Regardless of what you might hear in the news, understand this one thing: If the Chicago Teachers Union goes on strike, it will be about money…period. Now, if you have been listening to the TV news or consuming a ton of social media, you might think that the pending strike is a referendum on all things Chicago Public Schools. You…
Tag: Chicago
Ald. Brookins Against Teacher Strike
On October 11, Chicago public school teachers may go on strike for the second time in four years, not including an illegal one-day strike last Spring. Eighty-seven percent of union members voted to support the strike but the vote was criticized for intimidating teachers who might be opposed to the planned walkout. Pro-union politicians, including Alderman Howard Brookins and State Representative LaShawn Ford have publicly discouraged a strike because of…
Reason #1 on Why CPS Teachers Shouldn’t Go on Strike (5-part series)
The central question in this whole “teacher strike” fight is this: Do teachers in Chicago make enough money? In a word…yes. When it get’s down to it, teachers (especially teachers in Chicago Public Schools) are heroes. At some level, there is no amount of money that we could EVER pay them that would be “enough” for the service that they…
CPS Teacher Questions Where is the Same Outcry for Our Students?
Though I support my fellow educators in their outcry to be heard, to be compensated fairly, and to have a voice in a field that is too often thankless and, in today’s society, the world’s punching bag, before I can agree on the terms in which they choose to strike I ponder, “Where is this same outcry for our students?”…
Strike Will Hurt Our Kids
The teachers strike will seriously hurt our kids. My husband and I made the decision to send our son to Catholic school because we didn’t want anyone putting a price tag on his education. We didn’t want to wake up one day to an email stating that his school was closed and he won’t learn anything for the day. If…
A Tale of Two Cities: How Race and Poverty Shape Educational Outcomes and the Need for Reform
In recent weeks Chicago Unheard has posted two open letters. The letters reflect two very different perspectives and two different experiences in Chicago’s education system. While both of the letters come from people within the same Chicago Public School District, it seems that they come from two different worlds. In one of these worlds, middle-class families (mostly white) endeavor to…
Something IS Working
There is a lot going wrong in Chicago right now. Violence seems to be an unsolvable mystery. We can’t quite get fair school funding from the state. A teacher strike is looming and, let’s face it, the Bears look terrible. But, there are glimmers of hope for those of us who still believe in Chicago and those of us who…
CPS Students Set New ACT Score Record
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Public Schools announced Monday that students acheived a record high average ACT score. CPS students scored an average of 18.4 on the 2015-2016 ACT exam, which represents the highest composite score for the district on record. “Chicago’s schools are realizing record-high academic achievements, progress that could not be made if it were not for the…