Chicago strike: The key issues keeping teachers out of the classrooms
As it is believed the teacher strike in Chicago will extend to a second day keeping some 350,000 students out of school, lets take a look at some of the key issues that have landed the educators on the picket lines instead of behind a desk.
Job security:
Amid rumors that many schools across Chicago will be closing in the near future, many teachers feel their jobs may be in jeopardy and are picketing for the right to know whether or not they’d need to find a new place of employment.
Health benefits and compensation:
According to a press release from the Chicago Board of Education, teachers are pushing for better health care benefits and an increase in compensation — a 16% increase to be exact.
The Board announced yesterday that they had already had a deal in place that would permit a 16% salary increase for all teachers across the Chicago school district over a period of for years — costing the city some $380million.
Teacher evaluation system:
One of The Chicago Union’s most prominent members, Karen Lewis, said in an additional press release that far to much emphasis is being placed on test scores; which is sort of true.
Lewis said:
“This is no way to measure the effectiveness of an educator. Further there are too many factors beyond our control which impact how well some students perform on standardized tests such as poverty, exposure to violence, homelessness, hunger and other social issues beyond our control,” the union said in its news release.
The school district’s proposal? The admin isn’t exactly budging on the regulation system, but is proposing that the district take further steps to help students advance in studies and meet the requirements to successfully finish school.
Are you a parent? Share with us your opinions on the strike, and what your doing to keep your children busy. Please note in the comment whether or not we are allowed to publish your name [and only your name] in another article ‘Parents react: How the Chicago teacher strike is affecting families’.
Related articles
- CHICAGO TEACHERS WALK OUT: Turn Down $400 Million Deal, 16% Pay Raise, 400,000 STUDENTS UNLEASHED, SOME SCHOOLS OPEN – BUT JUST TO SERVE FREE MEALS, GODFATHER ‘DISAPPOINTED,’ VOWS TO END STRIKE (investmentwatchblog.com)
- What are key issues in Chicago public school strike? (news.blogs.cnn.com)
- It’s For the Kids… Chicago Teachers Go on Strike – 400,000 Students Affected (thegatewaypundit.com)
- US educators not respected (english.ruvr.ru)
- First Chicago Teachers’ Strike in Over Two Decades (theepochtimes.com)
