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www.ctunet.com Vol. 75, No. 8 The OfficialUNION Publication ofTEACHER the Chicago Teachers Union June 2012 INSIDE: • May 23 Rally • Student Art Awards • Charter Bill Defeated • Matt Farmer: Teachers Don’t Like Bullies Chicago Union Teacher Staff CTU congratulates its • Kenzo Shibata President’s Message Editor 2012-2013 Scholarship • Nathan Goldbaum Award Winners Associate Editor President Karen Lewis’ Remarks at the June 1st Strike Each student received a $1,000 Authorization Press Conference • April Stigger Scholarship: Advertising Manager Rebecca A. Cuculich – Jacqueline B. Vaughn Scholarship Chicago teachers and paraprofessionals are fed up. Chicago Teachers Union Jada Jamison – John M. Feweks Scholarship They are tired of being blamed, bullied and belittled by the very District Kyla Thomas – Jonathan G. Kotsakis Scholarship that should support them. Officers Paris Olawale – Robert M. Healey Scholarship We live in a City that no longer trusts educators as important resources in KaJuan Jackson – Charles E. Usher Scholarship helping our youth to develop values, skills and the knowledge required for • Karen Lewis Mario J. Diaz – Mary J. Harrick Scholarship them to enter adult life as thinking and engaged citizens. President Benjamin Radinsky – Ernestine Cain Brown Scholarship We live in a City that has done everything it can to take the joy out of Jimmy Guo – David M. Peterson Scholarship • Jesse Sharkey teaching and learning. Vice President Zobia Chunara – William “Bill” Buchanan Scholarship George V. Vidas – Glendis Hambrick Scholarship Teachers in Chicago are being deskilled, unceremoniously removed from the process of school governance and reduced to technicians and babysitters. We’re being asked to work • Michael Brunson Eleanor Spencer – John Marshall Scholarship What we really Recording Secretary harder and longer in order to further inflict upon our students mindless experiment after mindless experiment. The school district, however, calls these experiments “reform.” want is what’s • Kristine Mayle When their experiments fail it is the teacher who is blamed and evaluated. Financial Secretary best for the Next year, all schools move to longer school days and a longer school year—without 400,000-plus any commitment from the District to give students and teachers the resources they need. The Chicago Union Teacher is published eight school children times a year in September/October, November/ The Board won’t even explain to the public how it will pay for a longer school year; how December, January, February, March, April, May and Contents it will fund the hiring of the art, music, world languages and physical education teachers whom we are June. The Chicago Union Teacher is the official pub- lication of the Chicago Teachers Union, which is President’s Message ............................................. 3 who are so desperately needed to help provide our students with the type of education pleased to be the exclusive bargaining agent for teachers, school they deserve. Matt Farmer: Teachers Don’t Like Bullies ....... 4 clerks, library assistants, vision/audiometric techni- Instead, what the Board has said is it wants to lengthen the school year; cut professional able to teach and cians, teacher assistants, school community repre- Journalist Ben Joravsky Talks Education ......... 5 sentatives, and related services personnel. Chicago development days; decrease pay and benefits; and evaluate teachers based on student test help shape their Brown v. The Board of Education 2012 ............ 6 Teachers Union • Local 1 • American Federation of scores. Teachers, AFL-CIO. young lives. Charter Schools ..................................................... 7 More of the status quo. The Chicago Union Teacher is affiliated with the Dyett High School Celebrates the Arts ............ 8 International Labor Communications Association In all of my 22 years of teaching I have never seen a climate as hostile as the one created and the AFT Communications Network. Allen Wardell Inspiration Award ....................... 8 by Rahm Emanuel, his hand-picked school board and his handpicked leadership of Chicago Chicago Teachers Union affiliations include CTU Honors Puerto Rican Educators ............... 9 Public Schools. the Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL), the Il- linois State Federation of Labor-Congress of In- National Board Candidates ............................... 10 In the end, what we really want is what’s best for the 400,000-plus school children dustrial Organizations (ISFL-CIO), the American Summer 2012 Professional Development ...... 11 whom we are pleased to be able to teach and help shape their young lives. Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Or- ganizations (AFL-CIO), the Illinois Federation of CTU Quest Center Registration Form ........... 12 Teachers (IFT), and the American Federation of Book Reviews ...................................................... 13 In Solidarity, Teachers (AFT). Student Art Awards ............................................ 14 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza • Suite 400 Nurse’s Note: Three Kinds of Nurses ............. 20 Chicago, IL 60654-1016 312-329-9100 • Switchboard In Memoriam ....................................................... 20 312-329-6251 • Newspaper Office Delegates Not Present ...................................... 21 Karen GJ Lewis, NBCT E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Web Site: www.ctunet.com Chicago Union Teacher • June 2012 • 3 Teachers Don’t Like Bullies By Matt Farmer “People in Chicago Have Much More Chicago Parent, Lawyer, and Musician A couple of voices from Mayor Emanuel’s Power than They Realize” “education reform” choir are up in arms because some public schools teachers are Journalist Ben Joravsky talks education and now talking seriously about the possibility of a teachers’ strike in Chicago later this Chicago politics at north side event. summer. The mayor’s folks are outraged by such On May 9, Chicago Reader journalist Teachers from Lane Tech, Clemente, talk – and by recent reports of mock strike Ben Joravsky spoke to a packed room of and Kelvyn Park High School posed votes in schools across the city – because concerned Chicagoans about the state of questions to Joravsky. they believe it distracts teachers from their Chicago politics. The event was held in a Eduardo Sosa of Lane Tech High School primary mission, which is educating kids. private room above a northside bar. asked about the city’s plans for arts Chicago Public Schools spokeswoman Although he is considered a gadfly education in the city. Becky Carroll called news of recent mock and a consummate thorn-in-the-side of Joravsky said that he was “probably strike votes “a disservice to our children.” the Chicago political machine, Joravsky the last person” the Board would Charter school advocate Rebeca Nieves maintained that he is not a cynical human consult about these matters, but stated Huffman upped the ante, saying the Chicago being, but rather optimistic and truly that there are no official art, drama, or Teachers Union was recklessly “playing appreciates those who stand up. music programs in the CPS. He said that the strike card” and would likely rely on Blogger, attorney and CPS parent Matt Farmer recounts how he would cross-examine Hyatt heiress and Chicago Board of Education member Penny Pritzker during CTU’s He told the audience, which included schools that can raise funds will finance “thuggery and intimidation” to get its way. SubstanceNews.net Photo: many CTU members “People in Chicago these programs themselves, but CPS has Give me a break. May 23rd rally at the Auditorium Theatre. Photo by Powell Photography, Inc. Have Much More Power than They not committed itself to fully funding Karen Lewis, CTU President and Ben It’s not as if the city’s teachers are suddenly Realize” and described why he is so these programs. Joravsky, Chicago Reader journalist asking their bright-eyed students to paint that this mayor and his hand-picked team The deck is undeniably stacked against hopeful. Joravsky advocated for Chicago’s color-by-number portraits of Eugene Debs have shown them during the last year. the teachers in their current negotiations Joravsky,, praised Chicago Teachers students to receive the same education and Albert Shanker during their (likely non- In fact, I’d fear for my fourth-grade with the Board of Education, and a strike Union for reaching out to community Mayor Emanuel received at New Trier “Why should [students] pay for existent) art classes. And no one, to date, daughter’s next eight years in the CPS vote is the only leverage teachers have to groups and getting their story out to High School which – according to something that will give them an $11 an has accused any CPS teachers of shaking system if her teachers were not mentally secure a fair contract. parents. Joravsky, “has a great art and music hour salary?” she asked. down kids in the cafeteria for contributions and emotionally invested in the ongoing You want to call mock strike votes a scare “I was always picking on the teachers program.” Joravsky, a veteran Chicago journal- to a CTU strike fund. contract negotiation process. tactic, be my guest. But don’t forget to call union [in the past], I felt that they were A Wright College instructor voiced ist, has made a career out of telling Teachers and their union representa- Make no mistake – I want my kid in class out Emanuel and his high-priced media their own worst enemy… Teachers her outrage over a quote that Mayor