Chicago Teachers Strike tonight Midnight!!!!

I also wanted to add that strikes with unions for things that are paid with taxes are troublesome for the following reason: When you have a strike against a private company, there is a good check/balance between the company and the employees. Neither want the company to go under because they demand too much and the company wants to keep workers and keep the business running and not on strike.

The problem when the money involved is not a private business but the government, there is that missing balance. The employees can keep asking for more and more because the government has a "limited supply of money" and cant "go under" ... it just isnt the same as a private business. It involves the whole community in this case. When a private business goes on strike, it just wont have the same type of impact as when the teachers do.

I know many teachers who are getting out and feel they are stuck in a situation they dont like. They are sweet people. A lot of time they dont want what is happening. At least the ones I have talked to. But I'm not in Chicago.

I hope I explained that well enough. Words are escaping me today.

reply to post by Kali74


That is good info to know Kali. I dont like it when they teach to the tests.

no more brainwash for the kids
best news in a while

Originally posted by Kali74
The strike has a lot more to do with 'Teaching to the Test' than it does a 4% pay raise. The curriculum in public schools across the country is utterly disgusting. Students are taught simply to pass State Standardized tests and taught nothing of true value, this is extremely upsetting to teachers across the nation, but sure let's kust keep demonizing them because they're Union.

democracynow.org

Legally the only thing teachers can strike for is compensation so they're using it... go beyond the rhetoric people, come on.

edit on 10-9-2012 by Kali74 because: (no reason given)

^Exactly. Thank you.

Everyone here moaning about teachers doesn't have a clue as to what teachers actually do. This strike is really about how teaching to a test is the worst possible thing for students. It's not even worth it to argue with people about it anymore. People will continue to remain willfully ignorant and slam teachers all the time.

I was a public school teacher for twelve years. I have a BA and a minor in the subjects I taught, and I have a master's in teaching. I worked my keister off. What the teachers make (on average) in Chicago is exactly what it should be considering they have to obtain a master's degree, don't work all year, and live in a more expensive area of the country. If they worked all year, then they should expect more pay than they currently receive. My husband has less education than I do and made more money than I ever did as a public school teacher, just to put it in perspective for those who want to moan about what they're paid.

This is just one of many things I began to resent about teaching, which is why I'm ever so glad that this past year was my last. I have officially moved on to a new career and so far it is far better. Any debt real or imagined I have ever owed to this society was paid off long ago in my book. I think the whiners need to step up now.

How do Bilingual teachers fall into play? If they agree to the contract that says they should be promoted or fired by the test scores of each student , Bilingual test scores are slightly lower because of the language barrier, should a hard working teacher be punished for working his/her ass off because of a language barrier?

Originally posted by ritchy71
How do Bilingual teachers fall into play? If they agree to the contract that says they should be promoted or fired by the test scores of each student , Bilingual test scores are slightly lower because of the language barrier, should a hard working teacher be punished for working his/her ass off because of a language barrier?

Of course, they should! Also, teachers of truant students and those who randomly bubble in answers and then fall asleep should be fired as well. The best teachers can't make kids care about a standardized test if their lives suck outside of school. But, they should be fired regardless. /sarcasm

Originally posted by Destinyone
reply to post by jhn7537

 

The only good outcome to this, would be the Teacher's Unions finally showing how utterly heavy handed they really are. They have placed their charges in danger, for the sake of power and greed. I hope people kick them to the curb....

Chicago should pull a Reagan, like during the air traffic controllers union strike...fire all their happy asses, hire all new teachers. The ones who want a job, who want to teach.

Des

edit on 9-9-2012 by Destinyone because: (no reason given)

this,
On August 5, following the PATCO workers' refusal to return to work, Reagan fired the 11,345 striking air traffic controllers who had ignored the order

Originally posted by Ben81
no more brainwash for the kids
best news in a while

I felt the same way Ben,

reply to post by LeSigh


LOL I see, so in any case no matter what thesituation , ALL kid's are the same and ALL Teacher's should be punished regardless of what anyone is dealing with in or outside the classroom,...Even Special Ed.

Originally posted by ritchy71
reply to post by LeSigh

 

LOL I see, so in any case no matter what thesituation , ALL kid's are the same and ALL Teacher's should be punished regardless of what anyone is dealing with in or outside the classroom,...Even Special Ed.

Yep, you're catching on, ritchy71! Under no circumstances can logic ever guide policy when it comes to education.

Originally posted by Stormdancer777

Originally posted by Ben81
no more brainwash for the kids
best news in a while

I felt the same way Ben,

You (and all the others who want these striking teachers fired) should totally drive out to Chicago and volunteer your free time as a substitute teacher while this strike is going on.

I'm really glad to see that some of these comments are on the line of the union being crazy to strike and the teachers are being overpaid.

My wife was a CPS teacher for about two years. The first school she got laid off from because she was "last hired, first fired". Many of the teachers in that inner city school just watched movies the entire day with the kids. It was more like a paid babysitting gig.

The second school she got laid (fired?) from was a grammer school from hyde park. The principal was firing all the teachers that weren't black males. If you look at the staff of the school, it is now 75% that. This school was actually a nicer school and the teachers actually taught....even the ones that were fired/laid off.

I'm above mad with this entire strike thing. I think it's bs. They are complaining about compensation and loosing their jobs after a kid fails a standardized test two times in a row. I haven't received an increase in pay for about 3 years now, and the price of everything is going up. And these bozo's want a 30% raise over the next two years? Come on.

In the real world, you are also held accountable if you do not perform. Just like the scoring of standardized tests, you have to perform a certain way in order to keep your job. If you don't meet the expectations of your boss, you could get fired.

I ****really**** hope that the union does not get their way. I think it's only fair that these teachers have to suffer like the rest of America and be held to standards.

The average CPS teacher, who has about 14 years of experience, gets a total compensation equal to about $74,798/year or $34.50/hour. The average percentage of CPS students who meet or exceed state standards is 66%. The percentage of CPS 11th graders who meet college readiness benchmarks is 21% in Reading, 19% in Math, 11% in Science and 38% in English.

The average Chicagoan works a comparable schedule to a CPS teacher, yet earns half as much in total compensation, 33 fewer days off, higher health care costs for lower quality health benefits and either a 401(k) that they contribute heavily into or no retirement package at all.

Thus, under the current union contract, taxpayers are paying teachers double their own salaries in exchange for student achievement that leaves about 80% of graduating CPS high school students below college readiness standards.

Originally posted by AkumaStreak
Nice to see everyone putting the kids first. As usual.

the kids are going to benefit.

i bet some of them are still coloring.

Chicago Teachers vs. Astroturf Billionaires



98% of CPS teachers voted to strike. Now, I know from personal experience that in public schools around the country, there are a substantial number of teachers that aren't all that enthusiastic about their unions. In order for such a high percentage of teachers to favor a strike, you should understand that almost all of them must believe they are being shafted in some way.

So far, most people in this thread have given their uninformed opinions. Watch the video and hear it straight from the union. I support them 100%.

reply to post by LeSigh


Please inform me how informed you are about my informedness.

Yes, I just used that word. Hey, if doctors can say "Coumadinized" in a medical dictation, I can say weird words on a forum.

In this specific case in Chicago, I cant say I respect the head cheese of the union.

Again, this is why I prefer small towns. I pretty much know everyone on the board and the teachers, related to one even. LoL. I also think smaller, privately run schools get the job done better than public ones do.

Originally posted by FrogLover
reply to post by LeSigh

 

I also think smaller, privately run schools get the job done better than public ones do.

Easy to do when your school doesn't have to take everyone who walks through the door, isn't it?

Originally posted by LeSigh
So far, most people in this thread have given their uninformed opinions. Watch the video and hear it straight from the union. I support them 100%.

As the other poster said, I don't know how we can be 'uninformed'. The biggest reason for the strike is the ability to get fired if a kid doesn't do well on testing. And oh, btw, it's the 16% increase in pay over the next four years.

I believe for once in history, CPS should not let the union get their way. You're going to have to understand that getting an increase in pay every year isn't happening for everybody, let alone job security.

BTW, for the "uninformed", you can get informed here....

chicago.cbslocal.com...

Originally posted by AkumaStreak
Nice to see everyone putting the kids first. As usual.

My thoughts exactly... What about the education of the children they are supposed to be teaching? They're punishing them too with this strike and you know for each day they are on strike, those kids are going to have make up that day during their summer vacation....

I am sure the kids are enjoying this at the moment.... But in the long run, these teachers might as well just slap them in the face. The message I am getting from these teachers are that they feel their wants are more important the the education and future of the children they are supposed to teach...

They need to figure it out and get back to school...You're screwing over the kids with your pettiness and greed.

reply to post by gimme_some_truth


Yes, screwing over the kids and DEFINITELY screwing over the working parents who now have to either A.) take off time to watch their young child or B.) pay someone to watch their kid, well if they cant find someone to do them a favor... and if this continues, it could really put a lot of stress on these working parents...