-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Summary and audio linked here.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Full interview and summary linked here.
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Screw Equity! How about their reading and math proficiency when these kids graduate?
The education system is off the rails.
This is state sponsored institutional racist ISBE policy.
The teachers and administrators are tempted to provide less help to struggling white and Asian children, and more help to black and brown children, all in the name of racial compassion aka equity.
Got to get the black and brown numbers up for the state education report card.
Equality of opportunity is out.
Equity of outcomes is in.
The dumbing down of America continues. No one will aspire to be the best of the best in the future. Mediocrity is the goal, and then we can all celebrate our standard issue plastic trophy.
The best will excel, they just won’t be in public schools, and they’ll be living a bubble even further removed from the world most of us live in. JB Pritzker’s progeny will inherit that world.
Many of the best will come from foreign countries that havent stooped to this silliness caused, in its roots, by the American voter.
Illinois school districts declare full-scale war on reality. Wars against reality do not end well for those who wage them. Reality, like Father Time, is undefeated.
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By definition, “equity” will not be achieved until there is parity in outcomes. That goal is a war against reality and cannot be won.
Creating an educational environment in which all who make the effort can achieve up to their abilities is a worthy goal. But that is not what those who espouse “equity” mean. They believe that any difference in outcome is de facto evidence of racism, sexism, etc., that must be overcome. Therefore, guaranteed failure.
I think you are painting the school districts everywhere in this country with the same paint. That’s the flaw. Just as communities differ in maeaningful ways so can their institutions populated largely by the people with largely the same ethics.
In a way, I am exonerating teachers. Equity is an impossible goal, yet the education establishment hangs that albatross on teachers’ necks. And teachers will be among those blamed when it is not achieved. But I have limited sympathy, because teacher unions are some of the loudest cheerleaders for “equity”.
If this woke message changes the whole educational process measurably nationwide in a short time period it will surprise me more than a little. Everything in government happens at a snail’s pace due to the size of it, all the intermediaries making decisions of their own to implement it and lawsuits that are bound to result. If I were you I wouldn’t lose much sleep over it based on those factors. Then, we all know that different governmental adminsistrations both nationally and at the lower levels will have their own say on such things and at the lowest levels where… Read more »
Yes, political waves come and go. But the children caught in these waves are the ones who pay the price for the arrogance of those who believe that reality consists of what they wish for.
Kids tend to take on the values of their parents and/or their friends rather than political spin otherwise from others and especially when they don’t especially like or admire the person spinning it. If you haven’t noticed that last aspect its a shame. Kids (and most adults) have to really, really like the messenger to have an ounce of interest in the message itself. A message given that the listener believes is done simply because of some law requiring it or administrative edict generally will be more often ignored than become part of the listener’s value system. Case in point:… Read more »
The price they pay is in the low quality of education they receive, while the education establishment tilts at windmills. I’m sure I don’t need to remind you of the shockingly low percentages that attain proficiency in reading and math.
I know that some districts do produce decent results, but overall education performance in the US has declined relative to the rest of the world.
Old saying comes to mind: “”You can lead a horse to water, but….”you can’t create a silk purse from a sow’s ear.” “You can lead a horse to water, but ……”. In short, you can only do so much with what you are given. To think otherwise is the thinking process of widget makers in a factory.
I don’t think otherwise. Actually it is the “equity” crowd trying to force a widget mentality on schools. All educational units (students) must have an equal outcome. If not, it is a sign of racism- can’t possibly be due to the myriad other factors in play.
Thanks for the interesting discussion. Signing off now.
Equal outcomes will NEVER happen unless the certificates to that effect are mandated. People are different in terms of their abilities and interests. What they can—and even to choose to—accomplish is likewise different.
This is a somewhat controversial take but the real problem is Democrat racism. In 2017, Bill Gates addressed this in a roundabout way a few years back where he inadvertently implied (but would never admit) that Democrat areas produce poor schools while Republican areas produce good schools. This is what he said: When disaggregated by race, we see two Americas. One where white students perform along the lines of the best in the world—with achievement comparable to countries like Finland and Korea. And another America, where Black and Latino students perform comparably to the students in the lowest performing OECD… Read more »
There is a very simple solution. Give everybody only A grades. Nobody expects anything from CPS students and the gov wants to bring everyone down to same level. Employers will figure out who can read and who can’t. Employers will also figure out who can and can’t do math and will send them packing. Illinois taxpayer funded schools will then be able to brag about how well the kids are educated because “Our school only graduates straight A students.” Like everything else Illinois governments including schools are addressing problems with the same old solution, just kick the can down the… Read more »
Yes, that’s exactly the way it works in more school districts than not. Its all about pleasing the local voters; actual edcational attainment is a secondary concern and boring to most when discussed in detail. The only thing that has any meaning to parents and students alike is the grades assigned. So, it gets down to playing politics with the voters and seeing their favor. Otherwise–boring!!
Based on your analysis this would make the guidance counselors job much easier. The students best career choice is being a politician. The only qualifications that are needed is not what you know but who you know and what party affiliation you will choose. If you are contemplating the Republican way you have zero chance of accomplishing anything but still will get paid. If the students choose Democrat you are set for life in Illinois. Right now anything and everything the Democrats sponsor will be passed and the rewards down the road will be quite generous.
If there’s one thing a person learns with age its that a general perception is often more important than reality where dealing with the public at large is a key determinant of one’s career success. Few take the time or have the interest to check for the reality lurking beneath the superficial perception. Hence, we have the unending string of 15-second ads telling us what’s desirable for our next impulse purchase.
More B.S.
“Equity will look different in each school community. In one, it may be providing mentors to girls taking STEM classes. In another, it may be adding preschool seats to serve more English Learners. In another, it may be implementing restorative justice to reduce suspensions and expulsions.” Only an idiot government employee educator would think these are equitable and could ever do anything to close the achievement gap. What they really mean by closing the achievement gap is making sure that high performing students score lower while lower performing student stay the same. This is like the good schools rankings listed on real estate webpages. They rank schools from 1 to 10 but equity is… Read more »
Wow! The beatings will continue until injustices are addressed as justice, Just Us! It’s a win win, creating jobs for attitude inspection.