Why is one outstanding educator more valuable than another?

I ask this because of the glaring discrepancy I see between how the Board of Ed. treated Bernie Eshoo at Lincoln Park and Jerryelyn Jones at Curie.

Both of these outstanding women were beloved by students and staff.

Both received outpourings of support at LSC meetings.

Both received outpourings of support in protests at Board meetings.

Only one was selected to have the support of the Board and the Mayor.

So what is the difference between these two amazing educators?

One is a teacher. The other is a principal.

Kinda makes you think that the people downtown don't really care about teachers, doesn't it?

Here is the text of an email sent by Ms. Eshoo to Mr. Vaughn, CPS Spokesperson:

Dear Mr. Vaughn,

I read, with interest, your comments about your/the Bd. disappointment over the Curie HS LSC vote.

A comparable situation occurred at Lincoln Park in the early fall. Nearly 900 students signed a support petition and the vast majority of staff members supported my reinstatement, the Friends of LPHS group supported me - as well as many parents, alumni, and community members.

When we contacted to the Bd . for assistance, it turned its back and hid behind “the process”. You were televised with statements supporting the fact the process of my termination was handled in a correct manner. Now that it is a well regarded competent administrator being terminated, you/the Bd. find it a disappointing and regrettable situation.

You/the Bd. should not flip flop on your evaluation of the “process”; it makes you and the Bd. members appear to be hypocrites.

Ms. Bernie Eshoo

Makes you wonder just how much the Board cares about "quality" in the classroom.

Your thoughts?

Has Curie LSC Folded on the Jones Firing?

Complete story here.

From today's Tribune:

The chairman of the Curie Metro High School local council announced Thursday that he plans to reconsider his vote to oust popular principal Jerryelyn Jones.

He attributed his change of heart to students' and parents' response to the decision, and not to pressure from Mayor Richard Daley.

Tom Ramos, who made the announcement with Chicago Public Schools Chief Arne Duncan standing at his side, said his relationship with Jones has been "difficult and combative" over the years."

But that's not a good enough reason to shut out the voices of children. We have to find another way to work together," said Ramos, who has served on at least three local school councils in recent years.

The Curie council will meet Saturday morning, and vote on whether to reconsider the Feb. 10 decision not to renew Jones' contract for another four years.

See you Saturday. This will be interesting.

PURE Calls For Mediation Re: Curie

From a PURE email sent today:

PURE calls for independent conflict resolution at Curie High School
Contact: Julie Woestehoff, PURE executive director, 312-491-9101

In an urgent memo sent today to Chicago Public Schools top officials, Parents United for Responsible Education (PURE) called on Arne Duncan and Donald Pittman to bring in Chicago’s Center for Conflict Resolution to help manage the chaotic situation at Curie High School. The Center’s executive director, Marilyn Smith, has agreed to pitch in if asked.

PURE raised the concern that CPS officials and Mayor Daley have publicly taken the principal’s side in the dispute caused when the Curie LSC voted not to renew the principal’s contract. The problem has been exacerbated by accusations of racial discrimination.

PURE has learned that Mayor Daley and the Rev. Jesse Jackson may attend the upcoming Curie LSC meeting on Saturday morning, potentially adding fuel to an already explosive situation.

There are positive, tested ways to resolve community-based conflict. Two years ago, CPS, PURE and the Center for Conflict Resolution piloted a conflict resolution program for LSCs and schools. CPS chose not to continue the program, even though situations at both of the schools participating in the program came to a satisfying and peaceful resolution.

CPS cannot act as a neutral broker in this conflict, because Arne Duncan has taken a public position on the principal’s side.

An independent body must be brought in. It is essential for the turmoil at Curie High School to end. The principal has asked the LSC for a written statement of their reasons for non-renewal, and for independent arbitration of their non-renewal decision. The LSC has a very limited time frame in which to hire and meet with a lawyer and prepare the statement and their case, all of which is their legal duty. They must be given the opportunity to do their job.

Above all, the school must be able to continue to educate children during this process.

Bringing in independent, professional mediators at this point would help assure the thousands of LSC members across the city that the Mayor’s involvement in this situation is not an attempt to use a complex, racially-sensitive situation to further an anti-LSC agenda, and that he would not show such disrespect to the hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours LSC members spend working to improve our schools.

Letter to Arne Duncan follows.

To: Arne Duncan
From: Julie Woestehoff
Re: Curie LSC problems
Date: March 8, 2007

I urge you to engage with the Center for Conflict Resolution immediately to begin work on a real, community-based resolution to the Curie High School principal selection matter.

I'm sure you agree that the situation is dire, and that the students, the school and the community are suffering.

Having the Mayor and the CEO of the public schools take sides in this matter does not help. Screaming headlines do not help. Fanning the flames of racial tension is a disservice to everyone involved, and to the city as a whole.

We have learned enough about the climate at the school and with the LSC to believe that there is not just one side to this story, and not just a handful of people affected by racial intolerance, but that the school as a whole needs reconciliation.

The pilot program run out of the CPS School and Community Relations office with the Center for Conflict Resolution and PURE two years ago was a success to the extent that, unlike Curie, both situations were managed quietly and came to a satisfactory resolution.

Marilyn Smith, the executive director of the Center for Conflict Resolution, has offered their services, and PURE is available to participate in any and all appropriate ways.

It would be a shame if the school community and the students were further exploited for political ends, when a better way is available.

Eight O'Clock in the morning Saturday is sounding more and more interesting.

Your thoughts?

Rumor About The Mayor and the Curie LSC

Doing anything Saturday morning?

Check out this email I got from PURE:

We are hearing that the Mayor is planning to attend the next Curie LSC meeting which is going to be this Saturday, March 10, at 8 am. Curie is located at 4959 South Archer Avenue. It would be good for some of us to show up and let the mayor know that we won't let him attack LSCs.

Julie

I hope the Mayor tells the Curie LSC all about just how many outstanding principals there are in the CPS pool. Too few I say. Too few to just throw one out on the assumption it will be easy to find to excellence again.

Rubes and fools, everyone of them.

See you Saturday? Might just be fun.

Contract Round Up Time

As the CTU contract is about to end and a new one to begin, I thought a few words were in order.

Main features of our current contract:

* Raises of 4% a year for 4 years (total=16% over 4 years).
* Health Care premiums rose from 8% to 9%.

For those who forget or weren't around, those were the biggest raises negotiated in a long long time. And the UPC along with Marilyn Stewart ran a campaign attacking Debbie Lynch and PACT for the increases we would have to pay in our health care costs.

UPC and Marilyn won and are in office. For now.

Since they have no contract or other significant achievement to run on and continue to criticize Lynch and PACT for the previous contract (without I might add, having to stand up and show what they have negotiated) I thought it might help to take a spin around the ole USA and see what other big cities have accomplished in contracts recently.

Let's have a look shall we?

Boston - March 2007: After barely avoiding a strike, BTU comes to the membership with a contract for their approval. Main features?

Under the contract, salaries would grow 13 percent over four years and employees' share of heath insurance premiums would increase from 10 percent currently to 15 percent by 2009, according to Menino. - Source: WCVB-TV Boston

Let's see, Debbie Lynch got the CTU 16% over 4 years and held down health care premiums to only 9%. Wow, that was terrible negotiating, wasn't it?

How about another big city?

Detroit - Sept. 2006: Full CNN story here. My original post on this here.

The financially struggling district initially sought a 5.5 percent pay cut over two years, part of $88 million in concessions it wanted from the 7,000 teachers and 2,500 other unionized professionals. The district has a $1.36 billion budget and is trying to close a $105 million deficit.

The union wanted raises after years without them.

The two sides eventually agreed on a one-year pay freeze, followed by increases of 1 percent the second year and 2.5 percent the third. Veteran teachers will start paying 10 percent of their health insurance costs, something that only those hired since 1992 had been doing. Teachers will lose three days' pay for three preparation days that were canceled because of the strike.

Freeze for a year, and paltry 1 and 2% raises?

And the UPC folks have been dropping hints of "strike" every couple of weeks in the press without any reason for it, since there have been no negotiations with the Board to date.

Vote PACT. Restore sanity and dignity to the CTU.

CTU and CPS Contract Negotiations...The Inside Dope

Maybe I should have said poop. Inside poop that is.

Everyone is aware that Marilyn Stewart and the UPC crowd have been all over the media dropping hints like lead bricks about a strike.

But over what you ask?

No one knows. And the UPC folks aren't talking.

I for one would like to know what I am going to give up a month's pay for if we strike. Health benefits? Raises? Class size? Charters and the privatization of education in Chicago?

At the last House of Delegates meeting Marilyn was asked for clarification. What is going on regarding the negotiations she was asked.

Her response?

Nothing. Turns out the Board of Education has yet to submit their proposals to the union, so no negotiating, no talking, no nothing has happened.

I repeat. Nothing.

This has been your source from deep inside the House of Delegates.

We now return you to your regular programming.

P.S. - Are we now supposed to cheer for the clueless? Like Hogan's Heroes? Hey Hey UPC! (They Respond: I See Nothink)

Can't Take Chicago Winters Anymore?

How about financial subsidies to live and teach in New Orleans?

Full story here.

Democrats propose N.O. teacher incentives

Details of legislation unveiled on eve of Bush trip to Gulf Coast
Thursday, March 01, 2007

By Bill Walsh

WASHINGTON -- As President Bush heads to New Orleans today to tour a school and talk about education, House Democrats are preparing to unveil legislation that would pour $250 million into the city's hurricane-ravaged school system over the next five years.

The Democrats' plan, details of which were provided to The Times-Picayune late Wednesday, would grant financial incentives to teachers and principals to stay in or move to New Orleans. It also would pay $500-per-month housing subsidies and authorize as much as $500 million in grants to universities and colleges closed by flooding after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Well, what does the south have that would attract teachers? Warm weather..ok. Right to work states...duh. Would you think of doing this?

"Just because they are a very good principal doesn't mean you have to retain them."

"Just because they are a very good principal doesn't mean you have to retain them."
- A direct quote from Tom Ramos, chair of the local council at Curie High School.

Mr. Ramos must suffer from a deficit knowledge of how many outstanding principals there are in the CPS pool. You can read the full Tribune article that has Mr. Ramos' demonstration of knowledge here.

I used to think I had it bad when at my old school (Chicago Vocational) we had 6 principals in two and a half years. Then I read an article in Catalyst where I learned that other schools had just as bad or even worse:

Sojourner Truth Elementary School in Cabrini-Green is on its seventh principal in three years. The local school council blames central office for the turnover. Teachers blame them both. “We’ve been left out to dry,” says one. “That’s the general consensus.” Without skilled leadership at the school, tensions between factions escalated, slowing school progress.

Go on. Read the whole thing.

And Mr. (or is it Chairman) Ramos thinks finding a great principal is easy?

Schools that have great principals should do everything they can to keep them.

Instead Ramos has jettisoned a principal that is respected by staff, students, and everyone who has had the privilege to work with her.

Curie, and the community at large, is the poorer for this action.

I urge you to check out Russo's on-going coverage of this issue here, and here.

Believe it or not, a Republican said this...

Let every American, every lover of liberty, every well wisher to his posterity, swear by the blood of the Revolution, never to violate in the least particular, the laws of the country; and never to tolerate their violation by others.

As the patriots of seventy-six did to the support of the Declaration of Independence, so to the support of the Constitution and Laws, let every American pledge his life, his property, and his sacred honor;---let every man remember that to violate the law, is to trample on the blood of his father, and to tear the character [charter?] of his own, and his children's liberty. Let reverence for the laws, be breathed by every American mother, to the lisping babe, that prattles on her lap---let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges;---let it be written in Primmers, spelling books, and in Almanacs;---let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice.

And, in short, let it become the political religion of the nation; and let the old and the young, the rich and the poor, the grave and the gay, of all sexes and tongues, and colors and conditions, sacrifice unceasingly upon its altars.

-Abraham Lincoln

Can you imagine these sentiments spoken by a Republican in 2007?

What Will Contracts Look Like When Health Care Is Not An Issue?

I am getting the feeling that Universal Health Care is just around the corner.

And that makes me think, what will our contract look like when health care is not a bargaining point?

Take this story for example:

It is time to admit that the employer-based health care system is dead—a relic of the industrial economy. America cannot compete in the new global economy when we are the only industrialized nation on earth that puts the price of health care on the cost of our products.

That is a major drag on American business competitiveness, and job creation—and it is a stupid 21st century economic plan as well.

American business by 2008 will pay more for health care than they will make in profits. That is untenable.

Those are the words of Andy Stern, President of SEIU.

Amazingly enough, he said that at a meeting of corporate CEO's that included Wal-Mart.

Yes, that Wal-Mart.

NY Times story here.

So, if Wal-Mart and other major corporations are sitting at the table with Andy Stern discussing Universal Health Care...Well, how long before contract negotiations are reduced to teacher quality, professional development, and other issues that do not include prescription drug deductibles?

Is Daley and UPC even thinking about this?

Why Do Republicans (and Daleyites Who Are Just Barely Democrats) Hate Teacher Unions?

In my experience it always comes down to one question.

Why do unions support and defend (for lack of a better phrase) "bad" teachers?

Using this question to their political advantage, Daleyites (or those who would be called Republicans in any other part of the country) try valiantly to demonize teacher unions as defending the indefensible. The "bad teachers who don't care" about kids.

Why does no one ask who hired these awful human beings?

Why does no one suggest that "management" had four (count them: 1, 2, 3, 4) years to observe and evaluate these horrible human beings?

And after four years, management (or "those who lack oversight skills") decide they are worthy of being granted tenure.

Only then do they begin the process of wailing and lamenting.

Who let these awful people into the profession? Management.

Who trained and hired the management? Management.

Who decided who would be eligible to decide who had the power to retain new hires for four years and grant them tenure? Management.

So, why is it the fault of unions for defending those who have been selected by management as deserving of tenure?

I will posit the question one more time.

Why is Education upside down compared to other "industries"? There are phrases charters and others love to use to describe why they themselves are necessary. Things like "real world" and "competition". As if what they do have some relationship to the "business" model of capitalism or something akin to "Americanism".

But in the "real" world, when something fails, the boss gets the heave-ho and new management is brought in...right?

But, as I said, Education is upside down.

In our world, when things go right, Management gets the credit. Just like the "real" world.

But when things go wrong, the workers in the trenches get the blame. This is not like the "real" world. Even if all they did was implement the policies of the "wise" managers.

They blame unions and "bad" teachers for their failures.

And no one asks, who hired the bad ones? Who let the "bad" ones stay for four years until they got tenure?

No one blames management.

Somehow, unions take the blame.

Methinks there are journalists who are not asking the right questions as they report this ongoing story.

Let's Test All CPS Kids...Only If Every Policitician in The State....

Has to take the test every Monday morning too. Seriously, when every politician who supports this idea signs up to be tested on Monday mornings, I know we will have a winner of a policy.

What? Would they object to this amazing invasion of privacy?

So why would anyone advocate it is okay to do the same to a 17 year-old? Especially at the cost of $20.00 each. Is this district so rich it has cash to burn? 20 bucks per kid.

Think about that. According to the 2000 census (7 years out of date) there are 2,895,668 citizens in Chicago. According to the same census data there are 530,823 children of school age.

Let's just throw 30,000 out of the equation (moved, dropped out, etc.). Let's agree that CPS serves about half a million kids. Let's further stipulate that CPS would only test high school kids. That leaves, what? 150,000 kids in the high schools? Am I low balling or high balling that number? Let's give CPS the benefit and call it 100,000 kids in high schools.

At 20 bucks each, CPS would need 2 million dollars. And that is just to test kids once.

Since the school in New Jersey is using federal dollars, my question is are there really that many idiots working in Congress and the White House who think testing kids is a good use of federal tax revenues? And if they believe in it so much, would they be willing to send us here in Chicago...oh, say 10 tests worth of cash for all our high school kids. Say one test a month for the school year. All we need is 20 million dollars.

Oh, and we'll do just what the NJ school will do. Even if the kids test positive, there will be no penalty. According to the AP story "Students who test positive for alcohol will not be kicked off teams or barred from extracurricular activities. Instead, they will receive counseling and their parents will be notified, Reynolds said."

So, yes, whoever you are in the Congress or Administration, I say send us 20 million and...well, let's just say you can ask for an accounting of how we spent it once you find the missing billions in Iraq. But I know lots of people who could use that cash to help our kids.

Full story here. Here are some choice lines:

(AP) - PEQUANNOCK, New Jersey-Some teenagers who drink over the weekend could be in big trouble Monday morning: A school district plans to start random urine tests capable of detecting whether alcohol was consumed up to 80 hours earlier.

Pequannock Township High, with about 800 students, said it will begin administering the tests Monday.....

Critics say common household products such as mouthwash can produce a positive test result. Reynolds said the test has been recalibrated so that for students to test positive, they would generally have to consume one or two drinks.

The EtG test costs about $20 (€15), Reynolds said. The school's overall testing program is funded by a three-year, $120,000 (€92,506) U.S. grant.

"No one's really taking it seriously. If you want to go to a party, you're still going to go to a party," senior Matt Huber said.

We are truly ruled by fools. Rubes, every one.

Please Go Visit and Comment at Russo's 299

An excellent conversation is going on over at Russo's 299 blog.

All about new teachers and how (if so desired) to keep them in the system working for our kids.

Please click here and say something.

A Show of Hands

Hat tip to Desi (original post here)

More Promises From The Tribune Editorial Page

You can read it all here, but it appears the Trib is coming out full force for a change how Illinois funds schools.

Have the powers that be finally tired of being reminded that the way they fund schools ranks them 49th out of 50?

Will wonders never cease? Here is the money quote:

In Illinois, though, state aid accounts for less than 34 percent of school costs. The resulting overreliance squeezes businesses and homeowners. Local school districts wind up with profoundly inequitable amounts of money per pupil.

These editorials will address three questions:

How much revenue is needed to provide every child with an adequate education?

What is the most efficient way to raise money for schools without putting too much burden on the state economy?

How should that money be spent to give every schoolchild a fighting chance to succeed?

Unless Illinois voters and their legislators coalesce around good answers for those three questions, expect a decades-long pattern of mediocrity in education to continue.

The proof for me will be in how the Trib answers those three questions. Better yet, how does Daley and CPS answer those questions?

Honey, Let's Have Pizza For Valentine's!!

Hat tip to Russo's District 299 for letting us all know about the romantic get-away offered by Marilyn and the UPC folks at the Merchandise Mart.

I would laugh but April first is so far away.

Won't someone please send us photo's of the lucky couples who are part of the first 150?

They get free pizza.

Romance is in the air.

Now, who will go to the house of delegates and request an audit. If one cent of union dues is used for this....arrrgggghhh.

Is impeachment for stupidity part of the by-laws?

The Job Protection Record of UPC and Marilyn Stewart

In the four years that Marilyn Stewart has been president, the union has lost membership...BIG TIME. More than 4,000 dues paying members have simply vanished from the membership rolls. This information comes straight from the CTU's own reports.

This is a bigger number than can be explained by maternity leave or retirement. It is an abject failure on the part of UPC and Stewart to stem the growth of charters, contract schools and the devastating effects of RenTen and the privatization of public education in this city.

From 2003 to 2007, more than 270 high school teachers disappeared from union membership. In the same time period, more than 2,600 elementary teachers went missing.

More than a 1,200 ESP's are gone.

UPC, under the leadership of Marilyn Stewart, has done worse than nothing when it comes to job protection. And the children of Chicago are not better served with her 4 years of "leadership."

But don't worry, UPC team members get perks like conferences in Hawaii. Yeah, that got the job done for the rank and file. Way to go UPC! Good use of union dues!

In the 2003 election campaign, I remember Marilyn Stewart's famous quote that the CTU was a "union, not a university."

Many took offense that she was implying that the outstanding professional development offered by the Quest Center was somehow a misuse of union resources.

But I guess people wanted a back to basics style union...you know, grievances and arbitration. In short, people voted for "job protection", the most basic function of a union. (On a side note, many people didn't trust her with even that, since the election was decided 50.1% to 49.9%.)

Marilyn Stewart has failed.

Leadership Can Make A Difference

On October 28, 2006 in a post titled "Lead, Follow, Or Get Out Of The Way" I said that now that Democratic party is firmly in control of the levers of government in Illinois, school funding must change.

It took a little more than two months, but I am glad someone over at city hall is listening.

As reported in today's Chicago Tribune, Mayor Daley has taken up the challenge.

After decades of debate, the time has finally come to change the way schools are funded in Illinois now that Democrats are in such complete control of state government, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley said Thursday.

Daley, who supports a so-called tax swap that would increase the income-tax rate while lowering property taxes, said lawmakers need to take into account all of the ideas for changing school funding and agree on a solution. He said his fellow Democrats, who increased their control of both the House and Senate and retained the governor's office in the November election, should lead the way.

"We have talked about this for 25 years," Daley said. "Now, no one wants to sit here and talk about it for another 25 years. The time has come to start the debate anew, seize the opportunity for reform."

I salute you Mayor and hope that you know I got your back on this.

Fix this and then we can chat about this charter thing you seem to like so much.

The Blogs Are On The Case

There are several blogs discussing the Tribune article (once again, thanks for that Christmas morning present Trib).

Check out Dr. Homeslice here.

Check out Edpresso here.

UPDATE: Way back on 9/11/06 I said this:

To save $3,ooo, a teacher would have to save $125 a pay period for the next 24 checks they receive. For $4,000, the amount goes to $167 for the next 24 pay periods.

Now it is 7 pay periods later. We only have 17 pay periods left before we need our own strike fund in our bank accounts.

How much do you need to save between now and then? To have $3000, you need to save $176 every two weeks. To have $4000, you need to save $235 every two weeks.

Why isn't our union telling us to do this?

Merry Christmas...And Let's Strike?

Thanks Tribune! What do I read on Christmas morning? More strike talk.

A quick quote from the Dec. 25th Tribune story:

What is clear is that this early strike talk is making district officials and teachers nervous as they head into contract negotiations early next year. The current four-year contract will expire on June 30, about a month after teachers and assistants elect a slate of union officers.

"There's a lot of unhappy teachers out there," said Tom Stonis, a social studies teacher at Fenger High School on the Far South Side. "And there's a little buzz going on that if we don't get what we want, we're going to go on strike. But I'm not going to be around next year ... because of the strike possibilities. It's not worth it to me to go out on strike in this district."

I have talked about the possibility of a strike here, here, and here.

What model will it follow? Detroit (god forbid)?

What say you?