The February 2012 Issue of Substance
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HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD? Now get get INSTY NEWS from Rahm Inc. (just add a headline and a byline)... Rahm hypes 'Howe [AUSL] School of Excellence' with 'Cabinet Meeting'... but real reporters are not invited
Here is a question for Chicago in this era when "corruption" seems to be defined only as things that poor, working class, and unionized middle class people can engage in. What would have been the . . .
One City, Two Different Worlds
[Editor's note: The following originally went up on Huffington Post on February 1, 2012 and is reprinted here with permission of the reporter. In addition to supporting the "Rooftop Reverend," Substance readers who are members . . .
STRIKEWATCH: 'Matewan' may be the best union movie ever made...
As Chicago teachers prepare to take their places in the long history of the struggles of American working women and men for our rights, there will be a lot of need for people to understand . . .
STRIKE WATCH: The importance of 'NO!'
One of the things that union leaders were taught at the beginning of our training for years, perhaps decades, was the simple importance of the word "No." If the boss wants it, it's probably not . . .
MEDIA WATCH: Hollywood Rahm continues to duck the media now that he can't script reality for all reporters
What better opportunity to ring out with praise for Chicago's (unionized) police officers and to discuss the realities of crime in Chicago than an appearance by Chicago's mayor at Chicago Police headquarters? Well, not on . . .
Texas schools chief says testing has gone 'too far'
The head of public schools in Texas has come out publicly against the expansion of testing under the Obama administration's "Race to the Top" program, causing some thunder across the nation as the testing season . . .
Tilden hearing shows sabotage of poor schools is CPS policy before 'turnaround'...Rep Golar warns arrogant hearing officer Fred Bates, 'The fight is on!'
Illinois State Representative Esther Golar (D-6th) member of the Chicago Facilities Task Force (CEFTF) warned Chicago Public Schools that the “Fight is On!” She was rebuking Hearing officer Fred Bates during the public hearing held . . .
MEDIA WATCH: Lies my newspaper told me... How the Chicago Sun-Times and corporate 'Better Government Association' lie about teachers and CPS sicks days
On February 3, 2012, when I opened up my Chicago Sun-Times and saw that they were blasting the right of teachers and other CPS workers to accumulate sick days and cash them out at the . . .
CTU endorses primary candidates after exhausting reviews and some heated debates.... Union also highlights new legislation that will help public schools of Chicago
The Chicago Teachers Union voted overwhelmingly on February 1, 2012 at its monthly House of Delegates meeting to endorse 52 candidates for local and state office in the upcoming elections. The endorsement came after extensive . . .
SB 512 — 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' — is back like Banquo's ghosts... Civic Federation skews 'research' to promote destruction of pension plans for public workers
The past theft of pension assets in Illinois was quite easy for a few governors and some legislators; even for other rogues, who bargained for money-enhancing incentives (spiking) for retiring public employees at the expense . . .
How can the President tell teachers 'Stop teaching to the tests...' and promote Duncan's policies... Does President Obama know and understand how damaging Race To The Top is?
[Editor's note: The following just appeared on the Ed Week blog that includes Diane Ravitch and Deb Meier and is shared here for Substance readers as Leap Year Month begins. And while those of us . . .
Bates has been hosting CPS Show Trials since 1997 (Englewood 'Reconstitution')... Outrage at conduct of Casals hearing grows
For many of those trying to get the facts across to the Chicago Board of Education at the January 30, 2012 hearings on the proposed turnaround of Casals Elementary School, the behavior of hearing officer . . .
