How to Resolve the Chicago Teachers Strike? Tax the Rich.

Amisha Patel and Nathan Ryan In These Times
The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is bringing a holistic approach to bargaining to benefit both their members and students. This means bringing common good demands such as affordable housing and sanctuary schools into the contract negotiations...

Tidbits - Oct. 17, 2019 - Reader Comments: Impeachment and Rule of Law; Sanders, Warren and Trolls; Biden corruption; Chicago Teachers Strike; Turkey, Kurds, Syria; "Glass Floor"; Housing; Stopping Workplace Sexual Harassment; Announcements

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Reader Comments: Impeachment and Rule of Law; Sanders, Warren and Trolls; Biden and corruption; Chicago Teachers Strike; Turkey, Kurds, Syria; "Glass Floor"; Housing; Puerto Rico; Resource: Stopping Workplace Sexual Harassment; Announcements (lots)

Could Pension Attack Provoke Another Chicago Teachers Strike?

Samantha Winslow Labor Notes
Three years after their nine-day strike that humiliated Emanuel and won national headlines for the idea of teachers fighting for students, the new attack on pay and pensions is angering teachers, paraprofessionals, and clinicians.

Education Activists Go On Hunger Strike Over Dyett High School's Future

Ellyn Fortino Progress Illinois
The Coalition to Revitalize Dyett High School are protesting to hold the Chicago Public School system accountable for destabilizing schools in their community. They created the plan to re-open the Dyett as a global leadership and green technology high school.

The Big Sort

Linda Lutton and Brendan Metzger WBEZ
How Chicago's school choice system is tracking kids into separate high schools based on achievement (and race).

labor

Teachers Union Offers To Compromise On Pensions

Greg Hinz Crain's Chicago Business
Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis specifically said the union is willing to consider reducing benefits for those who still are working, although she emphatically ruled out changes for members who already have retired. But such compromise wont come until the city and the school board agree to contribute more to pensions each year in order to at least partially make up for a contribution shortfall that occurred during much of the past two decades.

Despite Community Pleas, Three Chicago Schools Slated for Privatization

Kari Lydersen In These Times
Today’s hostile takeover of three of our neighborhood school communities by the mayor’s handpicked Board of Education makes it quite clear that there is a war on older, African-American teachers and administrators, as well as the school communities in which they serve. … CTU president Karen Lewis

Despite Closings And Budget Cuts, CPS Calls For New Charter Schools

Lauren Fitzpatrick Chicago Sun-Times
Kelly, the district’s largest school, also took the biggest budget hit for what CPS called a projected enrollment drop of 200-250 students, though CPS still considers it overcrowded as well. The school has laid off 23 teachers, 10 support staff and will also lose seven security guards, as well.“Our enrollment is supposedly down, which is why they explained the $4 million in cuts, but apparently we need new schools,” said Carolyn Brown, one of the teacher representatives.

Shocking Rahm's Shock Doctrine

Rick Perlstein The Nation
Chicago teachers and other supporters of public education are teaching Mayor Rahm Emanuel that the forces of grassroots democracy can shock back too. And boy, does he have it coming.
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