SUBSCRIPT: Yo! Rahm! It's not Chicago's children who have the 'empty eyes'...
Rahm Emanuel was seated with UNO Board President Veronica Alanis, Mayor Richard M. Daley, and UNO CEO Juan Rangal at the UNO 25th anniversary party at Union Station on November 16, 2010. Above, Rahm's eyes. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.In a session with the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board, multi-millionaire mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel offered an amazing observation about Chicago children that he blamed on Chicago's schools. According to Rahm, while he was shaking hands at "L" stops, he noticed what he called an "emptiness" in the eyes of children. "Shaking hands at “L” stops around the city, Emanuel said he has seen “an emptiness in kid’s eyes that I would never accept in my own children” — a dynamic he wants to fight..." the Sun-Times reported in a January 10 story. Somehow, that children's emptiness — which doesn't show in his own kids — is, like everything else that besets Chicago's global ruling class, the fault of the public schools and public school teachers. Naturally, the Sun-Times didn't ask Rahm how he knew the reason for the "emptiness" — just as the Sun-Times never asks for any actual specifics when a guy like Rahm (or his buddy Ron Huberman, also a product of Chicago's City Hall) spouts crazy claims like Chicago kids get four years' less school in 12 years than kids in Houston, or that the Chicago Teachers Union "turned down" more than $300 million for a "longer school day" of, Rahm seems to be saying "five minutes"! We have a more down-to-earth suggestion about why children meeting Rahm Emanuel, his half dozen handlers, and that ubiquitous video crew that is carefully cutting up his video footage into the smarmy messaging he's trying to substitute for reality: Rahm's a scary guy, and the kids who don't run away from him like a Halloween Ghoul or Zombie are showing fear — not emptiness. With each passing day, the nice thing about the Emanuel campaign is that it shows just how far from reality Chicago's corporate ruling class has become. Another nice thing: They'll pour hundreds of millions of dollars into electing this guy, when every child in town (probably including Rahm's own) can tell by looking in the guy's eyes that he's really messed up — or worse...
Comments:
By: Displaced teacher
Rahm
Check out WTTW\\\'s webpage and clip on the mayoral candidates\\\' tax returns.\\rRahm\\\'s 2009 return address is in Washington, DC.\\rHe should NOT be allowed on the ballot.
By: Martha
Who for Mayor?
So who then, is the preferred mayoral candidate for teachers to vote for?
By: Margaret Wilson
Chico for Mayor
My feelings are that of all the candidates Chico is the best hope for the school system.
By: J John Zurek
Mayor City of Chicago
I truly believe the entire Daley Family is totally disingenious, both Richard M. & William Daley said on television, that the only candidate that is qualified is Jerry Chico, and they referenced his resume. But then apparently Mr. Chico must of upset the Daley's some how, becasue now Rahm is the Candidate of Choice, maybe because William Daley got a job, they need to show some allegience to the Obama Crowd. I just hope and pray if Rahm Emanual does win, he fails to do to the City of Chicago, what he did to the United States of America.The County is Bankrupt, the National Debt is beyond comprehension and as the Chief of Staff to the President of the United States of America he is responsible for at least 75% of
the blame if not more, and as quiet as it is kept, if he didn't resign he would have been terminated.
By: Chico wants vouchers, will bring Vallas back
Chico wants vouchers will bring Vallas back
It is right there in his ed plan — vouchers.
By: Margaret Wilson
Mayor?
If not Chico and not Rahm, who else is a viable candidate?
By: Anonymous Teacher
Del Valle
Del Valle
By: George N. Schmidt
Del Valle is the best and most viable candidate
Miguel Del Valle is the only candidate who can point to a quarter century of standing strong for public schools, teachers, and our union. The profile in the Sun-Times last weekend was mostly about personal stuff (as usual, the Sun-Times ignores the politics and does "personal narrative"), which was strong enough, but the man's record is even stronger.
Compare Del Valle's life story with Rahm's Chicago Wannabe BS. Rahm was raised safely and amid privilege in the suburbs, then he carpetbags here safely with Daley, then Obama as his sponsors. What a guy. A real mensch. And then, while the rest of us suckers were working for a living, Rahm left "public service" for three years, worked his fingers to the bone with more intensity than a bricklayer in cold weather or someone shoveling snow on stairs, and could only "earn" $18 million as an "investment banker."
Chico's record is the Vallas record. Every single thing Paul Vallas did as "CEO" Gery Chico voted in favor of as President of the "Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees." On the simple question of the Chico record and "transparency," Chico is more than a hypocrite today. It was Gery Chico who began the process, still being followed, whereby the Board of Education votes every six months (required by law) to keep secret every word they spoke in every closed session meeting. So the Chico record is as secret as the combination to the locks at Fort Knox -- thanks to Gery Chico (1995 - 2001) and those who followed him in that office (Michael Scott; Rufus Williams; Mary Richardson Lowry to be precise).
Miguel Del Valle can actually say, as he did to the House of Delegates on January 5, that he voted against the Amendatory Act while a Senator, against charter schools, and for the teachers, our pensions, and our unions. No other candidate can say that because all of them have records of teacher bashing (Chico) or union bashing and busting (Emanuel).
"Viable" is what we create through hard work, not something that's imposed on us by the Plutocrats who own and operate the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, WTTW (and "public radio") and the rest of the corporate propaganda machines known as "news."
By: Ann
for mayor
I Like Del Valle. When I first worked for CPS as a cadre at Linne School, he was the senator. I guess life goes full circle, I am a cadre again after 16+ years, thanks to Daley, Vallas, Chico, Huberman, Scott and all those that have smudges on their noses.
Del Valle is an HONEST politican, a rare breed in today's world.
By: Jean R Schwab
mayor
Del Valle is the best.
By: No
Please God,
Any one but Rahm. I can't believe it's gotten this far. It's the scariest thing yet. If Rahm is Mayor the end is upon us.