It’s back to school for the largest majority of Chicago’s school children, the near 400,000 who will attend Chicago Public Schools. Never in my lifetime has the beginning of a school year been marked with so much uncertainty. One can almost not mention the dawning school year without a great big BUT showing up. I have been talking to a…
Tag: Chicago Teachers Union
Killing Black Children on The Front End and On the Back
Two major news announcements were made in Chicago on Friday. And I find a striking and sickening parallel between them. The first piece of buried news was the release of the available video of the shooting of an unarmed, 18-year-old Black “man” last week at the hands of a Chicago Police officer. The second was the announcement that 480 Chicago…
Parents = The Primary Teacher
Parenting is a pretty tough job. It demands all of you- then even a little more. Their child seems to be their world and they do everything necessary to help them survive. However, once the child enters school, there seems to be a dramatic shift. As a former public school teacher, I often wonder why was it that so many…
When is Student Appreciation Week in Chicago?
This week is #TeacherAppreciationWeek and if anyone tells you this week isn’t necessary, they’re clearly out of their mind. Teachers play a huge role obviously in the development of our children and help shape our children’s character. There are plenty of teachers who go above the call of duty in the name of education. They rise early to prepare for…
Englewood Chess Coach Asked To Give Up April 1 Pay
Chicago Public School teacher Joseph Ocol didn’t participate in CTU’s organized strike that occurred on April 1, 2016. As a result the chess coach from Earle STEM Academy teacher has claimed to received a plethora of threats.
I’ll Tell You What Parents Resist: Low-Performing Schools
The Walton Foundation won’t be funding charter work in Chicago any time soon. That news came to charter school and school quality advocates as an undeniable setback for a movement that has engaged thousands of parents and provided access to college and careers for multiplied thousands of students in Chicago. But it also seemed to set anti-charter advocates like Diane…
Turns Out Karen Lewis and Bruce Rauner Have a Lot in Common
Yesterday at a City Club of Chicago luncheon, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis equated Governor Bruce Rauner with Islamic State terrorists. She suggested that his behavior is equivalent to “acts of terror on poor and working-class people.” That’s a very harsh comment. Even if it is being directed at a governor who seems content to watch the lives of…
I Was Hoping the CPS Walk-Out Was an April Fool’s Joke
As a parent of a Chicago Public School student, I am deeply frustrated, yet not surprised, that the Chicago Teachers Union plans walk out on CPS students and families yet again. I hoped their plans to not show up for work on April 1 was just a bad April Fools joke, but unfortunately it seems to be a reality.