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Chicago Teachers Union Makes War On Kids And Parents
IBD EDITORIALS ^ | September 19, 2012

Posted on 09/10/2012 5:12:49 PM PDT by raptor22

Public Employee Unions: In a city with double-digit unemployment, teachers who can't be fired and who make more than double what their students' parents make, have gone on strike. Anyone for school choice?

Public sector unions reared their burdensome and inefficient head Monday when some 25,000 unionized Chicago Public School teachers went on strike, unhappy with a salary the parents of their students can only envy, leaving 350,000 students and their overtaxed parents struggling in the educational lurch.

The Chicago Teachers Union walked away from a contract offer that amounted to a 16% raise over four years for the average teacher when factoring other increases, an offer made despite the fact that the system faces a $700 million dollar deficit at the end of the school year.

John Tillman of the Illinois Policy Institute notes Chicago's unemployment rate is just under 11% and that the average Chicagoan makes just $30,203 compared with the average teacher's salary of $71,000, even before benefits are included. And unlike parents who go to work each day to be judged on their productivity and who fear each day might be their last, dismissing a bad teacher is harder than spinning straw into gold.

Even comparing CPS teachers to only those with college degrees, they still do well. The median annual wage for persons with a college degree is $48,866. Many would trade their positions with one that pays half again what they make with far greater job security.

We are reminded of the confrontation between New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and teacher Rita Wilson, who objected to a one-year pay freeze and contributing a tiny portion of her salary to buy her medical and retirement benefits while claiming she taught because she "loves the children." Christie's reply got an ovation: "Well, you know what?...

(Excerpt) Read more at news.investors.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: chicago; cps; education; ibd; il2012; illinois; nea; schoolchoice; teachers; unions

1 posted on 09/10/2012 5:12:53 PM PDT by raptor22
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To: raptor22

The strike was more about a new teacher evaluation tool which is not clearly defined than any type of compensatory complaints...


2 posted on 09/10/2012 5:16:05 PM PDT by EnigmaticAnomaly ("Mantra of the left: 'It's only okay when WE do it.'")
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To: raptor22

Teachers unions need to be crushed, ground into dust and blown away into the trash heap of history.
Any candidate who does not support the destruction of teachers union is a candidate I will campaign against.


3 posted on 09/10/2012 5:24:13 PM PDT by svcw (If one living cell on another planet is life, why isn't it life in the womb?)
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To: raptor22
This strike should have been the purifying Prairie Fire that could have allowed ILL-ANNOY to become another Indiana or Wisconsin, but there is no organized push to make the most of it. Rahm never likes to see a good crisis go to waste, and he will indeed make out on this - how I don't know, but he will. But, the ILL-ANNOY Republicans never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. We're all chumbalones now.
4 posted on 09/10/2012 5:26:54 PM PDT by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.......)
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To: EnigmaticAnomaly

No doubt.


5 posted on 09/10/2012 5:27:22 PM PDT by Jacquerie (Exterminate rats.)
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To: raptor22

Pigs.


6 posted on 09/10/2012 5:29:22 PM PDT by Psycho_Bunny (OWS = The Great American Snivel War)
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To: EnigmaticAnomaly

“The strike was more about a new teacher evaluation tool which is not clearly defined than any type of compensatory complaints...”

I believe it wanted a halt to charter schools, too-—that way they can hold more kids hostages in future walkouts.


7 posted on 09/10/2012 5:29:33 PM PDT by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like it)
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To: raptor22

I live out in the suburbs, so I could care less about the Chicago Public Schools. But I do think the union has stepped into it and I’d love to see this become more than a local issue.


8 posted on 09/10/2012 5:30:48 PM PDT by twoputt
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To: raptor22

Fire them all, and offer them the opportunity to reapply for their jobs at 2/3rds of the wages that they’re making now. You’ll still see rats scrambling to get back on the ship.


9 posted on 09/10/2012 5:34:00 PM PDT by RingerSIX (My wife and I took an AIDS vaccine that they offer down at our Church.)
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To: RingerSIX

Teachers won’t be fired. The Democratic regime in Chicago is in bed with the unions. Too bad there isn’t anyone like Scott Walker to tell the greedy b-tards where to go.

If the city caves, the taxpayers should withhold their taxes. No money coming in, no one gets paid, no teaching jobs.


10 posted on 09/10/2012 5:48:22 PM PDT by fatnotlazy
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To: RingerSIX

These parasites are attacking children when they do this. They don’t give a crap about teaching or children. Its all about money. Raum will fold like a lawn chair but it demonstrates the obvious and I love it because where I live, they hate the Chicago teachers!!What you will see is bankruptcy ripping through these cities and bad riots when the parasites can’t suck off the hosts anymore. We have about 18 months. Get ready. If obama wins , we just blame him. Hilarious.


11 posted on 09/10/2012 5:54:00 PM PDT by marygonzo
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To: raptor22

Paging Ronald Reagan...would Ronald Reagan please pick up the white courtesy phone?


12 posted on 09/10/2012 6:31:45 PM PDT by Edward Teach
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To: raptor22

I think Rush had the right take on this today. Obama will ride to the rescue and order the union back to work or save the day in some way.

As tight as the Rats, and especially Obama, are with the unions, this could be a staged move to benefit Obama:

You guys strike. Help it look like Obama is riding the white horse, and we will reward the union handsomely behind the scenes and in the future.

No way would the unions embarrass Obama like this in the middle of an election. This is 100% political theater.


13 posted on 09/10/2012 6:35:40 PM PDT by RatRipper (Obama, YOU LIE!!! . . .again and again and again and again, ad infinitum. . . .)
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To: bushbuddy
I live out in the suburbs, so I could care less about the Chicago Public Schools.

Problem is, these things spread like a disease. Once they get started you can't stop them.

The only solution is eradication.

14 posted on 09/10/2012 8:17:09 PM PDT by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal The 16th Amendment!)
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To: raptor22

This is precisely why Obama never allowed his children to attend Chicago’s public schools. Too bad other kids aren’t as fortunate.


15 posted on 09/10/2012 8:19:32 PM PDT by grundle
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To: raptor22
Sorry, but I don't feel a bit sorry for the parents either. They are the fools who have nurtured this liberal bastion of waste and bloat by perpetually and overwhelmingly voting for liberal spenders over and over...

They get exactly what they deserve... too bad the kids are suffering for it though.

16 posted on 09/10/2012 8:25:23 PM PDT by FunkyZero (... I've got a Grand Piano to prop up my mortal remains)
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