AN OPEN LETTER TO MAYOR FROM THE “Mayor Lightfoot, you have the power to end years of bad education decisions by Chicago Mayor Lightfoot, can we talk? leaders. We call on you Dear Mayor Lightfoot, to instruct CPS’

When you ran for mayor, bargaining committee you gave Chicago’s to stand by the students, parents and teachers hope that you progressive positions would reverse many years of you’ve taken and to failed education initiatives and poor policy decisions embrace our pursued by those who came progressive positions before you. Chicago’s public education start of school in September system. So how do you where you’ve been You spoke of expanding 2019, we are perplexed by expect to make a break access to childcare and the presence of many CPS silent. Now is the time - with what you consider support services. You talked negotiators at the bargain - the failures of your to back up rhetoric about the importance of ing table who were appoint predecessors if you turn to early childhood education ed by former Mayor Rahm with action.” the same people to starting from birth. And you Emanuel, former Mayor pledged that you would negotiate this contract? - Richard Daley, and former back an elected representa Governor Bruce Rauner. You have the power to end tive school board to replace years of bad educational These are the very same the bankrupt system of policy and support CTU people who systematically mayoral control of the demands for real equity for starved our schools of schools. students and their educators. resources, created the But it’s important—in life and special education crisis, You can start by telling CPS’ even more so in politics—to allowed class sizes to bargaining committee to judge people not just by balloon, and shortchanged stand by the progressive what they say but crucially paraprofessionals and whole positions you’ve taken, . by what they do communities. These embrace our progressive So we are frustrated that problems have landed positions where you’ve been you dismissed as “unwieldy” disproportionately on the silent—and finally bargain a a law passed by the Illinois most vulnerable among us, contract that works for the House two days after your in particular women, Black children of this city and the election that would have and Latinx educators and educators who steward their - created an elected repre families. futures. . As sentative school board This contract has the Sincerely, Chicago’s teachers are potential to be an important Chicago Teachers Union looking to secure a new milestone in the history of labor contract before the

WHAT WE STAND FOR fight for staffing commitments and good JUSTICE FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES Student learning also depends on what BETTER PAY AND BENEFITS working conditions in all the areas that happens outside the classroom. CTU CPS needs to stop short-changing the impact children’s learning. fights for social justice in the areas of people who make our schools work. CTU SMALLER CLASS SIZES will not accept excuses for continued ne- affordable housing, sanctuary schools, All students need individual attention glect of teacher, clinician and PSRP pay Sustainable Community Schools, and and benefits. from their teachers. We cannot provide Restorative Justice. FULLY STAFFED SCHOOLS that level of attention when we have We will not tolerate the continued elim- more than 40 students in a kindergarten ination of essential positions. We will or any other class. CPS BARGAINING TEAM MEMBERS

THE LAWYERS... THE BUREAUCRATS... JIM FRANZCEK LaTANYA McDADE PRESIDENT OF THE FRANZCEK LAW FIRM CPS CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER Franzcek has been negotiating labor contracts As a network chief, McDade was known to on behalf of CPS for decades, including during come down heavy on schools that weren’t the administrations of Daley and Emanuel. making academic progress—not by giving CPS has paid him $15,294,975 since 2001. them more supports, but by issuing mandates In addition to being president of his firm, and demands. As a member of both the Joint he is a powerhouse in Chicago’s corporate Teacher Evaluation Committee and the Com- class, including as a member of the Executive mittee on Grading Practices on the CPS side, Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, the Economic she was seen as someone who did an excellent job of insisting that Club of Chicago, and the Mayor’s Commission on Pension Reform, the CPS position was undoubtedly and necessarily the right one. which has sought to gut pensions for Chicago’s public workers. As a member of both the Joint Teacher Evaluation Committee and Chicago Magazine listed him as #72 on its list of the most powerful the Committee on Grading Practices on the CPS side, she showed Chicagoans. little respect for the insights of veteran teachers. She is a hardline supporter of every CPS policy, no matter how misguided. NICKI BAZER PARTNER AT FRANCZEK ARNIE RIVERA Before coming to work for Franczek, Gover- CPS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER nor Bruce Rauner appointed Bazer as General Rivera taught first grade for three years, but Counsel at the Illinois State Board of Education. quickly moved up the CPS ladder, holding var- In 2015, she and two other top administra- ious CPS jobs related to the budget and public tors received bonuses from Rauner (hers was policy. He served as a Deputy $12,978) “because they took on extra duties.” Chief of Staff for Education and negotiated Rank-and-file employees, who also did extra on management’s behalf for the last two work, did not receive the same consideration. contracts.

MELISSA SOBATA EVA GIGLIO PARTNER AT FRANCZEK DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TO JANICE JACKSON Sobata has a long history of working against Giglio taught Spanish at Kenwood for six unions’ efforts to bargain for better contracts years, then moved to the CEO’s office, first as and opposing union efforts to win unfair labor Special Projects Manager/Director and then as practice charges. Her experience also includes Deputy Chief of Staff. defending employers against discrimination claims, and previously she worked with the corporation counsel of the City of Chicago to defend against grievance arbitrations. BOGDANA CHKOUMBOVA PAUL CIASTKO CHIEF OF NETWORK 10 CPS ATTORNEY Chkoumbova taught special education for CPS employment attorney for four years. Pre- five years at Chopin, then became principal at viously, employment counselor and assistant Disney II Magnet for nine years and has been attorney general. Network 10 Chief for three years.

The more things change, the more they...? Want to help The CTU’s contract expired on June 30, and as any us fight for good teacher knows, preparation is key to success. So here’s how you can help prepare yourself and your the schools community for a strike (if it becomes necessary)... Chicago’s students and m Knock on doors with us educators m Attend CTU townhall meetings and open bargaining sessions deserve? m Attend Chicago Board of Education meetings and CPS budget hearings Here’s what m Follow the CTU’s social media and check our website you can do... (www.ctulocal1.org) on a regular basis

m Make sure you’re signed up for our weekly eblasts. And if you’re a CTU member, make sure your contact info is up to date at members.ctulocal1.org. COMPARISON OF BARGAINING POSITIONS OF THE CTU, MAYOR LIGHTFOOT, AND CPS

Issues Chicago Teachers Union Candidate Lightfoot Mayor Lightfoot and CPS

Sustainable Supports the expansion from 20 to 75 of these Supported study and expansion, wants trauma Oppose community school expansion Community schools with full wraparound services support and training, after school and sports Schools programs, Basic Educational Supports (BES)

Class prep and Suports 30 minutes of morning prep time for Supported training in restorative justice practices, Want all prep time to be principal-direct- professional elementary teachers; more self-directed, rea- need time for that ed, teachers in classrooms at minute their development sonable calendar; plus a couple more holidays schedule starts and ready to teach

PSRP issues Supports hiring 1,000 additional TAs plus other Supported educator diversity, racial equity CPS rejects these proposals measures to achieve equity for women, Black and Latinx educators

Early childhood Supports the development of these programs Supported the creation of early childhood zones CPS rejects these proposals education inside CPS schools

Clinicians/ Supports comprehensive measures to ensure Supported additional counselors for trauma Want to issue tentative assignments for next Counselors adequate time and appropriate workloads support year by June 15 instead of May 15, creating more uncertainty for educators

Special Supports hiring of more case managers and Supported adequate and appropriate SPED Would delete SPED student ratio from the Education SPED teachers as well as more prep time to law (70/30), eliminate meeting designated for (SPED) create better inclusion and more co-teaching clinicians and SPED teachers to coordinate

REACH teacher Supports more procedural transparency, re- Supported teacher diversity, but didn’t address Want to expand REACH evaluation for puni- evaluations duced workload (skip a cycle for highly rated), the reality that Black teachers are hit hardest by tive rather than teaching purposes no VAM, and better appeals process REACH evaluation procedures

Testing, Supports educator autonomy and stipend to Wanted more highly rated schools, but didn’t Oppose any restrictions on paperwork; want paperwork, complete extra paperwork; focus on culturally address how to create conditions for success in the right to increase the amount of testing; lesson plans relevant curriculum instead of testing; stop all schools; supported teacher diversity and CPS want to eliminate positive steps in last network mandates; no more SQRP rankings central office accountability contract regarding grading practices

Affordable Supports the expansion of affordable housing Supported teacher diversity and the benefits of CPS rejects these proposals housing for educators, students and parents keeping educators in the city

Staffing Supports hiring counselors, nurses, and other Supported racial equity, BES, trauma supports and CPS rejects these proposals clinicians at their national recommended ratios; training, nurse staffing, basic education supports, hire more case managers; put a full-time librarian and the use of TIF funds to support schools and and restorative justice coordinator in every school put a librarian in every school

Class Size Supports hard caps on class sizes and Position unclear CPS rejects these proposals ­stipends if caps are exceeded; hire more TAs

Salary Supports raises for all educators, in particular a Position unclear CPS rejects these proposals grade increase plus steps and lanes for PSRPs to address equity for women, Black and Latinx

Charter schools Supports continuing the moratorium on the Position unclear Want to end the moratorium on the expan- expansion of charter schools sion of charter schools