Chicago School Board: Fire Them All & Let God Sort It Out Later

[Modern School]

Earlier this week, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) proposed a 30% pay increase for their new contract. The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) board responded yesterday by unanimously voting to close or overhaul 17 under-performing schools, resulting in over 400 teacher layoffs and the displacement of more than 7,000 mostly low income black and Hispanic students.

CTU president Lewis called the move a betrayal of democracy, according to the Chicago Tribune, ostensibly because most of the board was appointed by mayor Emanuel or his predecessor Daley and not elected by the public. While this may be true, Emanuel and Daley were elected democratically, and Chicagoans knew what they were getting when they chose them.

If anything, the move underscores the fallacy that democracy somehow means “the people” have the power and make the decisions, rather than the right to vote for one’s own rulers who then make decisions in their own interests.

CTU’s real power lies in their ability to withhold their labor, something Lewis encouraged her members to do by taking a personal day off to attend the board meeting. Now that the board has ruled against their interests, it’s time to consider taking more personal days or initiating an outright strike. Clearly having hundreds of parents and teachers speak out against the closings was a waste of time.

Modern School
http://modeducation.blogspot.com/2012/02/chicago-school-board-fire-them-all-let.html

[saras]

1. You're confusing democracy with a republic. If you elect representatives, it's a republic

[mopinko]

2. those 2 things have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

nothing. turnarounds are the result of a multi-year process.
the pay demands were expected, as they are part of a package to increase the school day. something close to that will likely be approved.
your ideology poisons your reporting.

[NYC_SKP]

3. "reporting"? You're too kind.

I've never seen this member, this "Modern School" "member" ever reply in one of his/her threads.

They merely post something on their blog and then post it here with a link.

Facts, logic, reason, seem to have little to do with many of the articles posted by this member, IMHO.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. He's replied.

Not often but there have been replies.

Even if there had not, that is no reason to be rude and call him out for his "ideology".

[mopinko]

5. when it leads him to believe

that he is entitled to his own facts, it is TIME for someone to call him out. that post is just a complete misrepresentation of the facts. especially the part about letting god sort them out.
i am one of many people who voted for rahm, supports him, think that cps is a mess, that the schools being turned around are hell holes that should have been shuttered or cleaned out with a fire hose a long time ago. i have a lot of company in those opinions. it's called democracy. that part is absent from the story, when in fact it is central.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Then please go to his blog and tell him that.

You have a lot of people here in this forum who disagree with you. You aren't going to find many Rahm supporters here, especially among teachers. Democracy doesn't really apply here, but if it did, you would be outvoted.

So please take your squabble to the OP's blog.

Thank you.

[mopinko]

8. the op brought it here. i replied to his post.

yes, i am well aware that i am in the minority here. but this is a discussion board. people discuss things here. that is the point.

you know, it is attitudes like this- teachers who cannot have a constructive discussion about any education issues- that leave me in despair for future of public education. if you think you are defending it by telling me to stfu, well, i just can't really find a civil reply to that.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. You're going to have to show me where I told you to stfu

Because I don't see that.

What I do see is you admitting you are "in the minority here" and trying to engage in a conflict. First with another member and now with me.

I asked you not to do that. And I asked politely.

[mopinko]

6. a strike, btw

is something fraught with history here. the last strike left the ctu with a place in public opinion here somewhere between big tuna accardo and the repo-man. it would be a pr disaster, especially a strike purely over money. karen lewis is just the kind of knucklehead to bring one about, tho.