Strike: Obama's Chicago in Chaos as Teachers Walk Out on Needy Kids

Strike: Obama's Chicago in Chaos as Teachers Walk Out on Needy Kids

Chicago mayor, Rahm Emanuel seems to have a problem with the Teachers union.

They are on strike.

It's been 25 years since the last strike.

Naturally this seems like the standard Unions vs Government.

But I bet the deals are sealed already and they are just putting on a show to rival recent Union fallbacks in other cities and states.

Rahm Emanuel always said "never let a good crisis go to waste"

They will manipulate this for political reasons.

Watch the "outcome" of this to appear to be in favor of the Unions.

Watch how they will "justify" tax increases later on.

This strike is in Chicago, not Wisconsin.

President Barack Obama's home town is in chaos as the Chicago Teachers Union has declared a strike starting Monday for the first time in 25 years, defying former Obama chief of staff, now Chicago mayor, Rahm Emanuel.

Parents are outraged as children struggling through the city's troubled school system will now miss critical days at the start of the year. Working families are scrambling to make alternative arrangements for child care.

The strike pits Emanuel, a key figure in Obama's political constellation against a vital left-wing constituency--namely, teachers' unions. Teacher pay, benefits, and job security were all issues upon which the two sides failed to agree. However, the broader picture is the political struggle between unions and Democrat politicians as a new wave of Republican reformers and conservative reformist policies has emerged to threaten both.

CHICAGO (CBS) – A day after Chicago Public Schools’ teachers overwhelmingly authorized a strike, CBS 2 wanted to know how much the average teacher earns.

As CBS 2’s Dana Kozlov found out, it depends on who you ask.

Salary figures provided by the Chicago Public Schools show teachers here have the highest average salary of any city in the nation. But, according to the Chicago Teachers Union’s calculations, Chicago teachers would rank second behind New York City.
How Much Do Chicago Public School Teachers Make?

The "Strike" is perfect timing

Glad to know that Rahm's kids won't be subject to this strike. They attend the University of Chicago's Laboratory School. The same school where the Obamas sent their daughters.

It's only $23-$26k a year and $16k a year for half day nursery school. Plus extra Fees!! What a bargain!!
www.ucls.uchicago.edu...

Don't expect to see Michelle or Obama speak up on behalf of the poor kids from the south side of Chicago. She only connects with them when she needs them...

Another Bretbart biased spin article. Everything is somehow Obama's fault on that site.

From the Christian Science Monitor Link

Among other things, the striking teachers oppose plans to hold them accountable for what their students learn in the classroom. Given that the centerpiece of the Obama administration’s education reform strategy is teacher evaluation, the strike marks a major pushback against a national movement.

So, it appears among other things the teachers are opposing having national requirements placed on local schools. Basically saying they don't want the federal government telling them what they should teach though programs such as "no child left behind"'.

Interesting indeed.

reply to post by xuenchen


A teachers strike causes "chaos!!!!!!!"

Everyone listen up, some idiot in the US has just redefined the word "chaos" to actually mean "inconvenient".

I don't see what the big deal is here. If you think this is bad, just wait until all the other unions join in and start demanding. It's gonna happen.

If this is all it takes to cause "chaos", then when the real cuts hit next year America is going to be in "anarchy" (probably redefined as "unacceptably inconvenient!")

Originally posted by Kaploink
Another Bretbart biased spin article. Everything is somehow Obama's fault on that site.

From the Christian Science Monitor Link

Among other things, the striking teachers oppose plans to hold them accountable for what their students learn in the classroom. Given that the centerpiece of the Obama administration’s education reform strategy is teacher evaluation, the strike marks a major pushback against a national movement.

So, it appears among other things the teachers are opposing having national requirements placed on local schools. Basically saying they don't want the federal government telling them what they should teach though programs such as "no child left behind"'.

Interesting indeed.

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

Wrong. Blame Obama's "race to the top" not "no child left behind"

The new system would eventually use students' standardized test scores as 40 percent of a teacher's yearly evaluation. Teachers who don't improve their students' test scores would be fired.

Many Democrats, including Emanuel's former boss President Barack Obama, embrace this test-based way of judging educators. The president's "Race to the Top" federal program awarded money to states that agreed to rate teachers this way and institute other reforms, like encouraging the creation of more independent charter schools.

news.yahoo.com...

It's all about the facts.. Interesting indeed!!

reply to post by detachedindividual


For you to answer in such a manner I must assume that you don't have kids and that you have no concept of what it means for a working parent to either not go to work, not get paid or to scramble to find childcare for your children.

Working families are scrambling to make alternative arrangements for child care.

That's what chaos really looks like. I'm sure many of these kids were just left on their own...

If you want chaos brought on by the union thugs.... bring it on...

reply to post by xuenchen


Chicago Bled Dry by Striking Teachers’ Unions

* - Chicago teachers have the highest average salary of any city at $76,000 a year before benefits.

* - Yet the teachers rejected a 16 percent salary increase over four years.

* - Teachers pay only 3 percent of their health-care costs.

* - out of every new dollar set aside for public education in Illinois in the last five years, a full 71 cents has gone to teacher retirement costs.

* - But beyond the dollars, the fact is that Chicago schools need a fundamental shakeup — which of course the union is resisting. It is calling for changes in the teacher-evaluation system it just negotiated by making student performance less important.

* - Just 15 percent of fourth graders are proficient in reading and only 56 percent of students who enter their freshman year of high school wind up graduating.

***The above info is from the source I linked. However I did not quote all of the information, opting instead to point out the specifics. Please read the article for the full story.***

At one point in our history Unions were needed to guarantee a safe working enviornment, to guarantee no sweat shop labor, to protect against unlawful terminations and to ensure a decent wage.

Now we seem to have reached the point where a union is only intrested in bleeding the system dry while demanding more and more concessions / pay / benefits.

reply to post by jibeho


Its a F&^%N set up / plan what ever.. they do not get zip.. if they can't take the 16% it is not a real strike them. NO one has good jobs now they are just lucky they have a job and most people still have kids.. so a never ending job to boot.. GOT OVER IT.. or better yet FIRE them ALL.. I am sure there are LOTS of out of work people who would Love to move there and teach.. I hear there are LOTS OF EMPTY houses there also...A good way to grow the city..

I am really surprised this isnt getting more attention..........

You know why? Because all of the pro union people will have to face the fact that Unions aren dirty leeches in the pocket of the gov , boosting special interest with big bucks and trying to suck us dry......


These teachers are making an average of 70k or more before benefits, 70 K OR MORE! ARE YOU SERIOUS?! and they want MORE?

Not to mention, the literacy rate and education testing levels in chicaco are HORRIBLE, not only are they the TOP paid teachers in the US, they want MORE ? With the horrible job they are doing, most people would be FIRED from their professions........

If i was the mayor , id tell them GET BACK TO WORK, or you wont have 70k a year to complain about......

Naaa its Rahm Emanuel..........this guy is scum of the highest order, hes not gonna do a damn thing about it.....

wheres Chris Christie when you need him.......

reply to post by ManBehindTheMask


There are a few reasons why its not being covered.

* - Rahm Emmanuel is the Chicago Mayor and former chief of staff to the President.
* - This is occuring in a state where Obama lived.
* - Democrats are, in general, the champions of union causes
* - Judging by the benefits they already have it once again highlights why union reform is needed (again a democrat issue).
* - Stoking the fire on this issue can blow up in the Dems faces.
* - Presidential elections are just around the corner and this can be used against Obama as well as other democrats.
* - Since the name of the game currently is fiscal responsibility it would force democrats to try and explain how they are fiscally responsible when the district is running a billion dollar deficit.
* - It can be used to support the argument that the dems (not all) are not able to successfully lead.

This issue is lose lose for both - The dems and the teachers.

etc etc etc....

What Chicago needs is a good community organizer. Let’s give them back Obama.

Let me just say that we pay sports players millions a year. Justin Beiber is a millionaire. Actors are living in huge mansions. All this while we pay our teachers, police, soldiers and fire fighters next to nothing. And you wonder why our education system sucks? You wonder why there are corrupt police? The problem is society has it's priorities upside down. When you pay your entertainers more than the people that educate or protect your children, you're obviously going to have a problem.

reply to post by xuenchen


Got to love the fact that the teachers there are some of the highest pay of any area in the US, yet they are whining about pay, when they were offered 16% pay increase (Who gets a 16% increase these days??) and use students to protest with them.

Chicago teachers, quit crying and go back to work.
If the pay sucks, go get a different job.
What a bunch of cry babies.

reply to post by TrueBlood


well if education was for profit you would have what Europe has every 5 years, student revolts because it cost to much and that is for college + add that to public schools and poof the dumb just got dumber or our taxes shoot through roof cause now we pay some dumb azz 15 million a year to teach social studies. lol

those are private organizations, and although large, nowhere near the size of public school system, if the sports organizations were as large as them i doubt you would be seeing 20 million dollar a year contracts.

on the flip side if we only had 50 public schools for whole country and only 50 teachers per school, then we could offer them 20 million dollar contracts

i agree society is f'd up but you cant compare private/public organizations... they same could be said for the work force "we" pay CEO/cfo ect ect hundreds of thousands a year to millions to basically facebook with share holders and other ceos and sign their name away (hard as that may be) while some shmuck makes 8 bucks and hour shoving his hands down a toilet or garbage compactor or WORSE!

personally i think all teachers education of any level should be completely free, with the bassis that future teacher cant ask for x,y,z pay unless an administrator, why are we making our teachers and doctors pay ANYTHING!! its a countries bloodline,,, if you have stupid unhealthy people, you have a crap society.. but you get what you pay for, and it aint much , if we spent 54% of our budget on internal problems instead of 54% to war /black projects you would see a drastic turn around, but unfortunately , this country only wants its people so smart, if everyone has 500% I.Q,s whos gonna clean the toilets, + how can you trick a society into believing in these fake elections, fake presidents, and fake wars if everyone knows whats up? lol

they just want you smart enough to punch in, punch out, pay taxes, and die. thats it

I have been on a West Wing kick lately and I found this -

Mallory, education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don't need little changes, we need gigantic, monumental changes. Schools should be palaces. The competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be making six-figure salaries. Schools should be incredibly expensive for government and absolutely free of charge to its citizens, just like national defense. That's my position. I just haven't figured out how to do it yet.

Sam Seaborn

Originally posted by macman
reply to post by xuenchen

 

Got to love the fact that the teachers there are some of the highest pay of any area in the US, yet they are whining about pay, when they were offered 16% pay increase (Who gets a 16% increase these days??) and use students to protest with them.
Chicago teachers, quit crying and go back to work.
If the pay sucks, go get a different job.
What a bunch of cry babies.

If they are turning down 16% (over how long?), then what is it that has them upset? That's the key here. As to getting a different job, funny how many people are ready to cheap-out on their children's education by hiring less qualified people who will do the job for less money. Google 'race to the bottom'.

Always lots'a dough for the military, though.

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck

If they are turning down 16% (over how long?), then what is it that has them upset?

Because they feel they are entitled to more. That is the problem. If they were SO concerned with the children and teaching, then they wouldn't be striking and there would be no union.
16% raise over 4 years is still better then what most are getting these days. Except those Fed Employees.
What a crock.

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
As to getting a different job, funny how many people are ready to cheap-out on their children's education by hiring less qualified people who will do the job for less money. Google 'race to the bottom'.

Is it either just a job, or is it a job they love doing?
If it just a job, then the kids are screwed from the start.
If it for the love of teaching, then why scream and strike for more money.
If the money paid in taxes was going towards teaching the kids, then you have an argument.
More money goes towards the Unions, and Union reps each year.
Tax dollars are wasted and pissed away, and the teachers want more money, but that money comes from the tax payer. So, as taxes go up, education results go down and teacher pay continues to rise. That is the problem.

Originally posted by JohnnyCanuck
Always lots'a dough for the military, though.

Nope, the Military does not need lots of money. Just people in charge that know how to spend it wisely and stop the BS of Contracts awarded for weapons systems replacements that suck to begin with.

Originally posted by hollwd
reply to post by jibeho

 

Its a F&^%N set up / plan what ever.. they do not get zip.. if they can't take the 16% it is not a real strike them. NO one has good jobs now they are just lucky they have a job and most people still have kids.. so a never ending job to boot.. GOT OVER IT.. or better yet FIRE them ALL.. I am sure there are LOTS of out of work people who would Love to move there and teach.. I hear there are LOTS OF EMPTY houses there also...A good way to grow the city..

that's what chinese leaders tell their people

reply to post by macman
Wrong on so many counts I'm not even going to continue the discussion. Over and out.

It's just unfathomable that with 8% unemployment and 23 million Americans out of work these teachers go on strike for making over 70k a year for 9 months of work and every govt holiday off. Please bring in all the teachers laid off from other parts of the country to take over for these ungrateful prats.