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Robert Winner

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School Union Strikes

Chicago is facing school union strikes. The school year is only in the first month and the union want to hold the schools hostage and put over 400,000 kids on the street and out of school.

That the unions and teachers signed contracts one month ago at the start of the school year appears to be of little concern.

What does this teach kids about contracts and obligations. Who suffers from this type of action ... the kids.

Should contract breaking be honored. Have unions overstepped their bounds and are they causing harm.

Students will miss preparation for high stakes testing and fail to meet objectives, mastery, and requirements for graduation if this becomes long term.

Where is the good faith and the concern for the students.

Does this present a real problem or just a bump in the road.

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    David Hamilton 50+

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    Sep 7 2012: "Students will miss preparation for high stakes testing and fail to meet objectives, mastery, and requirements for graduation if this becomes long term."

    Don't worry... They were going to do that anyway... It's not like the teachers are helping.
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      Robert Winner 50+

      • +1
      Sep 7 2012: I really wish I had a argument to your reply.

      Sad isn't it.
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        David Hamilton 50+

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        Sep 7 2012: It really is, and not just how bad it is, but how long it's been bad. I'm a huge fan of teachers in general, I know it's an insanely hard job... but, in a world where most people are working for minimum wage and 10% of people are unemployed. If you make 50k a year, have a pension, and are willing to risk childrens education, for more money... You can go blank yourself.
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          edward long 100+

          • +1
          Sep 12 2012: 50K? The median Chicago teacher is paid 62K for less than 1000 hours of classroom instruction . . . that $62 per hour plus unimaginably generous benefits. The mayor tried to get another 90 minutes added to the school day and the union said only if 500 laid-off union teachers were rehired first. The tab for that would be $50M . . . yes, thats $100,000 per teacher! Not bad for a job where you get 216 days off every year, and your graduates perform relatively poorly on every standardized test. Unions Rule!
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          Linda Taylor 50+

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          Sep 12 2012: What he said. Also you should see their pension. The pension budget is higher than the cost of running the schools. So they are paying MORE to teachers who are not even working.

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