STOP THE ChicagoUnionTeacher CONTENTS AROUND THE UNION 5 President’s Message 6 Whitney Young’s “Hallways of Our Lives” 7 Darwin Elementary Hosts Its First Leadership Day rahm- 7 In Times of Need CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT 10 10 Steps to Teacher-Administration Unity 13 State Labor Board Sides With Teacher in Retaliation Case COMMENTARY 14 10 Things That Labor Unions Must Do to Survive and Thrive RAuner NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE 18 Hands Up, Don’t Test: Police Brutality and Education Reform 23 Three Things About Ferguson 26 Student Lives Matter 29 Attitudes Toward the Youth-Led Rebellion for Social Justice aTtAcks 32 Profile of Courage: The Rev. Dr. William Barber II TEACHING VS. TESTING DESTROYING our schools Harming our communities serving the rich and powerful 34 Let Teachers Teach 35 ■ Republican candidate for Illinois ■ As Mayor, Rahm has laid off 7,000 ■ Bruce Rauner owns nine homes Teaching in the Cracks governor Bruce Rauner has been a top teachers and severely cut retirement worth a combined tens of millions of 37 Parents Weigh in on PARCC Practice Assessment advisor to Chicago Mayor Rahm income for thousands of seniors who live dollars. Rauner spent more than Emanuel on school closings and other and spend money in our communities. $100,000 to join an exclusive wine club. EVALUATION harmful education policies. Juan His friend Rauner wants to cut even Asked whether he’s a member of the 1 39 Teacher Evaluation: The Appeals Panel Rangel, the disgraced former CEO of more from the limited income of the percent, he responded, “Oh, I’m charter-school giant UNO, has also been elderly. probably .01 percent." REVIEWS a close advisor to Rahm. Rangel stepped ■ Both Rahm and Rauner oppose a ■ After leaving his White House job, down as UNO’s CEO after a series of 41 50 Myths and Lies that Threaten America’s Public Schools minimum wage hike of $15 an hour for Rahm made $18 million working for two corporate scandals and federal s working families in Chicago despite the years in private equity—essential to his 43 Gary Younge’s “The Speech” investigations into UNO’s misuse of On the cover: Taking to need in our communities. An early 2014 success was Rauner’s support. How did public funds. poll found that nearly two-thirds of Illinois he make so much so quickly? According Chicago’s streets to demand QUEST CENTER an end to police abuse. ■ Both Rahm and Rauner back budget voters support a minimum wage of $10 to Ron Suskind, a Pulitzer Prize–winning 44 President Lewis and CTU Teacher Win ‘OPPY’ Awards cuts for public schools and sending an hour. former reporter for the Wall Street Cover photo: Sarah Jane Rhee school money to private Journal: "Paying someone who will be a 45 88 Chicago Teachers Achieve National Board Certification organizations beyond the democratic future government ofcial a lot of money control of our communities. for doing very little? On Wall Street, we IN CLOSING call that an investment." 54 Delegates Not Present A Rahm-Rauner agenda threatens ALL OF US. 55 In Memoriam We must build our capacity to fight misguided politicians, well-financed corporate school Contribute to reformers, and people who want to turn back the clock on workers’ rights. Visit CTUnet.com/PAC, and make a monthly donation of $5, $10, or $20. the CTU PAC. THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ChicagoUnionTeacher EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ∕ Stephanie A. Gadlin ASSOCIATE EDITOR ∕ Ronnie Reese Sisters and Brothers, CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ∕ Jennifer Berkshire, Michael E. Brunson, Frank Chapman, Julie Gabrick, Jesse Hagopian, Why does the Chicago Teachers Union years and have met with top Chicago Pub- Sarah Hainds, Howard Heath, John Kugler, Joseph McDermott, Jeff Naumann, Katie Osgood, take a stand on issues that go beyond the lic Schools officials about her. But in every Jackson Potter, Debby Pope, Ronnie Reese, Jay Rehak four walls of our classrooms? Why do we case, the Board supported its principal— march for housing and health care, speak even to the point of giving her a principal CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS ∕ out against racism and take a bus to pro- achievement award in December 2013. Michael E. Brunson, LindseyTerrill18, Charles Miller, Katie Osgood, test in Ferguson, Missouri? Why don’t we The administrative directive to the Ronnie Reese, Sarah Jane Rhee, Mariah Stewart focus on pure and simple trade unionism: Board’s lawyers seems to give every tyran- a fair day’s work for a fair day’s wage? In nical principal a free hand, no matter how ADVERTISING MANAGER ∕ April Stigger the simplest terms, the answer is because wrong. And for us, that program is reaching GRAPHIC DESIGN ∕ Eric Ruder that strategy will not work to defend our its logical conclusion: You can no longer schools. It will fail to cement our natural be assured of rights you thought were won PRODUCTION ∕ Eric Ruder ∕ Progress Printing Corp., Inc. allies among parents and the community, 50 or 60 years ago. But there is no magical and in the face of Rahm and Rauner, it line where our society’s treatment of every- will not even preserve our most basic one else’s rights begins and their treatment OFFICERS rights at the workplace such as due process of our rights leaves off. We unconditionally Karen GJ Lewis, NBCT ∕ PRESIDENT and the right to form a union. champion the rights of others so that we Jesse Sharkey ∕ VICE PRESIDENT Our existence as teachers depends on may be stronger in championing our own. Kristine Mayle ∕ FINANCIAL SECRETARY so much more than the contractual rela- The case of Weaver and Scammon is Michael Brunson ∕ RECORDING SECRETARY tionship between us and the Chicago sadly a common story, for there are dozens Board of Education, as governed by the more like it—an aggressive and savvy prin- TheChicago Union Teacher is published eight times a year in September, Illinois Education Labor Relations Act. cipal who uses bullying, position redefini- October/November, December, January, February, March, April, May/June. A thriving public education system tion and the evaluation process to system- TheChicago Union Teacher is the official publication of the Chicago Teachers Union, depends on support from the public and atically eliminate anyone who opposes her. which is the exclusive bargaining agent for teachers, counselors, librarians, clinicians confidence that public education is a right But instead of the story ending there, and paraprofessional and school-related personnel in the Chicago Public Schools. worth fighting to defend. teachers have made a public stand and pro- As I write this, the story is breaking ceeded with a collective lawsuit to bring Chicago Teachers Union • Local 1 • American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO. about a U.S. Department of Justice inves- attention to this case and hopefully many tigation into Mary Weaver, the Scammon others. In other words, whether they were TheChicago Union Teacher is affiliated with the International Labor Communications Association Elementary principal who fired several of aware of it or not, our members borrowed and the AFT Communications Network. our members when they became pregnant. a page from the civil rights movement to This is a principal that the union has com- fight for the right to keep our jobs and raise Chicago Teachers Union affiliations include the Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL), plained about for years. We have filed a family at the same time—a right we won the Illinois State Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (ISFL-CIO), more than ten grievances in the past four long ago but apparently still must defend. the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). In solidarity, 222 MERCHANDISE MART PLAZA SUITE NO. 400 CHICAGO, IL 60654-1016 Jesse Sharkey TELEPHONE: 312-329-9100 E-MAIL: [email protected] (GENERAL) [email protected] (ADVERTISING) WWW.CTUNET.COM CHICAGO UNION TEACHER january 2015 5 AROUND THE UNION AROUND THE UNION Whitney Young Students Produce Weekly High School Soap Opera Parody Darwin Elementary Hosts Its First Leadership Day BY JAY REHAK convinced she has enough material to last the entire school year. “You’re going to BY JULIE GABRICK teachers spoke passionately about how A group of creative Whitney Young High see a lot more cliché plot twists and ridic- morale and camaraderie are making 5 High five!Photo: Ronnie Reese School students are drawing a lot of media ulousness,” she promises. Darwin Elementary is a non-selective teaching a much more fulfilling and attention for their weekly soap opera par- The show originated in the Honors enrollment public school located in Chi- enjoyable experience, and how research- ody entitled, “Hallways of Our Lives.” The cago’s Logan Square neighborhood. based practices indicate that student 55 TV Production class of Chicago Teach- Cook County Commissioner and mayoral comic melodrama is featured as part of a ers Union member Jay Rehak, and has Leadership Day occurs when a Leader In achievement is on the rise. Students Me school opens its doors to educators candidate Jesus “Chuy” Garcia speaks WYDUBTV broadcast seen throughout developed a loyal following both inside shared their Leadership Notebooks with and community members, allowing stu- at Darwin Elementary’s Leadership Day. the West Side powerhouse each Wednes- and outside the magnet school. After guests who saw firsthand how children dents to showcase their leadership roles Photo: Ronnie Reese day during the school’s long advisory peri- “Hallways” was written up in a piece by can set realistic academic and personal and the ubiquitous nature of The Leader od. “Hallways of Our Lives” is then made Justin Breen at DNAinfo Chicago on goals while carefully managing their own In Me.