CPS strike? (Chicago, Skokie, Washington: daycare, public schools, warehouse)

[Jandur]

Originally Posted by MI_OH

The only relevant salary comparison one can make is with schools with the suburbs. Who do you want to compare with, schools in Bangladesh?

No you should compare with other large, urban areas that have similar social issues and demographics. Not some rich white suburbs.

[MI_OH]

Originally Posted by Jandur

No you should compare with other large, urban areas that have similar social issues and demographics. Not some rich white suburbs.

Why would you compare with other large urban areas? CPS isn't in competition with those other school districts.

Who cares if LA teachers make $2 or $200,000? It means nothing for relative teacher quality in Chicago.

If, however, Chicagoland schools generally have higher pay, better work conditions, and more reasonable systems of accountability and promotion, then CPS is in deep, deep trouble.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by MI_OH

Why would you compare with other large urban areas? CPS isn't in competition with those other school districts.

Who cares if LA teachers make $2 or $200,000? It means nothing for relative teacher quality in Chicago.

If, however, Chicagoland schools generally have higher pay, better work conditions, and more reasonable systems of accountability and promotion, then CPS is in deep, deep trouble.

Cps's problems are largely driven by demographics.

[Vlajos]

Strike looks to be ending today or tomorrow

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Strike looks to be ending today or tomorrow

The teachers have already won the larger battle.

I say this based on the fact that the public largely supports them, and believe me when I say this has not gone unnoticed by the alderfolk.

One thing I am left with is just the utter despicable lows the Tribune and Rahm and their ilk have sunk to. Just look at the Lake Forest strike to immediately see what a load of poopola the "Chicago teachers are the highest paid" was, not to mention the bs about the shortest day, good god, it just goes on and on and on.

What we the public should be looking for in the next mayoral race is a candidate who will promise to meet contractual obligations instead of reneging (huge strike on Rahm) on them, and one who has the CTU's support.

[MI_OH]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Cps's problems are largely driven by demographics.

No, they aren't. Teacher quality is the key to improving urban schools. There is a ton of scholarship on this issue.

Obviously home life plays a major role too, but teacher quality makes a big difference in relative achievement.

[MI_OH]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Strike looks to be ending today or tomorrow

Where have you read that?

The media is all reporting that there's a possibility the strike ends tomorrow. A possibility, only, and tomorrow, not today.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by MI_OH

No, they aren't. Teacher quality is the key to improving urban schools. There is a ton of scholarship on this issue.

Obviously home life plays a major role too, but teacher quality makes a big difference in relative achievement.

Class size ratios are the only objectively-provable metrics that can be 100% correlated to improved student performance.

The best teacher trying to teach a biology lab to 35 kids is going to have more of a challenge than a decent one doing the same to 20.

I spoke with a teacher's wife yesterday and she said, and I quote:

"My husband keeps saying that if the board would just agree to reduce class size to 18 or 20, they would get unanimous approval to end the strike from the CTU"

But the teachers by law can't strike to lower class sizes. Add in the anger about Rahm violating the terms of their old contract and then flapping his gums in the media about how the union is the problem, and this is what happens.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

The teachers have already won the larger battle.

I say this based on the fact that the public largely supports them, and believe me when I say this has not gone unnoticed by the alderfolk.

One thing I am left with is just the utter despicable lows the Tribune and Rahm and their ilk have sunk to. Just look at the Lake Forest strike to immediately see what a load of poopola the "Chicago teachers are the highest paid" was, not to mention the bs about the shortest day, good god, it just goes on and on and on.

What we the public should be looking for in the next mayoral race is a candidate who will promise to meet contractual obligations instead of reneging (huge strike on Rahm) on them, and one who has the CTU's support.

Maybe locally and state wide we should be electing candidates who do not make contractual obligations they cannot meet. It's easy to agree to nice contracts if you will not be around when they cannot be funded and taxpayers get pi@@ed off about it. It's easy to give the unions what they want in return for their votes, if you can kick the can down the road and let some one else clean up the mess. On the other hand being diligent about spending and not wasting money on sweet heart deals and then blaming the contracts for the shortfall is also required. And of course the rapid rise of health care expenses have nothing to do with any of this either

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

The teachers have already won the larger battle.

I say this based on the fact that the public largely supports them, and believe me when I say this has not gone unnoticed by the alderfolk.
...

Really? Even among the TEACHERS I know, support for the strike is minimal and very focused on only a few issues. Yes, there are some loud people on TV, but I don't think the public supports the teachers nearly as much as you're implying.