Paul Vallas: The real reason Chicago high schoolers are missing so much school — and what to do about it – Chicago Tribune*

"Blaming this trend on more lenient makeup policies and an easier path to graduation sanitizes the deeper truth: Schools have been systematically abandoning standards and accountability and returning to a culture of social promotion."
9 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
JackBolly
1 year ago

Right on cue it seems the teacher union shills show up and seemingly with a beer in one hand and their you know what in the other loudly proclaim ‘Move along folks, nothing to see here’ with all the chronic teacher absences.

James
1 year ago
Reply to  JackBolly

It seems you’re another guy just yearning to have a stroke. You’re “tilting at windmills” here.

ProzacPlease
1 year ago
Reply to  James

And Winston found true happiness when he finally learned to love Big Brother.

Where's Mine ???
1 year ago

CPS will never release # or % of classroom days kids are stuck with substitutes. As a former CPS parent (yes and student) from years ago, back then it was shocking # of days my kids would tell me they had substitutes one again. WP or IPI should file a foia requesting CPS release # of substitute classroom days. I’m sure it would be shocking.

James
1 year ago

Maybe, but really if you think about it a bit. Teachers are entitled by contract to various kinds of days off—sick days for themselves or family members, professional meetings locally or nationally and even personal days for reasons they decide. There may be others such reasons I’ve forgotten as well, but you get the idea, I presume. There are various reasons for such absences. Your feeling might be unintentionally exaggerated because any given child has several teachers, so any report that “my teacher was absent today” can apply to any one of those teachers. But the effect on the listener… Read more »

ProzacPlease
1 year ago
Reply to  James

Or we could skip the guesswork and get the actual statistics from the districts. IIRC, Wirepoints did an article not too long ago about the high rates of teacher absences. That’s when you and PPF jumped in to assure everyone that this was their contractual right, entirely normal, exactly as it should be, etc, etc.

James
1 year ago
Reply to  ProzacPlease

Yes, I’m aware these statistics are published, but people in general won’t take the time and interest to look for them relying instead on their political persuasion or rumors of the friends and neighbors. As to your final thought apparently you have no understanding or maybe inclination to respect contract rights unless they are written to your personal advantage, instead preferring to think your attitude has priority. It doesn’t!

PPF
1 year ago
Reply to  James

Maybe each school district should hire a director of school absences. Give them a nice title and pay grade along with a pension and healthcare. Then those people can calculate all the days that teachers missed in each classroom and provide a report just so people that think teachers shouldn’t ever miss a day can complain. Not sure how you could post how many sick days an individual teacher used without violating their rights. I’m guessing you would need to aggregate the data rather than break it down to the individual teacher. Also, those teachers are contractually allowed to take… Read more »

James
1 year ago
Reply to  PPF

Seems like a plan PP could appreciate—managing the situation down to the penny is the apparent goal. But, moaning and groaning only raises one’s blood pressure and solves nada thing.

SIGN UP HERE FOR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER

Home Page Signup
First
Last
Check what you would like to receive:

FOLLOW US

 

WIREPOINTS ORIGINAL STORIES

WE’RE A NONPROFIT AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DEDUCTIBLE.

SEARCH ALL HISTORY

CONTACT / TERMS OF USE