A Cook County judge declined to rule Monday on Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s request for a temporary restraining order to end the teacers' strike there, because the strike could end any day now. The Chicago Teachers Union House of Delegates is expected to vote on a tentative contract deal today. A best-case scenario could see students back in school Wednesday, after seven days away from their classrooms.
Two major sticking points remain in the contract negotiations: a new teacher-evaluation system and job security. The city filed a request for the temporary restraining order, saying the strike violates state law, which prohibits teachers from striking over such matters as layoff and recall policies, teacher evaluations, class sizes and length of the school day and year.
“The CTU’s repeated statements and recent advertising campaign have made clear that these are exactly the subjects over which the CTU is striking,” reads the city’s motion.
In a statement, CTU fired back, saying the city’s motion was vindictive. “This attempt to thwart our democratic process is consistent with (May Rahm Emanuel’s) bullying behavior toward public school educators.”
Regardless of the cost, Chicago’s public school students, especially those from poor families, will pay the highest price for the strike, said Jessica Handy, policy director at Stand for Children Illinois, which champions issues related to public education and graduation rates.
“The strike in ’87, that went on for 19 days,” she said. “The district laid off 700 positions, and with the savings from those layoffs they were able to afford the raises from the strike. Who won there? " asked Handy. "It didn’t serve anybody well. It depleted enrollment and hurt the neediest children the most.”
You can read Jayette's full report at: http://watchdog.org/56551/il-strike-costs-unclear-poor-students-to-pay-highest-price-expert-says/
1 comment:
What? Old Rahm should give them all they want? While a number of our citizens are suffering in this economy.
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