I think the elephant in the room — and what every parent and taxpayer wants to know is — how is CPS going to pay for this contract, not only this year, but in future years,” said Robin Steans, executive director of the school advocacy group Advance Illinois.
“Given the huge projected deficits, one has to wonder what sort of painful program cuts and trade-offs our children may be facing.’’
(If Chicago schools are anything like the schools in the rest of the country, and I am sure they are, there should be plenty of fat in the "Administration" end of the system. Huge cuts can be made at this end to bring the budget in line, I would guess, without a tax increase.)
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Post by jerryfmcompushaft on Sept 13, 2012 20:58:28 GMT -5
You are undoubtedly right about the "overhead" of excess administrators, but you know as well as I do that they will be the last to be cut. I remember the story of the Krupp Munitions company in Germany during WWII. The was was nearly lost, most if not all of their factories had been destroyed, but the Company Headquarters was still completely staffed with administrators writing memos to each other. What bothers me most about this issue is that the teachers are, reportedly the second highest paid in the nation but the kids in the 8th grade can't read or do arithmetic. The average wage for a Chicago Teacher is in the $70,000s while the average wage of the taxpayers of Chicago is in the $40,000s. Where is the fairness? How about some 'redistribution'?
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Post by Swampy on Sept 15, 2012 10:59:35 GMT -5
Good jobs are hard to find these days, and they're asking for a big raise???
Anyway, why is this thread in this section? Jerry, should we move it or leave it here? I'm fine either way.
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Post by jerryfmcompushaft on Sept 15, 2012 20:36:18 GMT -5
Good jobs are hard to find these days, and they're asking for a big raise??? Anyway, why is this thread in this section? Jerry, should we move it or leave it here? I'm fine either way.  Maybe because teachers are supposed to work with books  I'm not big on moving stuff - folks don't talk in compartments. Sections are for those with narrow interests so they aren't bothered by information that is of no value or interest to them. I read every message so, I, personally, never even notice what section it has been posted in. Bottom line - I have no particular personal feelings about moving or not moving stuff. I am good either way... |
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Post by Swampy on Sept 15, 2012 21:00:48 GMT -5
OK, we'll leave it here - we're just here to have fun, not enforce rules of whatever.
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Post by boxcar on Sept 17, 2012 9:51:23 GMT -5
Put it where you want it, Swampy
Mayor Rahm Emanuel said he will file a court injunction to force an end to the Chicago teacher's strike which is heading into its second week.
By refusing to call off the strike, the union continues months of public sparring between union leaders and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, whose school reform agenda centered on lengthening what had been among one of the shortest public school days in the country.
This ugly strike looks to continue as the Chicago teachers refuse to accept strict evaluations and an increased workday. President Obama has refused to comment to support or condemn either side of the debate.
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Post by Swampy on Sept 17, 2012 10:01:28 GMT -5
They just don't get it, do they?
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Post by jerryfmcompushaft on Sept 17, 2012 14:28:02 GMT -5
This should be a lesson to all government types. It is much easier to give the citizens something than it is to take it away. Lessons for the future!!
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Maybe because teachers are supposed to work with books 