Chicago Teachers Union contract demands are totally divorced from reality – Wirepoints
May 8, 2024
36 Comments
Details emerging about Chicago Teachers Union’s upcoming contract show just how divorced its demands, both extreme and expensive, are from the reality at Chicago schools. It’s not just about massive salary increases, but also about money for migrant students, climate initiatives, abortions and gender-affirming care. About blocking parental notification. Count on CTU’s demands to veer further from reality until the public finally says no.
Weekly crime statistics from the Chicago Police Department: Report through 5/4/2024.
Gov. JB Pritzker calls it “ethics” reform.
It’s rare to see city leaders in Chicago take an open, unabashed stance on the collapse of literacy. To complain is deemed as too political, too racist or too anti-public schools. So it’s refreshing to see Willie Wilson, a successful businessman and leader of the black community, call for a literacy initiative “with the goal of getting 100% of Black students reading at grade level.”
Now cross link to recent WP posting: https://www.attomdata.com/news/market-trends/attom-q2-2023-special-housing-impact-report/
Il and NJ most at risk for a housing disaster.
The folks at Cap Fax were once presented with this factoid, and their response was “with taxes we buy civilization”
No better way to repel new business
Having more units of government naturally is going to result in higher taxes. Recently in my downstate area there was a movement to eliminate a Township that was covered by a municipality. The local Illinois voters would have nothing to do with the idea. The free stuff army turned out in full force as the Township provides home delivery of food baskets at Christmas, regardless of the fact we have a great food pantry. The liberals were like “what will the poor do without the Township?” There’s the news report from my area meaning a layer of unnecessary government is… Read more »
Same thing goes on here.
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/state-supreme-court-issues-stay-in-jessica-thomas-legal-battle-with-peoria-county/
70% of the county’s voters decide in favor of a referendum eliminating an elected guvmn’t official’s unnecessary office. Last year. Still paying her, however, and will be for a long time, until the Illinois Supreme Court – that’s Pritzker’s Illinois Supreme Court – gets to decide what 70% of a county’s voters deciding to eliminate a guvmn’t office ‘really’ means.
More units of local government implies each unit is smaller. The largest units, such as City of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools, may have the greatest proportion of waste and corruption. I hope Wirepoints or some other responsible analysts will look into this. They might conclude that we’d be better off breaking up the large units, resulting in an even greater number of smaller, more accountable ones.
More ‘local units of government’ than any other state in the nation.
When, I wonder – if at all – will a majority of Illinois voters reject state and local Guvmn’t run by, and for the benefit of, public employee unions?
Not going to be easy, having gone on so long now that we owe them $200 some-odd billion borrowed from their constitutionally guaranteed pension funds.
To pay for other stuff we weren’t taxed enough to afford.
Some of the highest taxes and not the change of a nickel. Dead A$$ broke. Where is all the money going?? Not to roads or effective police protection or education results.
Wherever it is there must be a lot of it.
I know a Sheeetcago HS algebra teacher who retired at age 58 with a starting pension of $104K.
When he retired he was making $158K for 9 months of work.
This is where all the money is going in Taxistan!!
Good for him. He earned every penny. Although it seems low but then I remembered that Chicago teachers don’t make the same as those in the suburbs. Hopefully his spouse also worked a similar job and they will be ok with two pensions.
You assume that he earned every penny. I will assume that the state math scores are a better indication of exactly what he earned.
Their pay is not tied to math scores so what you determine as to what they earned is absolutely meaningless. That teacher fulfilled their terms of the contract and that’s all that matters.
Teachers Union Contract Terms;
On time! Every day! C’mon man, have a heart!
People may think your comment is an attempt at humor but it’s not, it’s typical for a public sector union employee. When my brother in law was hired by the city of Chicago his union rep said “just make sure you’re not late to work” everything else we can deal with.
I didn’t say their pay is tied to math scores. Quite obviously it is not.
What they are paid and what they have earned are two very different things.
Believe me when I say you haven’t a clue! Life as a teacher isn’t like any job you’ve ever had most likely. Your comment is akin to saying a network TV anchor makes way, way too much money because he’s only a teleprompter reader. Both are more demanding than is readily obvious to an outsider. Otherwise all the scores students achieve on standardized tests would be significantly higher, don’t you think?
A TV anchor makes a lot of money because he successfully draws in an audience, and thus produces ratings. He achieves the result for which he is paid. If he does not, his contract is not renewed. It does not depend on whether or not it is easy to read from a teleprompter. I think the education system threw out methods for teaching reading and math that had been proven effective for centuries, in favor of their genius new ideas. The terrible test scores are not necessarily an indication that teaching is so overwhelmingly difficult. They are the result of… Read more »
“I think the education system threw out methods for teaching reading and math” And front line teachers had nothing to do with that. Your issue is with the system and not the employees that are carrying out the task. Police officers don’t decide “stop and frisk” rules nor do they decide other rules that impact crime rates. They merely carry out the tasks as prescribed by management or the “system”. If crime increases it doesn’t mean police are less effective it just means that the system is not working to reduce crime, which is usually beyond the individual police officers… Read more »
When I see teachers doing anything besides marching in lockstep with the system, and doing everything in their power to maintain the current system, I might change my mind. What do you always say? It’s what the voters want. Well, clearly this is the system that teachers want. You got the system you wanted, now do your job.
You voted for the school board that supports that system. Until I see you vote differently then I’ll assume you are happy with the current system. You’ve got the system you want now enjoy.
I agree with your analyses surprise as it may seem. You’re more astute than most here in my estimation in that what you said was thoughtful both both jobs and not simply vitriolic teenager-like anger. But, as to the comments regarding salaries and the consequent pensions I also like PPF’s response to you a few minutes ago.
James, thanks for a fair assessment!
May have earned may not have earned. Doesn’t matter, the taxpayers do not have the money. The high-income earners are fleeing in record numbers. Only poor immigrant’s will be left to pay the overly generous pensions. Best of luck with that.
Spot on Da Judge. His pension is more than Old Joe ever grossed in a 12 month year.
Didn’t you state you were an engineer Old Joe? You must have retired a long time ago because 104k isn’t that much money for a highly trained professional such as yourself.
PPF is an out of touch public sector parasite who has no idea how good the union parasites have it. Half ass work ethic, job security, unbelievable benefits and gold plated pensions are the norm. For your info Mr. parasite seasoned engineers in the mechanical and structural fields don’t often break 100K, despite masters degrees and providing actual value to society unlike union parasites such as yourself. In fact they ride the wave of supply and demand, boom bust of the general economy and it’s not unusual to be laid off at 50 – 55 and not be hired back… Read more »
Thanks for sharing. If experienced engineers aren’t making 100k or more per year they clearly are not very successful. According to BLS, the mean salary of a mechanical engineer is 101k with the top 10% earning over 150k per year. The mean entry level starting salary is 67K per year.
Perhaps these unsuccessful engineers should seek a different career path? Maybe they should unionize so they can’t be so easily dismissed when they reach age 50? Then again, they can just complain and remain jealous of others that chose a different career. Such is life.
Bitter, sweetie?
Definitely bitter but also jealous.
Jealousy is a trait one should strive not to display. It seems I’ve heard that a few times. We all should strive to be less condemning toward our fellow man. You have to “walk a mile in another man’s moccasins” to begin to understand him,” or so I’ve been told as well.
No what you dipshits don’t understand is reality. You can quote BLS or whatever but I can assure you the productive sector, not the engineers relying on government pork which is a lot of them now, are struggling. Private nongovernmental capital investment is dead and has been for years. Productive enterprise is fleeing IL at an accelerated rated. And good for them, maybe PPF and Jame’s can just tax each other. I own my own business and don’t need to be jealous of two losers who couldn’t make it in the real world, couldn’t bring a new idea or product… Read more »
You need a therapist. You couldn’t do my job either. So what?
“You can quote BLS or whatever”
How dare I use statistics in a rebuttal to your asinine made up rant. lol. You are seriously unhinged but don’t change a thing. I find it quite comical and entertaining.
If people make less money in their chosen career then that’s on them and not the fault of teachers, police, firefighters or any other public sector worker. They can take ownership and change careers. Maybe use all that knowledge and become a teacher and an overnight millionaire. If it’s so easy as everyone claims why wouldn’t everyone flock to the profession?
Because of the wackiedoodle teachers unions.
Next stooopid question.
So removing the teachers union which would most likely lower pay and benefits for teachers would entice more people to enter the profession? Clearly missed your economics classes. Then again maybe you attended but lack the cognitive abilities to understand.
No, everyone acts as if teachers have it so easy but none of you have the abilities or desire to step up. Instead it’s just complain while offering nothing.
Waste of time and energy trying to explain capitalism to socialist union slugs. All they know is go on strike until they get what they want not what they deserve all at the taxpayers expense. You can see evidence of their group think greed in full force with the united auto workers union right now. .