Chicago School News:
Chicago Teachers Union, CPS help create 'Hooked on Phonics' infomercial
When Chicago Teachers Union officials joined the “Hooked on Phonics” tour this past summer, they apparently didn’t spend a lot of time researching the controversial — but highly marketed — Hooked on Phonics program. Nor did they research much about the HOP “Anniversary Tour” they helped promote at Crispus Attucks Elementary School in Chicago.
'Deficit' claims were lies! 2006 Special Ed cuts were unnecessary!
One year ago, schools across Chicago were reeling from budget cuts which eliminated more than 700 special education positions, most of them assistants to teacher who provided basic services to disabled children such as diapering and transportation. According to CPS Chief Executive Officer Arne Duncan, the cuts were necessitated by a massive “deficit” that the school system faced. Between January and June 2006, Duncan claimed that the deficit was in excess of $300 million, and that the special education cuts could be made without depriving disabled children of the services to which they were entitled.
In These Times forum features researcher Paul Street talking about racial injustice in the 'Global Metropolis'
On Monday, October 15, 2007, scholar and former research director for the Chicago Urban League Paul Street, laid bare his arguments from a new book "Racial oppression in the Global Metropolis" at the Open University of the Left at In These Times on Milwaukee Ave.
CPS IMPACT goes from ‘paperless’ to paper to clean up IMPACT mess
The headlines should have read “Chicago’s paperless office fails. School report cards sent back to paper!”
If there were any semblance of a free press left in Chicago, the memo at the end of this article would have been the subject of news reports, commentary, laughter, drollery, and probably satire at places like Second City.
And if there were any accountability (other than for teachers and children), highly paid heads would be rolling.
Instead, silence.
Substance editor updates NAACP on segregation in Chicago's schools
On Saturday, October 15th , 2007, members of the education committee of the South Side branch of the NAACP heard George Schmidt update 40 years of research on racial segregation patterns in Chicago’s public schools.
Billionaires push 'Powerhouse' charter while West Side crumbles…
Daley, Duncan continue charter attack on city's public schools
The media event on October 3 was the announcement that the so-called “Powerhouse” charter high school would become a “Ford Learning Center.”
Present at the event were Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, Mayor Daley, Arne Duncan, Rufus Williams, and representatives of the Gates and Pritzker fortunes.
Chicago Teachers Union leadership touts ‘merit pay’
No sooner had the Chicago Teachers Union election ended than CTU President Marilyn Stewart joined school officials and the head of the principals' association to announce Chicago's first merit pay program. The program had been in the planning stages for months, but CTU members had not been informed about it.
September 26, 2007 Chicago Board of Education meeting
The Chicago Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, September 26 began at 10:30 a.m. with a small ceremony that lauded elementary schools where students are being taught by corporate volunteers to play squash. Other benefactors to CPS were lauded. A senior from Schurz High School was lauded along with her teacher, Ms Terry, for success of their all-female auto shop program. The senior, Natalie, had many other honors and is president of her class.
