Will Chicago teachers show up for work on Monday?...

only if they get their way.

And did you know this?

If the teachers do go on strike, the city has set aside $25 million to keep 144 schools open between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Staffed by non-union and central office workers, the schools would provide activities such as independent reading and athletics, along with two meals.

Many people who can barely afford their property taxes now, will see their money used to babysit kids and feed them "free" meals.  Twenty five million dollars so teachers can sit on their rear patoots and demand a raise from an average of 76K to approximately 92K when the average salary in Chicago is about 46K.  And they wonder why people are sick to death of their whining and complaining? 

One way to put a stop to this, besides getting rid of teachers unions, is to throw out the whole concept of teacher certification.  There are thousands of people, many of them retired, who are more qualified to teach than many of the current crop of teachers.  Imagine K-12 classrooms headed up by PhD scientists, mathematicians,  and literary figures. 

From Illinois Policy Institute:
2/21/2012

by Michael Wille

In their opening round of teacher contract negotiations, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has demanded reduced class sizes, higher taxes on the city's richest residents and a whopping 30 percent salary increase with little accountability in return. Think about what they are calling for. At a time when 10.2 percent of Chicagoans are out of work, the CTU is demanding a pay increase that would bump the average Chicago teacher salary up to $92,606 from $71,236. That's nearly twice the amount of the $46,877 average annual income of a family in Chicago. The teacher salary figure is only for 9 months and also omits the generous benefits and perks that have been negotiated into the contract over the past years.

What have Chicago residents received in return for a spending per-pupil amount of more than $13,000? A graduation rate of 56%, an average ACT score of 16 (compared to the state average of 21) and an unsustainable pension system that is crowding out money for classrooms. more here

The Truth Behind Teachers Unions



Chicago Teacher:  Give up the bucks!
Is this woman actually a teacher?  Good grief.


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iOwnTheWorld:  But It’s For The Chiiiilllldrreeeennns