Can someone break down the CTU teacher strike?

[msmerymac]

No, but Emmanuel is trying to get a court order for them to go back to work under a temporary contract. But if they won't approve the contract, I don't know what good a temporary contract will do.

Now the head of the union is saying that teachers are worried about job security - CPS wants to close about 200 schools, and the teachers assume that unless stated otherwise, they'll just be laid off.

[NitaX]

Honestly, the more I read the more confused I get.

1 .Pay
What I've seen - is that there is still some discussion about giving pay raises. The district went to a longer school day and an independent report said that the teachers should be paid between 15-20% more the longer day.

2. Teacher Evaluations
There is a lot of pushback on the new teacher eval system proposed, but I still haven't seen what the teachers think that should look like. The state has required a new Teacher Eval system be put in place by ... Sept. 2012! But, the state didn't say what it must look like. It laid out components of the eval system, but left it up to the districts to work with unions to hammer out the details.

3. Classrooms Sizes and Conditions
There are still classrooms that don't have air conditioning. And there is discussion of the number of students in classrooms.

4. Job Recall Provisions
Due to budget constraints, some teachers have been laid off. The union wants those teachers to be placed in a poor to be rehired. (There will need to be additional teachers hired due to the extended school day)

That's about all I've gotten after scouring Education Week and the Chicago Tribune.

Links to articles:
articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07-24/news/ct-met-cps-longer-day-0725-20120724_1_teachers-union-school-day-president-david-vitale

blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2012/09/chicago.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS1

[debatethis]

www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/09/10/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-chicago-teachers-strike-in-one-post/

I am normally pro-union but this strike frustrates me for a variety of reasons including the fact that they won't really say EXACTLY what they're striking for. It's been like trying to nail jello to a wall to get a straight answer out of CTU.
ETA: The students are not in school right now and probably will not be until Wednesday at the earliest.

[NitaX]

Sept 17, 2012 11:38:32 GMT -5 debatethis said:

www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/09/10/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-chicago-teachers-strike-in-one-post/

I am normally pro-union but this strike frustrates me for a variety of reasons including the fact that they won't really say EXACTLY what they're striking for. It's been like trying to nail jello to a wall to get a straight answer out of CTU.
ETA: The students are not in school right now and probably will not be until Wednesday at the earliest.

This is where I am too. It's very frustrating because I can't tell what's wrong with the eval system proposed by CPS or the CTU. So, very confusing.

[NitaX]

Sept 17, 2012 11:39:55 GMT -5 @barefootbarista said:

1) a 19% raise? GTFOOHWTBS. Maybe I'm just bitter because I got 3% last year, after 5 years of stagnant pay.

2) How long is their school day? Our students are in school from 7:05-2:15, 8-3, or 9-4. All grade levels have a 7 hr day.

It was 5 hours and 45 minutes. They just changed to a 7 hour day for Elem kids and 7 1/2 hours for high school kids. Color me shocked because we had 7 hour days when I was a kid and walked barefoot uphill in the snow.

[downtoearth]

On the radio this morning (NPR) they said that they are likely going to go back on Wednesday, but the union is still upset over proposed strategic plans to close 200ish schools in the near future and bus kids all over. Closing schools would mean less teachers, less likely any structural/capital improvments to many schools soon, and would mean more kids on buses for longer each day.

That's all I got for the most recent issue.

Overall the new contract will include all of this...from CTU website and will likely be accepted according to NPR this morning:

The new proposed CTU/CPS contract will:

•Secure Raises & Ensure Fair Compensation: The CTU wants a three-year contract. It will secure a 3% raise in the first year, 2% raise in the second and 2% raise in the third, with the option to extend to a 4th year by mutual agreement at another 3% raise.
•Defeat Merit Pay: The CTU successfully fought the star of national misguided school reform policies. The Board agreed to move away from “Differentiated Compensation,” which would have allowed them to pay one set of teachers (based on unknown criteria) one set of pay versus another set of pay for others.
•Preserve Steps & Lanes: The new contract will preserve the full value of teachers and paraprofessionals career ladder (steps); and, it will increased the value of the highest steps (14, 15 and 16)
•Provide A Better School Day: The Board will hire over 600 additional ‘special’ teachers in art, music, physical education, world languages and other classes to ensure students receive a better school day, a demand thousands of parents have called for since last year
•Ensures Job Security: Creates a “CPS Hiring Pool,” which demands that one-half of all of CPS hires must be displaced (laid-off) members.
•Adds An Anti-Bullying Provision: No more bullying by principals and managerial personnel. The new language will curtail some of the abusive practices that have run rampant in many neighborhood schools.
•Paraprofessional & Clinicians Prep Time: The new contract will guarantee preps for clinicians.
•Racial Diversity: The CTU continues to fight the District on its lay-off policies that has led to a record number of African American educators being laid off and eventually terminated by the District. The new contract will ensure that CPS recruits a racially diverse teaching force.
•New Recall Rights & Tackling School Closings: Acknowledging, the CTU will continue its ongoing legal and legislative fight for a moratorium on all school closings, turnarounds and phase-outs, the new contract requires teachers to “follow their students” in all school actions. This will reduce instability among students and educators. The contract will also have 10 months of “true recall” to the same school if a position opens.
•Fairer Evaluation Procedures: The new contract will limit CPS to 70% “teacher practice,” 30% “student growth” (or test scores)—which is the minimum by state law. It also secures in the first year of implementation of the new evaluation procedures there will be “no harmful consequences” for tenured teachers. It also secures a new right—the right to appeal a rating.
•Reimbursement for School Supplies: The contract will require the District to reimburse educators for the purchase of school supplies up to $250.
•Additional Wrap-Around Services: The Board agrees to commit to hire nurses, social workers and school counselors if it gets new revenue. Over the past several months, the CTU has identified several sources of new revenue, including the Tax Increment Financing program.
•Books on Day One: For the first time, the new contract will guarantee all CPS students and educators have textbooks on day one and will not have to wait up to six weeks for learning materials.
•Unified School Calendar: The new contract will improve language on a unified calendar. The District will have one calendar for the entire school district and get rid of Track E and Track R schools. All students and teaching personnel will begin on the same schedule.
•Reduced Paperwork: The new contract ensures the new paperwork requirements are balanced against reduction of previous requirements.

[OscarQ]

How is this playing out locally? I'm usually pro-union and pro-PS teachers but I'm not feeling this strike. Is the general public in Chicago with the teachers?

ETA: I should have googled first. Although I'm not sure of the credibility of these sources. Headline "Sixty-six percent of CPS parents support Chicago teachers' strike" www.pslweb.org/liberationnews/news/sixty-six-percent-of-cps.html

But some parents seem to be getting rightfully pissed off at the inconvenience: www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-cps-strike-end-parent-reaction-20120917,0,5011796.story

[karinothing]

Sept 17, 2012 11:44:07 GMT -5 OscarQ said:

How is this playing out locally? I'm usually pro-union and pro-PS teachers but I'm not feeling this strike. Is the general public in Chicago with the teachers?

On NPR they were talking about this (but I don't know from personal experience). Anyway, they said that Chicago is a big union town and a lot of people are connected to teachers in some way so they hadn't seen too much frustration yet (this was last week). The unions also opened child care centers, so I imagine that helps.

[karinothing]

That is really interesting that they don't want attendance included in the evaluation process. I think I can understand that. I was reading a file at work the other day and the child had a horrible school attendance record because her mom just never took her. It seems kind of sucky to be evaluated on that issue when we are talking elementary kids that are at the will of their parents.

[karinothing]

Sept 17, 2012 11:49:23 GMT -5 @barefootbarista said:

Sept 17, 2012 11:48:12 GMT -5 karinothing said:

That is really interesting that they don't want attendance included in the evaluation process. I think I can understand that. I was reading a file at work the other day and the child had a horrible school attendance record because her mom just never took her. It seems kind of sucky to be evaluated on that issue when we are talking elementary kids that are at the will of their parents.

They are talking about teacher attendance, correct? And not student attendance?

oooh, well then I don't get that. I mean are teachers out a lot? I can't remember my teachers being gone all that much when I was in school. Is this an issue?

[runforrest]

The 200 schools that Rahm wants to close - does it say why? Are they in poor condition, not full, etc?

[ttt]

Somebody just tell me whose side I should be on here.

[Deleted]

Sept 17, 2012 12:27:43 GMT -5 asdfjkl said:

Sept 17, 2012 11:48:12 GMT -5 karinothing said:

That is really interesting that they don't want attendance included in the evaluation process. I think I can understand that. I was reading a file at work the other day and the child had a horrible school attendance record because her mom just never took her. It seems kind of sucky to be evaluated on that issue when we are talking elementary kids that are at the will of their parents.

No. They don't want THEIR OWN attendance included. Like teachers don't want the attendance of TEACHERS (not students) included in the evaluation process.

Unbelievable. As are most of their other demands.

[2vermont]

Sept 17, 2012 11:39:55 GMT -5 @barefootbarista said:

1) a 19% raise? GTFOOHWTBS. Maybe I'm just bitter because I got 3% last year, after 5 years of stagnant pay.

2) How long is their school day? Our students are in school from 7:05-2:15, 8-3, or 9-4. All grade levels have a 7 hr day.

I read somewhere that the raise was over a chunk of time...I think 5-6 years.

[teflep]

Sept 17, 2012 11:35:11 GMT -5 NitaX said:

Honestly, the more I read the more confused I get.

1 .Pay
What I've seen - is that there is still some discussion about giving pay raises. The district went to a longer school day and an independent report said that the teachers should be paid between 15-20% more the longer day.

2. Teacher Evaluations
There is a lot of pushback on the new teacher eval system proposed, but I still haven't seen what the teachers think that should look like. The state has required a new Teacher Eval system be put in place by ... Sept. 2012! But, the state didn't say what it must look like. It laid out components of the eval system, but left it up to the districts to work with unions to hammer out the details.

3. Classrooms Sizes and Conditions
There are still classrooms that don't have air conditioning. And there is discussion of the number of students in classrooms.

4. Job Recall Provisions
Due to budget constraints, some teachers have been laid off. The union wants those teachers to be placed in a poor to be rehired. (There will need to be additional teachers hired due to the extended school day)

That's about all I've gotten after scouring Education Week and the Chicago Tribune.

Links to articles:
articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07-24/news/ct-met-cps-longer-day-0725-20120724_1_teachers-union-school-day-president-david-vitale

blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2012/09/chicago.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS1

Most of Baltimore schools don't have A/C. As does much of upstate NY. Why is this an issue? Crappy? Sure, but really??

[teflep]

Sept 17, 2012 12:27:43 GMT -5 asdfjkl said:

Sept 17, 2012 11:48:12 GMT -5 karinothing said:

That is really interesting that they don't want attendance included in the evaluation process. I think I can understand that. I was reading a file at work the other day and the child had a horrible school attendance record because her mom just never took her. It seems kind of sucky to be evaluated on that issue when we are talking elementary kids that are at the will of their parents.

No. They don't want THEIR OWN attendance included. Like teachers don't want the attendance of TEACHERS (not students) included in the evaluation process.

I'm sorry, what? WTF, damn right your own attendance should be included, just like all others. Especially since most days out are probably "sick" days as most school districts dont get many personal ones.

[Deleted]

My third story classroom in bmore had no AC....and no windows that opened. It sucked in the hot months, but we survived. And it was hotter in Bmore for longer than in Chicago.

Heck, we had long periods with no heat! Now THAT was fun....teaching while seeing your breath.

A 19% raise for FINALLY working a normal teaching day is insane.

And Jesus. Who on earth thinks its not ok to exclude your own attendance? That is ridiculous. Of course that should be a factor.

[teflep]

Yeah, 19% raise for working a normal day? Uhm, okay.

[bronxgirl]

I feel like I should be on the side of the teachers and I know that it's a really hard job, but the more I read the more I disagree with their position. I'm not really a fan of either side, but I just can't get on board with these demands.

[teflep]

Sept 18, 2012 11:44:23 GMT -5 asdfjkl said:

Sept 18, 2012 5:07:34 GMT -5 teflep said:

Most of Baltimore schools don't have A/C. As does much of upstate NY. Why is this an issue? Crappy? Sure, but really??

Does Baltimore get as hot as Chicago. Upstate NY definitely does not. Chicago saw several 100+ days this past year and they regularly see 90+ days. When you factor in the humidity that is an issue in Chicago, it's pretty miserable.

I went to a catholic school for HS and we didn't have A/C either (though they have it now), so yeah, this shouldn't be like "WE CAN'T TEACHER THROUGH THE HEAT!!!" But it would be miserable, especially given the longer school year which takes you further out into the summer.

Yes, we are considered the south (I know upstate does not, but they sure do have 90+ days). We had a lot of 100+ days and with being on the Chesapeake, we get veeeeery humid.

[teflep]

Plus, if it gets to 90 by 11, you get early dismissal here, but that is not until 12, at earliest.

[darthnbjenni]

Good lord, they should try working an 8 hour day and having at least one admin walk-through a week in their classroom, with a mandatory 96% attendance rate or you're replaced - for the lovely starting pay of $27k!

[teflep]

Sept 18, 2012 13:02:43 GMT -5 asdfjkl said:

Sept 18, 2012 12:34:41 GMT -5 teflep said:

Plus, if it gets to 90 by 11, you get early dismissal here, but that is not until 12, at earliest.

And the bottom line to me, I know I've said this before, but they aren't really striking over this because it's not new. So let's not pretend they're all noble fighting for the resources available to the students. No. This shit was shit last year and last decade. The thing that's new is the length of the school day and the evaluation process. THAT is what you are striking over.

oh I agree. I was arguing their logic, not yours