Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Chicago teachers strike for first time in 25 years; contingency sites ready, charters remain open
Chicago Sun-Times ^ | September 10, 2012 | ROSALIND ROSSI and LAUREN FITZPATRICK w Fran Spielman, LeeAnn Shelton, Francine Knowles, Jon Seidel

Posted on 09/10/2012 6:49:53 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

Chicago teachers began walking the picket line for the first time in 25 years Monday morning, leaving parents to scramble for alternatives for their children.

.....Steve Parsons, the lead picket who teaches AP psychology at the high school said Monday: “It’s all up to Mayor Emanuel. We all want to go back to the classrooms. The mayor is not valuing our opinions as educators.”

.....Vitale said the contract amounted to a 16 percent raise over four years for the average teacher when factoring other increases. And the raises could not be rescinded for lack of funds — which is what happened this past school year, angering teachers and helping to set the stage for Monday’s strike.

“This is not a small commitment we’re making at a time when your fiscal situation is really challenged,” Vitale said. A $1 billion deficit awaits the system at the end of this school year, officials have estimated. And the district drained its reserve funds to plug this year’s budget......

.....The union also has pushed for improved working conditions, such as smaller class sizes, more libraries, air-conditioned schools, and more social workers and counselors to address the increasing needs of students surrounded by violence — all big-ticket items. CPS officials contend they are seeking a “fair” contract, with raises for teachers, but are limited by funding and the threat of a $1 billion deficit at the end of this school year.

In front of Chicago Teachers Union strike headquarters Sunday afternoon at the corner of Marshfield and Van Buren, a steady stream of teachers picked up picket signs and T-shirts.....

(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: education; publicunions; teachers; unionstike
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-57 next last

1 posted on 09/10/2012 6:50:04 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Avg salary...$71,000 per year ($50 per hour) plus benefits...poor slobs...


2 posted on 09/10/2012 6:52:29 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

I popped over to a Chicago cop’s blog to see what they were saying about this fiasco (because cops were to flood the streets because of the wild kids). Comments are pretty interesting. (Not my blog, btw.)

http://secondcitycop.blogspot.com/

(Direct link to comments section): http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=13350456&postID=9020847388228438015


3 posted on 09/10/2012 6:55:59 AM PDT by RushIsMyTeddyBear (Bocephus hits a home run! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt_vjPqAVzI)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Fire them all and salt the earth.

Government schools are a plague —the worst invention of modernity.


4 posted on 09/10/2012 6:56:35 AM PDT by St_Thomas_Aquinas (Viva Christo Rey!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

More targets on the streets for the gangstas.

Expect the Chicago nightly death toll to rise...


5 posted on 09/10/2012 6:56:40 AM PDT by moovova (Hope-ium...Time to kick the habit.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau

Fire all of them, void the contracts and hire non-union replacements (I wish)


6 posted on 09/10/2012 6:57:48 AM PDT by tom paine 2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

It is the Left and Democrats’ “War on Children”

Abort them in the womb, fail to educate them when they are young, and destroy their future with Gov’t debt

WAR ON CHILDREN
WAR ON CHILDREN
WAR ON CHILDREN
WAR ON CHILDREN


7 posted on 09/10/2012 6:58:53 AM PDT by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Just keep telling yourselves that this isn’t just another greedy leftist union. This is for the children.


8 posted on 09/10/2012 6:59:20 AM PDT by Proud2BeRight
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Geez, with no free schools will the illegals go home?

“Chicago, The City That Works” Bwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!


9 posted on 09/10/2012 7:00:31 AM PDT by Average Al (The Democrat party is a free range zoo.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: St_Thomas_Aquinas

Rahm Emmanuel vs. an AFL/CIO Teachers’ Union. Enemy vs. Enemy. I love it!


10 posted on 09/10/2012 7:04:18 AM PDT by Brownie63
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Public schools are the world’’s most expensive baby-sitting service. They also serve as juvenile detention centers.

Years ago, when the Dallas Cowboys had won their first Super Bowl, there was a big victory parade in downtown Dallas. A melee soon ensued, and one upset lady sputtered to the TV news reporter, “Why aren’t all these juvenile delinquents in school where they belong?”


11 posted on 09/10/2012 7:04:52 AM PDT by txrefugee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PGR88
It is the Left and Democrats’ “War on Children”

You're damn right.
12 posted on 09/10/2012 7:06:50 AM PDT by Sopater (...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. - 2 COR 3:17b)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: tom paine 2
Fire all of them, void the contracts and hire non-union replacements (I wish)

Do what Wisconsin did: pass right-to-work for public employees, and forbid public employers from taking union dues out of paychecks. A large percentage of WI school teachers quit their unions.

13 posted on 09/10/2012 7:07:02 AM PDT by PapaBear3625 (Charlie Daniels - Payback Time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWwTJj_nosI)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

-— It’s all up to Mayor Emanuel. We all want to go back to the classrooms. The mayor is not valuing our opinions as educators.——

Have to agree with Twinkletoes on this one.


14 posted on 09/10/2012 7:09:29 AM PDT by St_Thomas_Aquinas (Viva Christo Rey!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Whatever happened to independent school districts? Does the Mayor of Chicago also supposed to run the schools? Do they not have a school board?

If they strike, fire them.

Oh wait, closed PUBLIC schools.... cool.

Shelters?


15 posted on 09/10/2012 7:09:45 AM PDT by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: txrefugee
Public schools are the world’’s most expensive baby-sitting service. They also serve as juvenile detention centers.

...as well as state-sponsored dating services (aka, "high school").

16 posted on 09/10/2012 7:09:49 AM PDT by randog (Tap into America!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau
It's for the children, don't you know.

.....And the raises could not be rescinded for lack of funds —.....

Their raises, benefits and retirement are sacrosanct.

Let the students eat their dust.

**************************************

Live blogging the Chicago Teachers Strike: SOLIDARITY


17 posted on 09/10/2012 7:12:54 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Brownie63

Careful, don’t love it too much cause the Black messiah will ride in a white horse to Chicago and spread some fairy dust and all will be well and he will be EXALTED as the second coming of christ the great deliverer by the mediaWHOREs and the stupid idiot Americans! Never doubt the stupidity of our country folk.


18 posted on 09/10/2012 7:14:37 AM PDT by RoseofTexas
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

I guess educating children is a distant afterthought for Chicago’s Teachers union.


19 posted on 09/10/2012 7:14:49 AM PDT by 3Fingas (Sons and Daughters of Freedom, Committee of Correspondence)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tom paine 2
You got that right..

...it would be astounding at the number of the present teachers who would sign up.

It would cleanse the gene pool too. The bad teachers would go away since their protection racket was dismantled.

If Deadfish would just fire all the union teachers, the disruption would last for one or two days, whereas the "strike" scenario will last for weeks, and cause untold misery and hostility.

20 posted on 09/10/2012 7:16:18 AM PDT by B.O. Plenty (Elections have consequences....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-57 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson