So what's going on today? A strike?

Last summer I was apart of the efforts to begin to educate parents across the city on the potential Chicago Teachers Union strike for the 2015/2016 School year. For us, it was important that we begin the conversation with parents early, rather than later about what exactly negotiations entailed. In this town, complex political debates can easily come down to sound bites that don't explain the underlying issues, the past attempts, and the LIES. Sometimes issues can come down to simple hashtags...

Unfortunately education around the strike hasn't been the best. At my children's own schools we are left clueless, and if it wasn't for my own research and advocacy I would be confused and frustrated. In case you are, this blog is for you.

Back in June I detailed what were the original contract demands that Chicago Teachers Union had put forward last year this time. Fast forward to April 1st 2016, and today's walk out not only is the Union and CPS' contract negotiations being  brought to the forefront, attention to the funding crisis we have in the state and it's impact on CPS is also at the center of today's mass actions. The state crisis has been pitched as the blame to why the district is offering teachers to pay more into their pensions which serves as their social security.

Today's walk out hopes to use the united power of the union and ally community groups and other organizations and the shared frustration of state budget cuts and unfair political and policy systems to pressure government officials. However, it has been very easy to have today's walkout, the 2012 strike, and the 2013 mass school closures for that matter be about the union versus the Mayor/Claypool/Rauner...but what is happening in the state and our school system is much more complicated, and should move parents beyond today.

For years the district has mis-prioritized funds, like the continuation of the building of another selective enrollment highs school in the near loop area despite the same ward it's being built in having tremendous capital needs for the other schools. When it comes to the districts prioritizations of funds I have another blog that shows more examples. There is also the complicated story of our unspent TIF funds and the reality of it's slush fund behavior, something else my blog has addressed, and if you know me well can tell you too much about.

Sometimes when I am in education activist spaces Chicago Public School parents are not at the helm of the decision making. My point is whatever your situation is on April 1st I suggest us parents work on a few things to ensure that our love for OUR children is resonated. While you can join many of the actions going on throughout the city there are ways we can begin to make sure we our state budget crisis and the CTU negotiations encompass increased learning support for out children. Here are some ways you can be involved today and moving forward:

1. Make sure you vote in your schools LSC elections and attend your LSC meetings at your children's schools. LSC's are a way to learn from your Teacher rep about what is going on and ask questions in general about your school.

2. Try to sign up for Board of Education meetings. This can be difficult, but usually a week before the monthly meetings you can sign up via phone and online at the CPS website to give testimony and share your own position of education issues.

3. Organize a meeting and request a CTU delegate or your school's delegate to discuss the contract negotiations. Our parents need to know what is going on, and right know our media does not do a good job telling the story. The delegate should be willing to even if it is after school and maybe outside of the school.

5. Contact your state legislators for both the Elected representative School Board legislation and the need for a passed state budget that restores our human services and funds our CPS schools fairly. Below are some key numbers that I borrowed from the great people at Raise Your Hand.

Elected Representative School Board

The movement to win an elected representative school board comes from the lived experiences of parents and educators throughout the city that have witnessed unsound and unjust policies and practices that have been finalized by the Chicago Board of Education. Much of this has come in the last ten years, as the past appointed boards have gone against much criticism and moved forward with  mass school closures. The reality of many of the past school actions is that they have used ineffective measurements for academic and school utilization. This means the school board has made devastating decisions while families across the city saw schools that were not underutilized-closed and sent to schools where they experienced over crowding, and school communities experienced increased bullying and saw resources irresponsibly spent, despite the reasons for many of these difficult decisions being based in "fiscal responsibility".

The work around winning an elected school board has been moving as many throughout the City were asking the questions, "how do we change this system"? The roots of this is based in the lack of accountability and democracy, which does not allow for the tension between the people and elected officials that makes for those in power to want to seem to do the right thing, and encourages deliberation.

Will it work?

So many have shared that this approach may not work and will intensify politics in Chicago Public Schools. Well...politics exists in the current Board. The current Board has been and continues to be full of political interests, from the bad bonds authorized by stakeholders of those financial institutions, bad contracts with paybacks, and land and real estate interests guiding decisions. There is also an opportunity for measures that can limit things like caps on financial contributions to allow for less politics.

What is the proposal?

·         House Bill 4268 provides that: 

o   On March 15, 2016, the terms of all currently appointed members of the Board will expire and abolish.

o   13 new members are to then be elected.

§  Four electoral regions: Southeast Side, Southwest Side, West/Central Region, and the North Region. Each region must be represented by 3 members, except the North region which will have 4 members. Each region must have 2 parent members and 1 community member.

 

§  Eligibility requirements: must be at least 18 years old; parent or legal guardian of a child enrolled in the public school region; and be a resident of the region. Eligible persons must obtain a petition with at least 250 signatures in order to be placed on the ballot.

§  7 members will serve 4-year terms and 6 members will serve 2-year terms, in order to create staggered terms.


In the 26th and 27th ward over 2,500 petition signatures were collected in 2014 where residents, and over 89% of the residents all over the City voted for an elected representative school board. However, now there is political maneuvering for the State and the Governor who once used the same unelected system for his own education reform agenda, now wants control. This would make the state have control over the Charter School Commission and the Board. Let's be clear at this point it is only the people that are really thinking about our children first.