Can you read the resolution?
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates said she came to right a wrong that began when neighborhood schools were closed and marginalized. She said she had to read, and reread and then read again the Board’s Resolution last November that they commit to every school in the system.
“We now have people believe that you want to close and defund selective schools,” she said.
The right-wing have been out in full force to tell everyone that the Board of Education wants to close selective and charter schools and a state bill was introduced to specifically protect these elite schools from ever being closed. However, the Board of Ed’s Resolution never said anything about closing schools.
“I challenge you to restate your intention with (the) resolution and explain why it is necessary to center on the neighborhood schools,” Davis Gates said. “Selective schools are funded and important … We’re wasting valuable resources that (don’t) exist. I need this board to advocate for people to read well. Enrich all schools. Fund all of our schools.”
President Jianan Shi did exactly that after the conclusion of the public speaking portion of the CBOE meeting. He clarified the Board’s position that they have no intention to close any schools.
The big decision at this March monthly Board Meeting was to end student-based budgeting in which schools would no longer only get money based on its enrollment, but on its needs. They also stated there is a $391 million deficit.
SEIU Local 73 VP Stacia Scott once again spoke up on behalf of the Chicago Public Schools 11,000 low-paid support staff including custodians, security workers, bus aids, teacher aides, crossing guards, and special ed assistants who are in the midst of a contract fight.
“The support staff are struggling to survive and make ends meet,” Scott told Board Members. “Privatization continues across the country and in public schools. We believe public sector jobs should stay in the public sector and be well funded.”
Scott said their bargaining continues and they received a counter proposal from CPS on March 5. She said the support staff gave back raises twice to help bailout the district, so the support staff are behind and struggling to catch up. She reiterated that the average wage of a support staff worker is below 40k per year, 33k for security officer, $16.80/hr for custodian, 37k for special ed assistant teacher.
“And they are required to live in the City of Chicago and everyone knows rent has been increasing drastically every year,” Scott said. “One employee asked me why can’t she receive public assistance to live on. If you’re a public servant you shouldn’t need public assistance to make ends meet.”
Walmart has advised its employees to apply for government assistance. Scott said they have one in ten worker vacancies because they cannot live on these low-paid wages, noting Target starting wage is $19 an hour, more than CPS. She said bus aides need at least six hours a day to work. She cited the plight of crossing guards who used to file for unemployment over the summer, but no longer can with CPS.
“I challenge board members to stand in the shoes of crossing guards and face Chicago traffic,” she said. “We need the board to protect their rights because it’s very dangerous.”
Scott said they just settled a grievance with CPS to pay $2.2 million in back wages owed to board custodians from 2019. She also asked for 200 in-house substitutes which would cost less rather than paying overtime. (I know it’s tough at schools like ours when a custodian is absent and rooms are not cleaned.)
The right wing assault on neighborhood schools came in the form of the first speaker who appears to be a regular - Dr. Angel Alvarez. He once again huffed and puffed about how CPS is hurting black students because they are not supporting the selective schools.
Several parents came to complain about various problems in their schools. One mother said a highly ranked school refused to educate her special education child and gave her all F’s in order to force her to switch to an inferior cluster program. Another parent who serves on her Local School Council said the school never notified anyone about an emergency situation and she demanded that CPS revise its policy so that all safety concerns are properly communicated to the school community.
The usual charter school show was highlighted by Urban Prep whose young men in dark suits and red ties excoriated the board for trying to close their Englewood Charter School that they claim has the highest graduation rate in the city. They quoted James Baldwin who said to be a black man in this country is to be in constant rage.
A little rage was also expressed on the Southwest Side when LSC member and Farragut alum Baltazar Enriquez implored the board members to meet with their community because they are having trouble bringing new programs to Farragut. Enriquez said the community high school had 2,400 students when he graduated in 1998, but now has only 500 students, and many of the programs have been removed that they had before, including automotive, health, culinary and music. “We’ve been trying to reach out but we keep getting silence,” Enriquez said. “It’s been a frustrating experience.”
Several Latine parents once again complained about their schools’ bathrooms open to either boys or girls. They were upset that the parents were not notified about the change in bathroom policy and did not take into account the students’ concerns about privacy. “We are the parents, CPS should not decide for us.”
Substitute teacher Keith Kysel, a regular commenter on the CTU Members FB Page, spoke in person to the board about giving LSCs the right to decide if SRO officers can be in schools, having virtual academies for the migrant students, lessening background checks on bus drivers to alleviate the shortage of drivers, and providing more information to people like himself who are considering running for the Elected School Board next November. “I don’t see enough information on the site for a petition other than needing 1,000 signatures,” he said.