Don't take that pay cut, parents urge teachers at forum as union's rank-and-file outline how CPS is currently stalling on contract negotiations and 'Broke on Purpose'...
A community forum to discuss the upcoming contract between the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Public Schools took place on May 19, 2015, evening at Luther Memorial Church, 2500 W. Wilson. The forum was organized by Parents4Teachers and other parent and community groups on the north side. These groups invited the Union and the Board to speak to the community about the status of negotiations.
Despite the most polite possible invitation, Board of Education President David Vitale and Vice President (currently, also "Interim CEO") Jesse Ruiz refused to participate in the forum. Above, Ellen Damlich, one of the CTU rank-and-file who participated in the forum, eyes the blank spaces where the Board chieftains should have been. Substance photo by Drew Heiserman.The Chicago Teachers Union sent seven members of its bargaining team to speak to parents and community members. The Chicago Board of Education was absent.
After Erica Clark kicked off the forum, Jesse Sharkey, Vice President of the CTU, spoke. Sharkey emphasized that negotiations have gone exceptionally slowly thus far. He believes that the Board is intentionally stalling the process. Sharkey mentioned that Chicagoans need to understand that Rahm Emanuel and Bruce Rauner are going to play �good cop/bad cop� with the CTU. Contract negotiations are a Machiavellian game to these people.
And finally, Sharkey emphasized the fact that CPS is �broke on purpose�.
Although the members of the Chicago Board of Education refused to participate in the forum, parents and the Chicago Teachers Union were active. Left to right above, Ellen Damlich, John Casey, Pam Touras, Tim Meegan, Lashaun Wallace, Sarah Chambers, and Jesse Sharkey. All of the union's speakers were rank-and-file members working in the schools. In the pulpit on the right above is Erika Clark, of Parents4Teachers. Substance photo by Drew Heiserman.Tim Meegan, a history teacher at Roosevelt High School and recent candidate for the Chicago City Council, provided details for Sharkey�s contention that CPS has manufactured this crisis. Meegan mentioned that CPS used an accounting trick last fiscal year, spending 14 months of revenue during a 12-month fiscal cycle. Essentially, CPS stole two months of revenue from this year to pay for last year�s bills.
Meegan railed against the massive amounts of waste by CPS bureaucrats. He spoke of the wasted money on charter expansion and the new office furniture for CPS headquarters, as well as wasteful privatization schemes, like the scandalous SUPES and Aramark contracts.
Meegan also suggested some solutions to the mess CPS has created for itself. TIF money needs to be returned to the schools. The tax structure in Chicago and the state needs to be changed to increase revenue from those who have the ability to help our schools. A progressive income tax, a millionaire�s tax, and a financial transactions tax were among the suggestions to increase revenue.
Sarah Chambers, special education teacher at Saucedo Elementary, spoke to the group about CTU proposals to cut standardized testing and test prep, thus freeing up resources for actual classroom instruction. Chambers tied the issue of over-testing in CPS to CTU proposals to reduce paperwork for teachers and staff. She contended that many of the CTU proposals could actually save CPS money, while delivering better education to our students.
Ellen Damlich, a librarian, spoke of CTU demands for clean and safe schools. She emphasized the need for fully-staffed schools. This means, for example, that every school should have at least one school nurse, one social worker, and a library with an actual librarian. Sadly, too many CPS schools make do without these and other necessary supports.
John Casey, a counselor, spoke of our students� human needs. Students need counseling, social workers, nurses, and restorative justice programs to help them through the trauma that is all too common for the children of Chicago. The CTU is also demanding that truancy officers be hired again, to help schools (and parents) get our children to school consistently.
And Lashaun Wallace, a PSRP at Taft High School, spoke of how our schools are the anchors of their communities. The CTU is demanding that CPS sustain (and create and fund more) true community schools with wraparound services to serve the community as a whole. The CTU is also demanding a halt of charter expansion, especially at a time when CPS is claiming to be broke.
After members of the CTU�s bargaining team spoke, the floor was opened to public comments and questions. The following are just a sample of the public comments.
A parent demanded, �You must NOT accept this pay cut!�, in reference to the insulting offer from CPS to the CTU of a 7% reduction in pay next year. The parent wanted teachers to know that the community appreciates the work they do, and a decrease in pay for teachers is an insult to the whole city of Chicago.
Another parent complained about recess supervision being outsourced for elementary schools. The parent was saddened by the loss of CPS employees staffing the playgrounds, which had increased the safety � and fun � of recess for our kids. A community member emphasized the fact that the scandalous Aramark contract has become a health hazard for our children. And another member of the community contended that access to health care, and a school nurse, is a human right.
And finally, a parent contended that CPS has �sucked the joy out of education� for a generation of Chicago Public School children (and their teachers).
The forum was recorded, and will be sent to the Chicago Board of Education, whose members refused to attend this important meeting of parents, teachers, and community members of the Chicago Public Schools.
By: Jim Vail
Nice Report
Nice Report Drew. The next question - when do we strike?