This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.
Parents, students and teachers are own to stop it. CTU president Karen Lewis' words ring hollow. She'll collaborate with Emanuel if plans are pursued in a "reasonable way."
"We understand the whole movement of closing schools and doing it aggressively," she said."We either do this together in some reasonable way or we will always be fighting, and I think the key is that the people that are making these decisions want to make them unilaterally."
"Instead of sitting in air conditioned buildings with your spreadsheets, come talk to us and look and see what's really going on."
Lewis has her own interests in mind. Saving teacher jobs is key. Fewer teachers means fewer union members, less revenue, and less power and income for her and other CTU officials.
Laid off or fired teachers want jobs back with fair pay and benefits. They want contractual language assuring it. Emanuel's hardline. He insists principals decide who's hired and fired at schools they run. Key is replacing higher-paid teachers with lower-paid new ones. He also wants tenure ended.
In July, an "interim agreement" involved lengthening the school day with no added pay. Teacher concessions yielded little. A small number laid off benefitted marginally.
Those rehired got "interim" deals. They remain vulnerable to future layoffs after one semester. Emanuel even wants this scheme ended. He's all take and no give. He wants schools privatized, profits prioritized, union influence neutered, and teachers, parents and kids hung out to dry.
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
