Yarbrough30,

The increase in a teachers work day per the agreement over the summer between Chicago and the CTU was 14 minutes. The school day increased by 1/2 hour in high schools. Not sure where you came up with 7 hours/week.

Also, a 4% increase/year is about double the cost of living increases for everyone outside Chicago.

The taxpayers already voted. They didn't vote for a property tax increase, meaning the current budget for schools is all the money that is allocated.

Unions should not be able for force a school district to spend in the red, even for future years.

yar,

First, their average pay was significantly higher than that teachers across the Nation are making and their performance is some of the WORST by records.

Second, MOST people's pay has been frozen since 2008, and again these teacher's performance has been pathetic.

Third, this was a great for a Public Official to take a stand and END the way Unions have corrupted everything to do with Public Education. Instead it appears Rahm got a call from the White House, as it's very interesting how quickly his stance changed over the week.

When 46% of the Chicago teachers put THEIR children in Private schools it's very telling, as it means that they do not trust their OWN. I could care less of affordability, as that's a person's choice.

IF Unions are going to be allowed, then LET the MONEY follow the student to Private schools, as otherwise the PUBLIC SECTOR Unions can continue to hold us hostage.

Pathetic Union in this case, as performance should dictate the teacher's pay, not tenure.

No Yar, it's NOT time...you don't get a cost of living increase when your performance is subpar.

IF SPECIFIC TEACHERS that have documented performance results indicating they have excelled, then GREAT, give them increases, but NOT the entire group.

That is the problem, Unions are asking for pay increases for ALL, and ALL do not deserve it.

Can someone tell me why this deal couldn't have been ironed out this past summer?????? It looks like it only took a week anyways and not a single student would have been affected!

It is absolutely wrong to be giving increases of ANY type to teachers or any position when the performance is this poor. 80% of 8th graders are below grade level. 82% of 4th graders can't read at 4th grade level. The teachers responsible should be advised to get them UP, % wise and then you will be heavily rewarded.

But NOPE, Unions are able to hold Gov't and even worse the PEOPLE hostage and demand "Cost of Living" increases while having piss poor performance.

Start rewarding the teachers that perform, and dismiss those that can't. Did you listen to some of the teacher interviews during the strike? It makes me SO happy my child is NOT in public schools...

MRZ,

at that time Rahm was holding firm...He had noted that things needed to change and that the performance was extremely poor.

Anyone that doesn't think that Rahm got a "back door" call from White House is crazy, as earlier this week he was standing firm as well, but in 2 days (Thursday and Friday) his stance caved and Saturday they "ironed" out a deal.

@ Jerry,

I think you see where I was going with this. Then by what your saying is that this has been nothing more than a "horse and pony show" for all of us. I can easily buy into that.

Forget the Children, Forget the Parents, forget what is right and let's vote permanent protections into the system for the complete demise of our Children's Future. Go Union, Go!!!!

Jerry- follow the money to private schools?? Are you crazy? I pay for my sons to go to private school in Chicago- one of the best in the nation. Teachers make over 100k a year. My tuition is almost 20k. This does not include transportation, uniforms or books. I send my sons there not because of the teachers but because of the kids and parents. I do not want my private, Christian school watered down by the lack of care/concern these students have. In addition, you think your taxes are high now? They would double under your assumption. You really do not know what you are talking about. 67k average in Chicago is nothing for a professional. In addition, do not forget to factor in the stipends driving that up- like the extra pay coaches recv. Football coaches make over 100k.

Raging Capitalist- you do realize the states ranked at the top in education are union states, right? It is the nonunion South that ranks at the bottom. Look at Indiana, who turned into a RTW state, they have already begun to drop in rankings.

Yet another crappy msnbc article. It goes on an on about who is going to vote for the new contract at what times, but nothing about the contract itself. What does it say? Who got what concessions? This article is noise with no substance.

As for the teachers, what a selfish lot. They're the highest (or second highest) paid teachers in the country, their performance is crap, and they want more money just for working a few more minutes a day? And they object to having themselves measured against the national testing standards. Smaller class size makes sense, especially given the difficult teaching conditions there, but striking at the beginning of the school year is blackmail.

Yarbrough,

Do you realize the Union aspires to be rewarded for inefficiencies, poor performance and with higher pay? Do you realize the focus of the classroom is not to teach but provide? We have busing, we have school breakfast, we have school lunch, we have unions for teachers, we have rights for those that either speak unintelligible English or another language, we are considering a after school program for caring for children and feeding them dinner. Notice anything here? Nothing about teaching. Ok, so where are the priorities?

The single greatest constant in all of this is the fact that as pay increases quality of education declines. Why is it our children graduate without the ability to recite a complete and concise sentence or the ability to write a complete sentence with a defined thought process? Why is the US so far behind the rest of the world in education? Why are so many other countries racing ahead as we race backwards.

It is impossible to imagine things are going well in our schools. It is realistic to answer that it is much like all the government has their hands in, it is failing as we focus on all the wrong things to improve education. The face of the strikers picketing and the behaviour of these people we are supposed to call the teachers of our children are a disgrace. Why are they worth 40% plus more in wages than a Private School Teacher? Money and tenure are not the answer. Accountability is the answer. When you're in a ditch and you want to get out, it is best to stop digging. We are digging furiously in response to this strike. Perhaps a new direction with the focus on the education of our children. Perhaps we could make the parents answer to something novel---Responsibility.

you do realize the states ranked at the top in education are union states, right? It is the nonunion South that ranks at the bottom. Look at Indiana, who turned into a RTW state, they have already begun to drop in rankings.

And children that go to private schools and/or are home schooled consistently whip the snot out of government/public educated children (no need to look further than seeing who always wins national spelling and geography bees - almost always home schooled or private school kids). So what's your point? America spends more and more every single YEAR on public education yet year after year we continue to get diminishing returns from it. Today's kids are but a shadow of those who were educated just 30 years ago. If you ask a typical 10th grader today what the Preamble is or if you give that person a globe and ask to point to India on it, chances are you will get nothing but a blank look.

Our public school system across the nation is a dismal FAILURE compared to the education programs of other kids around the globe. And this is irrespective of the fact that the NEA teacher's union is nothing but a shill for the Democrat party and most of those teachers are flaming liberals who indoctrinate their students into the left wing mindless emotion driven ideology of liberalism.

And unions are the anchor around America's neck.

Amen Raging Capitalist (nice nickname BTW...you must upset a lot of liberals with that).

MRZ-1191248

Indeed a dog and pony show it is along with it being an important cog in the upcoming Presidential election. Obama has to be thrilled that the unions can claim victory and that it is being "leaked" that he was the power behind their victory. The great master-"leak"er is at it again. Truly a shrewed politician at the top of his game.

Can the average citizen see through the scam. I really have to question whether they are educated enough or engaged enough to do so. If Obama wins in November, the dumbing down of the American student and household will be a major factor.

Let's see the "Hope and Change" so many, including myself, voted for in 2008. Please.

Mayor for Sale!

Price is negotiable, no reasonable offer rejected.

Mayor Emanuel MIA.

At the start of the teacher's strike, he was on a campaign tour for Mr. Obama.

Continued strike discussions and he attends a "Mexican Independence Parade".

Yep, the White House modus operandi has reverberated to Chicago.

BTW: How is the "Man on Five" (Top down) working for you, Chicagoans ? It has worked so well in the White House with Mr. Bixelrod, Mr. Emanual (before), and Valerie Jarrett commanding.

"Frankly we're tired of the political establishment taking credit for every gain the schools make, when we're the ones who do all the work."

What gains? Your schools are ranked among the lowest in nation for both reading and math proficiency. Only 20% of your students test at the grade level they are actually in.

Not a bad idea, but consider this; if we were allowed to vote the salaries and contracts of teachers and other Public Employees why stop there? Wouldn't it be great if we could vote for the Salaries, benefits and Contracts allowed to the members of Congress itself? They are public employees after all is said and done.

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"Those that can, DO. Those that can't, TEACH. Those that can't teach, TEACH GYM CLASS."

.................................................................Woody Allen................................................................

Any delegated union structure is by definition highly UN-DEMOCRATIC. In this age of instant communications there is no excuse to perpetuate a system that encourages cronyism and insider power cliques.

Those that can't teach either become an Administrator or a Union Rep.

They obviously need the pay increase so they can afford to send their kids to private schools and keep up with all the high taxes in Chicago.

AT what point did otherwise good people turn to the act of extortion? This is the lure and trap of embracing the ideology of Obama redistribution of wealth. Forgive the poor dumb bastards. They have been totally indoctrinated into the ideology of failure!

I could not have said it better myself. These teachers get $75,000 a year and I am sure that a lot of them aren't worth it. They get out there and demonstrate for more money and they don't want to be evaluated. Is it any wonder that the drop out rate at the schools are so high. I have no sympathy for them. Every one of them needs to be fired and then if they want to come back, be hired only on an evalutation of their work.

Why do "professional educators" have a union anyways? Other than teachers and some in the health care industry I don't know of any other industry in the US that such unions exist for "professionals". Oh, and please don't tell me athletes and movie stars, I mean "professionals", people with a college degree in the field they work.

@njshoreboater -

Your president does not the feel the same way....http://www.unionfacts.com/article/political-money/ - he depends on these Unions to promote his cause.

"Every day, millions of union members have money taken from their paychecks to support some union presidents’ political agenda. In 1996, Rutgers economics professor Leo Troy estimated that union political expenditures totaled about $500 million in each election cycle. More recently, the National Institute for Labor Relations Research estimated that total union political expenditures reached $925 million in the 2004 cycle. Over time, this has added up: According to The Center for Responsive Politics, eight of the top ten all-time political contributors are labor unions".

It is all about greed and political agendas.

You righties are amazing!

You cry about the teachers being paid too much, but give a free pass to your corporate masters and the MILLIONS they rake in every year.

And about the evaluations...

Maybe someone should evaluate the parents/parent, which is where the problem truly lies, and stop expecting our teachers to take on the responsibility of raising the kids too.

All of the teachers I know are just as dedicated as mine were, and are distraught over the state of our school systems today.

I'd say it's safe to say that the teachers wouldn't be catching so much hell from the right if they were percieved to support republicans. Just because they belong to a union, doesn't automatically make them a Dem.

And FYI, if the republicans would show as much concern for the working class as they do for the corporations, and 1%, They would probably get more support from the unions.

Stop laying so much blame on them.

I agree, it is so easy to blame the teachers for all the ills of society. How dare people say teachers are greedy. That is ridiculous. Greed is all the corporations lobbying to keep everything going there way.

One reader says the teachers are not teaching "our" children. You are right. They are not teaching the children of readers of these columns. They are teaching the massive, poor population whose parents do not own computers and do not read news reports of any kind. The teachers have a massive battle on their hands and we should all support them 100%. The rich have people so befuddled they cannot see how the right is using them by convincing them that teachers are evil.

@ Linda Brown -

"Greed is all the corporations lobbying to keep everything going there way".

That is why those that have Unions fight to keep them. It may just be the lesser of two evils. The Unions afford the members some chance to preserve what they have worked years to have, i.e. retirement, benefits, and fair wages, Without the Unions, Corporate American will take over. With that comes loss of benefits, retirement, and fair wages. The CEO's will continue to get richer, while the people doing all the work will do so with far less than they had.

When one makes welfare their way of life - that is what one can expect. The cap for welfare should be back in place and used only it's original intent. Kids know under the current welfare system - there is no need to better themselves. It is the next generation who thinks this world owes them their living. Parents need to step up the plate and fix their lives, that will hopefully have some impact on all the kids they have had.

They are OBSOLETE !

Renee - Northern California

Here's
a challenge for you - see if you can eat well on food stamps for one week

Batali,
who together with his family of four

recently completed a weeklong challenge to live off food stamps, was recently

the subject of a heated debate that took to the airwaves in the midst of the

Batalis’ living on meals that cost an average of $1.48 per person.

Batali,
who told journalists during the

challenge that he was starving and his two teenage sons subsisted largely on

peanut butter and jelly, is on the board of the food relief agency Food Bank

for New York City.

We’ve

all read and heard the excruciating details about the rise of poverty and

hunger in America: One in six Americans, or roughly 49 million people,

struggles with hunger; half of all Americans will live in poverty before age

65; 16 million American children go to bed hungry every night and the poverty

is at its highest level in 52 years

Let's
see yesterday morning my husband and I had Bacon $4.00 - four eggs - $.50 - two
cups of coffee $.60 - and two glasses of OJ $.50 that leaves us $3.44 for
lunnch and dinner

Plus
we have two dogs - might as well let them go to fend for themselves - catch a
rabbit - maybe?

Next
time your sitting in a restaurant having a pizza and a beer - What maybe $10
-$12 or a $20 or a meal at another restaurant - you'ved just eaten more than a
family of four's budget for the day

So
stop with the Welfare Crap and put yourself in another's shoes

yes!! fire them all.... and then the parents can home teach or send to a system that comes out of their own pockets and then when grades and level of knowledge goes lower the blame will be on the dumba!! who write here and think the area you live in does not affect the pay.What is the cost of living there? do any of you know. Do not blame the teacher when the parents and non parents pay taxes for education. put the min wage on all public employes... teachers, fire, police, medical, goverment,.... OK!!!!! parents expect a daycare because the only object I heard was "Children loose on the streets" "I have no Daycare" .. Music has been cut, Arts has been cut, Nurses have been cut, . Grow up parents you did not want to pay for services in the past so why moan now.. Unions have a purpose

it would but do you think it will be reported? it will read...."the terms of the contract are not available at this time"............wait for it.

You really know squat about unions. Unions survive on the employees paying into them. In other words, there is nothing in a contract about them getting paid.

Conserve my tax dollars. Spend conservatively.

Yar,

The Ohio Teachers Unions survives pretty well. They are the only occupant in a one block, 6 story building in downtown Columbus, Ohio with their own parking lot. They survive pretty on the portion of tax dollars our nonunion household contributes.

They have? I guess that is why the North- union- outperforms the South- Nonunion. Statistics wouldn't agree with you.

Yaybrough, I would have to respectfully disagree with you. This is a classic example of why a voucher system is the way to go. I have been fortunate enough to be able to send my children to a private school. Was it expensive, you bet? Did my wife and I sacrifice so we could afford their education, absolutely? The point being if we had a voucher for even close to the $17,000 the state pays for each child I could have sent both of them to school for that and have approximately 13,000 each year left over with no out of pocket expense. Google "Gonzaga Prep Tuition" (Spokane Wa.)

One of the BIG differences is NO UNION. I don't know the percentage of kids graduating from there that go on to college but it is extremely high. If I were to guess it would be in the 80 to 90 percent range. I went to high school there and graduated in 1975 and I received a top of the line education that prepared me for college. If private schools can produce kids of that caliber for $10,293 dollars per child why would we want our states to pay almost twice that for the current level of education those kids are receiving? Private schools are not required to keep teacher that aren't performing, or can't go into a class room because of a felony arrest but can't get fired because of union rules. There are a lot of advantages to private education if we only had a voucher system. ALL families could then get the kind of education for their children that those of us who were fortunate enough received. There are no strikes, there are no unions and we seldom loose teachers because they want to be there. What is happening in Chicago is a disgrace. My bet is many of the teachers that are on strike are there not because they want to but because the union requires it. Illinois should go down the same path that Scott Walker did in Wisconsin, that would be a big step in the right direction.

Having taught both public and private school, I may have insight that most people don't. I know the lower pay, more hours required at a private school, and the pressure to "teach to the test" at public. One thing I noticed in both settings is you have children who excel, those who perform averagely, and those who struggle and even drop out of school. Same can be said of parents: you have those who actively participate in their child's education and those who expect the school/teacher to ensure their child's success.

But perhaps the most important thing I know about teaching private school is that many private schools do not want vouchers. The administrators at these schools realize that once the government is providing money to their schools, the government will start requiring things of them. The private schools want to remain that: private. Their autonomy is worth more to them than the money they might receive in vouchers.

Teachers unions have not destroyed education, quitter...

Lack of a constructive home life for these kids is a majority of the problem.

Stop watching Fox, and try usuing the brain a little, huh?

Hunnibe: you make some great points which I can appreciate, things I haven't thought of before. It makes sense, most anything the government touches is ruined. There are a few exceptions but they are far and few apart. I am not sure what the answer is but throwing more money towards this problem isn't the answer in my opinion. Maybe a voucher system where the government provides the money directly to the students family that can only be used for a school of choice rather than provide it to the school directly. I am sure there would be issues there as well that I am not thinking of but there has to be a better answer where every child is able to receive the education I received at a private school, it shouldn't be for just those who have the money. The high school I attended let families pay what they could afford but that isn't the case with all private schools. We could pay these public school teachers 10 time what they are currently being paid and it wouldn't make a difference. No one has to do their job because it is virtually impossible for a teacher to lose their job. I understand this is a generalization and there are many teachers who do a great job but the unions in my opinion are a major contributor to the substandard public school system that is prevelant in many areas of the country. I disagree with Silverback929 in regards to his stance on unions but I do think he makes a great point about home life. If the parent(s) aren't involved or don't care that makes a bad situation worse for both student and teacher.

If the parents have to walk or take public transportation to work how will the child get to the private/charter school? Someone commented about a 50% graduation rate in Chicago schools and how terrible that is. How do you know that the 50% number wouldn't be 20% without the teachers they have now? As far as private schools not wanting a voucher system you're probably correct because they would be more apt to show better education statistics at their schools with students/ parents that actually care about the education. I don't know what things are like in Chicago but I do know that in many inner cities it's a struggle just to get through a day. Unions aren't in place to hold anyone hostage. Quite the contrary actually. Unions are the members and they are banded together to negotiate fair and equitable agreements. There are two sides to the bargaining and believe me, if there were only the owners/management side the workers would have to settle for crumbs as they would only compensate what they absolutely had to. That compensation would be derived by the lowest common denominator, in effect, those willing to accept the crumbs just to survive. I hope it doesn't come to that. Some people just don't realize that the benefits they do have at their jobs (for those at this time lucky enough to have one) are due to the efforts of unions to keep standing for fair treatment. You can say they're thugs, they're bullies. It's not true and if the ruling class gets their way and unions go away, you'll see what thugs and bullies really are. Check your history. Much of what gets posted here is pure innuendo, as if to just write it down makes it a fact. A tactic probably learned from the mass media we have. See things for what they are not just as you wish them to be.

I grew up a son of a railroad shop steward and I worked in union shops while attending college. I respect unions but I feel that if unions do not adjust to our changing social conditions, they will continue to decline. Many are adjusting successfully, but not the two major teachers' unions. First of all, they should combine forces, like the AFL and CIO did decades ago. Secondly, they should create a teacher improvement and qualification program that enables them to weed out incompetent teachers, with recommended guidelines for both financial and non-financial compensation to reward high performers. They should try to emulate the lawyers and doctors organizations that oversee their memberships. Just like everything else in life, things either get better or the get worse, and our education system, which centers around teachers, is getting worse. Fighting with the school boards and local politicians will not improve the system - simply because there are too many problems and no simple solutions. It will have to be a joint effort, requiring innovation and compromise by all those involved.

Ask any of these corrupt union loving politicians where they send their children to school and their answer shows you that most do not trust their OWN children in the hands of public school teachers!!!!!!!!!!

Janet, my father is a retired educator and I am pretty confident he is receiving Social Security in addition to his retirement from the school district. I would have to ask him to be a 100% sure. I am not saying you are incorrect but where are you getting your info from?

only those who read this article,.....oh ... and think..........................:)

And who cares if it is about pay? Isn't that called capitalism? When a Wallstreet guy does it and bankrupts the United States, he's a capitalist, but the teachers are thugs and pigs??? Wow.

Neither you nor I are forced to deal with any "Wallstreet guy" ! We are, however, mandated by law to deal with the teachers!

Yarbrough30,

You just confirmed Kimisan's point: 1+1 = 0. Both the Wallstreet guy and the Chicago teacher union are bad. Two wrongs don't make a right (just because your neighbor robs a bank, does not mean you should too.)

If I home school my children, does that mean I can stop paying taxes and supporting crappy teachers ?

I don't have any kids, I never had any kids and I never will ( too old now ) so why do I have to pay taxes for these greedy teachers ??? I have been paying taxes to support them all these years and with the extra money they get for not having to teach kids of taxpayers who never had kids, why should we have to pay this money ? they expect me to support them but they don't fell that they have to earn the big bucks they already get....something is reallly wrong with the system....

When does the acceptance of the school system spewing barely functional illiterates stop? When are those hired to do a job held responsible for THEIR failures? When students show absolutely no progress, who is to blame? Yes, the student. Yes, the parent (or lack thereof). And YES, the teacher. The teacher is the one part that the taxpayers have a limited amount of control over. If they make NO progress, hold them responsible.

Or would you prefer to maintain the status quo?

Did someone beat them untill they agreed to become a teacher? Was a gun held to their heads? Were their families threatened? Or did they CHOOSE to become a teacher? If they chose, then TEACH or QUIT !

You tell us then Fred. Billions upon billions have been poured into this system over the decades, and in this day and age they still only graduate 50% of their students. I don't know about you, but any school I've ever gone to, that's a failing grade my friend.

Yep, just as I thought. No one could address my question directly. Thanks for your support folks.

When will the STAUNCH LIBERALS accept the failure of THEIR theories? When will the STAUNCH LIBERALS stop spending other peoples funds on the mistaken belief that money can cure all the ills of the world, real or imagined. When will the STAUNCH LIBERALS demand that there be some PERSONAL accountability?

Come on Fred.... I know you can answer these simple questions.

Can't you??

Spend my tax dollars conservatively, not liberally; that leads to bankruptcy.

Fred - Nobody is answering your question because they reject the way you framed the premise.

Here's something for you. Chicago parochial school teachers are paid less than, but outperform their public school conterparts. It's almost certainly got to do with motivation beginning at the home, but it's not as simple as family income. I knew of plenty of people who were strucggling to put their kids through private schools, but it was something they were committed to doing. The headline is, this is not one problem you can simply throw money at.

I say negotiate in good faith with the teachers, but not if their end game is to protect the performance of the lowest common denominator. Let them know that the teachers whose performance is in the lowest 10%, dedicated and caring though they may be, are going to be shown the door. This needs to be non-negotiable.

" unreasonable demands"????, They are being asked to be responsible to TEACH the Children! That is no more an unreasonable demand than any of us face everyday at our jobs, to be responsible to do the job for which we are paid! My boss dosen't care if my wife starched my underware or the dog ate my balancesheet , or my child has the hick-ups! if I fail to do my job I will be replaced!

If the teachers cannot or will not do their jobs they should either quit or accept their replacement! I do not care to hear about the labor pains, I demand to see the baby! These incompatant fools are being paid a wage TWICE that of the average worker in their area, PRODUCE or get the HE!! out!

Like it Jimmy, but it would probably more accurate if you put:

DO YOU DO A GOOD JOB ?

YES_____— or YES_______

You know everyone can be counted on being honest when they evaluate themselves, right ?

Is it not ironic when a teacher claims that testing is not a valid way of determining their performance? Bet the students would like to use that argument.

The unions know their days are numbered, so they are robbing the taxpayers as much as possible before they go out!

Kinda like corporate America, and the 1%, with their offshore accounts and all?