Chicago Teachers Union warns members 'Don't get on the CPS bus' Tuesday... Claypool and CPS are pushing SB318, a union busting bill during Springfield push...
CTU graphics.An email blast to all members of the 28,000-member Chicago Teachers Union warned teachers, parents and students not to join CPS officials on Tuesday, November 17, 2015, in a bus caravan to Springfield in support of a version of funding for Chicago Public Schools that is embodied in SB318. But teachers are reporting from across Chicago that principals are doing the bus protest as a "school-sponsored field trip." Parents have to refuse to allow their children to participate in the event, and principals are being warned about its implications.
The story is developing over the Veterans Day holiday, November 11.
The CTU statement follows here:
A message to all CTU members:
Don�t get on the CPS bus!
The mayor and his hand-picked public school CEO, Forrest Claypool, are trying to goad parents and educators to take a bus to Springfield and lobby for a destructive bill in an effort that will undermine our schools and pensions. Let�s be clear: the mayor and Claypool are trying to goad parents into lobbying�shame Springfield into acting in their interests�when it is CPS and the unelected and unaccountable Board of Education that have disrespected and offended so many of our parents by under-resourcing and closing our neighborhood schools and by slashing school and special education budgets while proliferating privately-run charters. CPS is broke on purpose! Now we are being asked to jeopardize the future of the school district by supporting their misguided and dangerous plan that not only weakens our school system but eliminates our current revenue streams! Don�t help them destroy our school district.
DON�T GET ON THEIR BUS!
WHY?
These are the facts:
FACT:
CPS wants us to get on their bus to lobby for SB318�a bill that is bad for the school district. SB318 calls for another pension holiday, subjects future school funding to the whims of our UNPREDICTABLE, FAR-RIGHT-WING governor, and eliminates the current school funding formula and the Block Grant that provides Chicago with additional educational revenue. SB318 offers NO new revenue and eliminates our current revenue streams.
FACT: While CPS�through the Mayor and his hand-picked CEO Forrest Claypool�ask parents to help them, they hurt parents and neighborhood schools with cuts to SPED programs, charter expansion, and by giving hundreds of millions of dollars to Bank of America and their friends for crooked deals. And, the district does not need Springfield to release the estimated $700 million dollars of TIF surplus.
FACT: The CTU has a better legislative agenda. We must advocate for an Elected School Board in Chicago (HB4268). And, we need to secure revenue for our school district with measures like a LaSalle Street Tax (HB106 and SB2176), a Progressive Income Tax, and a Millionaires Tax. We also need full restoration of our collective bargaining rights in Chicago. We believe these measures will enable us to stop CPS from putting 50 students in a classroom, and making Aramark filthy rich through crooked contracts.
Tell your colleagues and parents:
DON�T GET ON THEIR BUS!
The pathway forward isn�t another CPS �kick the can down the road� legislative trick. The path forward involves structural changes that involve substantial changes to the current governance structure of the CPS, the acquisition of progressive revenue, and the full restoration of our collective bargaining rights. The path forward is through the structural changes included in our legislative agenda.
Members of the Illinois State House of Representatives are holding Townhall meeting throughout the city on a piece of legislation�the Chicago Elected School Board Bill�that could finally end mayoral control of the Chicago Public Schools. We�re encouraged by the progress of the bill so far. It already has over 50 co-sponsors in the House!
Please join your neighbors by attending a Townhall. Attend the Townhall, speak up for an elected school board.
