The May 2012 Issue of Substance
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MEDIA WATCH: All the news that fits, they print. How The New York Times handled the Common Core controversy in its May 16, 2012 report on David Coleman
The story in the May 16, 2012 New York Times was headlined "Backer of Common Core School Curriculum Is Chosen to Lead College Board" and it quoted Stephen Krashen. Here is Stephen Krashen's Comment: "...Not . . .
SUBSCRIPT: Wigler story went public because Wigler and UPC decided to challenge the union's decision
There has been some speculation in the Chicago public schools and elsewhere, including on some blogs operated by scab corporations like the Chicago Tribune, that there was some deviousness behind the breaking of the story . . .
MEDIA WATCH: Hypocrites at the Sun-Times continue push to lynch Monique Davis while swooning over every lie from Rahm and his lap dogs at CPS
For all the strutting and fretting and gym ratting, Rahm’s really one of those guys who makes too much noise during a workout and whom you don’t want to get caught with in the shower . . .
Common Core capitalism propaganda as 'curriculum'? CPS touting banks and credit card agencies as avatars of 'financial literacy'
There probably isn't a decent teacher left in the USA who doesn't already realize that the "Common Core" is another straight jacket of nonsense to tighten around teachers and students in the nation's real public . . .
SUBSCRIPT: A Substance deconstruction, New Age style... Brizard’s Op Ed ‘appreciating’ teachers was like sending your mother a “F___ You!” Mother’s Day card and thinking it was really nifty cool
Did anyone notice the obscenity of Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Jean-Claude Brizard's Mother's Day Weekend Op Ed in the May 11, 2012, Sun-Times, especially coming a day after he once again proved himself . . .
'No to NATO' student video says it all on even of protests
A newly released "No to NATO" video, less than two minutes long and produced by Chicago public school students and their supporters has been released by the American Friends Service Committee. The refrain "Chicago . . .
MEDIA WATCH: Why is one equal to all then in Rahmland? Public radio takes the bait and hypes AUSL on 'Golden Apple' day
WBEZ radio wasn't the only corporate media in Chicago that took the bait offered by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and utilized the annual awarding of the "Golden Apple" awards administered by the Foundation for Excellence in . . .
CORE sets militant tone for May in Chicago Teachers Union
Less than two years after it mounted a successful campaign to unseat the incumbent leadership of the Chicago Teachers Union, the Caucus of Rank and File Educators (CORE) is setting a militant tone for May . . .
CPS continues rapid — and illegal — expansion of 'Communications' staff, while assuring public it's broke and 'transparent'
We doubt it will ever compete with Spone Bob Square Pants, Bozo's Circus or other Chicago inspired classics, but we at Substance are meditating this morning on the wonderful new media opportunity Chicago teachers, parents . . .
Corporate Party Continues Propaganda Campaign Against Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago's real public school teachers... Who is Rebecca Nieves-Huffman, Chicago's latest teacher bashing pundit?
Back in the old days of the Bush Administration, the Bushies paid hacks like Kate Walsh, who were receiving federal discretionary grants from the Education Department, to seed the op-ed pages of America's newspapers with . . .
'Union bosses like Karen Lewis seem intent on thuggery and intimidation to get their way... ' Plutocrats deploy proxies as CTU and CPS reach impasse on contract negotiations
Less than one year after Substance first reported that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was establishing what became known as the notorious Rent A Preacher and Rent A Protester actions, what should become knows as the . . .
LETTER: 'Dying to teach'... Video about suburban Chicago teacher suicide now available
My name is Myra Richardson. I am the director/producer of the documentary, DYING TO TEACH: The Killing of Mary Eve Thorson, "Educators Who Bully." I was honored to have spent several days with Mary Thorson's . . .
Schmidt letter the Sun-Times wouldn't print
On May 4 I sent the following letter by email to the Chicago Sun-Times after I read the silly Op Ed that the Sun-Times printed on behalf of the subsidized groups that oppose the union. . . .
Cubs win World Series! Bigfoot Found! Common Core Math Standards are a success even before they've been tested in real schools in the real USA!
It wasn't a "May Fool's Day" joke from those perennial corporate school reform touts at Achieve and their allies: Chiefs for Change and the Excellence people. The groups did present a media event at the . . .
MEDIA WATCH: Catalyst surpasses the tops in toadyism with Crain's adulation of Rahm
Chicago's corporate media didn't always specialize so completely as Catalyst in extreme sports like Extreme Toadyism and Power Pontificating, but the 21st Century has brought much of Chicago's once daunted press corps low. Done are . . .
EDITORIAL: 'Quick! Monetize that Asset Before We Get Caught...' While 'progressives' fume about the religious right, the real heretics come from the cult of monetizing every human activity
Happy May Day. Six years ago, Chicago saw the largest May Day march in the history of May Day (which, as history buffs know, began in Chicago). May Day is celebrated the world over in . . .
MEDIA WATCH: 'If your mother says she loves you, be anonymous...' A sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek, but serious response to District 299's slander mill
At first I told my editor I was not going to add anything to the "Dewey Defeats Truman" discussion that's been going on here and on District299.com, the anonymous blogging machine that tries to be . . .
'Odious Outsiders' List? Substance is considering a Brizard era contest for the most odious of the mercenary FNGs imported by Rahm since a year ago
We know the competition is going to be fierce, but Substance is considering an "Odious Outsiders" contest to document the expensive antics of the most odious and obnoxious of the Broad-vetted outside FNGs currently soaking . . .
Charter schools push false claims for more money while CPS quietly provides staff paid for by CPS budget
One of the more serious legislative challenges to Chicago's remaining real public schools during the current session of the Illinois General Assembly is the attempt by the city's charter schools to increase the amount of . . .
STRIKEWATCH 1971. King's Birthday Holiday was a contract issue... 1971 CTU strike braved January's bitter cold, won raises and other benefits for CTU and better schools for all
The 1971 Chicago Teachers Union strike lasted four days in the January snow and brought a two year contract with raises and other improvements. The teachers walked the picket lines with signs that read "On . . .
MEDIA WATCH: RAHM STAGES A 'GANG TAKEDOWN!' (Honest, you can't make this stuff up...). Rahm struts, gangsters smirk, and preachers fill the till... Rahm joins Gerry McCarthy in Pullman publicity stunt that could have been scripted in 'The Wire'
In Chicago, on May 15, 2012, on the eve of the NATO debacle that is being staged to display the law enforcement talents of the city's Rookie Mayor, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel did what he . . .
Dyett High School protests its 'phase out' with a celebration of student art
Dyett High School became widely known earlier this year as one the 17 schools that the Board of Education closed, 'phased out', or subjected to what it called "turnaround". Despite massive community protests and detailed . . .
STRIKEWATCH: 1969, the first CTU strike scores victories... Board had claimed a 'fiscal crisis' (sound familiar) and wanted to cut 7,000 teachers
STRIKEWATCH [1969]: First CTU strike lasts for two days; brings salary gains. "The Chicago Teachers Union and the Board of Education signed a contract on May 28, 1969, which implements all previously negotiated items, retracts . . .
Poll of more than 25,000 Chicago teachers and other CTU members shows overwhelming support for a strike if necessary, constitutes another 'no confidence' vote in administration of Jean-Claude Brizard
The Chicago Teachers Union has completed and compiled the results of an unprecedented polling of the union's more than 25,000 active duty members (the union also has retiree member who do not participate in voting . . .
FROM THE BOSS'S MOUTH INTO YOUR EAR: Chicago's Big Lie gets even bigger... Brizard begins to bring 'The Truth' about negotiations directly to THE PEOPLE on the CPS propaganda website
The new Chicago Public Schools website on "collective bargaining" was barely one week old when Chicago Schools "Chief Executive Officer" Jean-Claude Brizard sent a memo to the entire CPS universe warning principals, teachers, and everyone . . .
Boss's spy ordered to leave CTU House of Delegates meeting
Less than one month after he was convicted in a union court of spying for the boss, former Chicago Teachers Union member Marc Wigler attempted to enter the union's May 9, 2012 House of Delegates . . .
Teachers don't like bullies
[Editor's note: This article originally appeared on the Huffington Post and is reprinted here with the permission of Matt Farmer. Other articles by Matt Farmer are also available in back issues of Substance and by . . .
Assumptions, Concerns and Questions Regarding the Illinois Teachers Retirement System’s Possible Insolvency and Conflicts
Executive Director Dick Ingram of the Teachers Retirement System of Illinois (TRS) includes a foreboding slide in his power-point presentation to his Town Hall audiences across the State of Illinois. It specifies (in case of . . .
Has CPS privatized teacher evaluations without telling anyone? Who or What is 'Batelle for Kids' and when did Chicago agree to put it in charge of teacher evaluations? CPS has already privatized and outsourced 'value added' teacher evaluation work to an Ohio corporation!
While CPS Chief Executive Officer Jean-Claude Brizard continues to repeat his carefully rehearsed platitudes and talking points whenever he is forced into a public appearance (which CPS has been trying to control), behind the scenes . . .
Control of information in Chicago reaches laughable Orwellian levels... Swelling 'Phalanx of Flacks' shields Brizard from reporters' questions
When Chicago Public Schools "Chief Executive Officer" Jean-Claude Brizard once again went outside Chicago (at some cost for "relocation expenses," as yet unknown) to pick two replacement executives for two women his administration had driven . . .
Teachers, students, parents and friends of public education confront teacher-bashing 'Stand for Children' event
At least four buses arrived to drop off parents and students at the Stands for Children meeting on April 14, 2012 at Roosevelt University in Chicago. They were greeted by a dozen protesters, most of . . .
WTF?! (and WTF??!) is Bob Boik — and where did those crazy ideas come from? Brizard's Longest School Day edicts for high schools aimed at destroying the city's remaining sports and extra-curricular programs
"What the f*** is this?" and "Who is Bob Boik?" were two questions echoing across Chicago on May 2, 2012, as teachers and principals, especially at the city's remaining real general public high schools — . . .
Does the sign over CPS read 'Chicago teachers, principals, and dogs need not apply'?... Donoso purge shows push to purge all remaining teachers from top ranks of Chicago Public Schools administration... Rahm's minions add to the ranks of outsiders at CPS vetted by the Broad Foundation
One of the brittle memories of every immigrant or minority group member who ever suffered discrimination in the USA is how that discrimination was expressed. The most notorious examples from the history of the USA, . . .
New York principals told evaluation is none of their business... While teachers wear 'scarlet letter' of 'value-added' to protest grotesque VAM systems outside Rupert Murdoch's New York headquarters
Anyone who thinks that Chicago is the only place where the arrogance of mayoral control has gone out of control should see what has been happening in New York lately. New York City parents and . . .
