TeacherX

Shorter Marilyn's Pieces

I'm really really mad about the in which the Board has spent money. We don't like the fact that CPS schools have been closed down, fixed up and given to charters. We also don't like that special treatment that has been given to other special schools while many neighborhood schools are deteriorating. We're going to do something about it someday - really.

Cult of Personality October Edition

Only 15 pictures (I think) or Marilyn in the October Union Rag.

More reading between the lines (well, the lines aren't even that close, it's more like driving a truck through them) of the Chicago Union Teacher. I promise that I won't gag too much when I read the C.U.T. so you won't have to.

Barefoot and Pregnant

From the Sun-Times

If the republicans had their way, girls would be taught Home-ec and sent home to find a husband.

WASHINGTON -- For the first time in a generation, public schools have won broad freedom to teach boys and girls separately, stirring a new debate about equality in the classroom.

The Education Department on Tuesday announced rules that will make it easier to create single-sex classes or schools, a plan that's been expected for almost three years.

I love the next quote

The move comes as the value of same-sex education is in doubt. Research shows mixed results, as even the department's own review says.

That would make this decision scientific? No. Political? Yes.

I can't wait

A new Chicago Union Teacher is waiting to be distributed. I can't wait. What's the over under on pictures of Marilyn this time. I'm thinking 25.

We're all superstars really part II

Ahhh, superstar - the ideal principal - one who can come in and just do magic in a school. In early September, we were reading about superstar principals who were going in to save schools that needed to be saved. Now, we are reading about the hiring of superstar principals to some "super" schools that desperately need. . . superstars? I don't get it.

In the sun times on Monday, Chief education stenographer reporter Roz Rossi reports on the big deal that both Chicago High Northside College Preparatory Academy and Walter Payton are both looking for new principals.

Two of the state's highest-scoring public high schools--Northside College Prep and Walter Payton College Prep--both need new principals by June 30, creating a first-of-its kind talent search in Chicago.

Having two such top-flight Chicago public school openings at the same time is "unprecedented,'' said Barbara Radner, director of DePaul University's Center for Urban Education and longtime CPS observer.

"This is like Harvard and Yale,'' Radner said. "I guess this is the marathon.''

Well, maybe, but it's still CPS. If one is indeed a superstar principal looking for a school that is like a suburban school - then guess what, they'll go to a suburban school. I mean, c'mon, it's CPS and people aren't stupid. These schools might be top of the heap - but a CPS principal is still a CPS principal with 100s of emails everyday, the revolving door at 125, arbitrary rules that make one's job a hassle, etc.

Since Aug. 31, only 10 candidates have applied for the Northside job, despite two rounds and $5,000 of national advertising.

"I have to say, we are shocked," said Northside Local School Council chair and parent Mary Lou Schmidt.

"The question came up -- maybe people thought we already had a candidate and we were just going through the motions. That is not true. We are wide open to any and all candidates," she said.

I'm shocked, shocked that people thought that there was a deal in the works for who was to become the new principal. Shocked. (snark)

College prep principal jobs now up for grabs at Northside, Payton and Lane Technical --which closed its application period Oct. 12 -- all pay between $113,800 and $137,700, plus benefits.

"Salary may be a sticking point," Devine said. "Compared to New Trier and some of the North Shore schools, our principal probably makes as much as an assistant principal or a department chair."

Only Principals? Compared to New Trier and some of the North Shore schools, CPS teachers probably make as much as teachers aids and janitors.

Chicago Schools CEO Arne Duncan said he hopes the fight for the two jobs is very competitive.

"Those principals are superstars," Duncan said. "We want to replace them with two superstars."

The principals at those schools are not superstars - despite the fact that the schools are CPS schools, it's a turnkey operation. Principals on the south and west sides who are trying to turn things around are superstars - if the CPS is going to pay anyone more - those principals deserve to be paid at New Trier Salaries.

 

Poor Rufus

Poor Rufus. WBEZ had a short piece on the upcoming negotiations between the board and the union. In the story, he says (to the city council education committee) "We're trying to do what's in the best interest of our students and having them out of school is not in their best interest"

Poor Rufus. He has no idea that Marilyn has to go out on strike. She has to prove she's tougher than her arch Nemesis, Debbie Lynch. She can't negotiate to a contract because people will think she sold us out when in fact she'll sell us out after we read the contract that we voted on. Poor Rufus - such a hopefully guy. Oh well. He'll just have to keep a stiff upper lip and a smile when the teachers are out manning the picket line in front of 125 Clark Street.

Poor Rufus.

Defend this.

Alexander has the goods, again - the man gets the stuff that's for sure. First, read this and then please all you defenders of the realm, defend it. Please, please defend the board. Tell me that I'm crazy and that it's all technical or that for some bureaucratic reason it won't happen or that these cuts to special education have no bearing on the education of children with special needs.

Why is the board so adamant about cutting special education to balance the budget? This decision has to be on of the most insane decisions ever made by the board.

Here's a thought - dump the AIO, AEIOU's, ABC's, and all the other semi-retired desk jockeys and clip-board artists with titles that end up being strings of letters.
Dump region bureaucracies and put a desk at the board with someone at the other end of the phone who can deal with problems.
Shred the 125 S. Clark bureaucracy.
Get rid of the rubber stamp board - that will probably save money.
Reduce paperwork by going to computers for attendance.
DO ANYTHING - cutting special ed teachers and aids is (I repeat) INSANE - anyone with a shred of decency at the board should have said something - anything to stop this nightmare.

There will come a time when a class without an aid (or the properly trained aid) will go nuts - something will happen and it will turn out that the problem could have been avoided if the board didn't reduce the number of special ed aids. I hope that board has some money set aside for when they lose the class action law suit that will probably be coming this way soon.

Our Englightened City

This column by Dawn Turner Trice speaks volumes about Daley's Chicago.

Dearborn Park II is a leafy, walled-off cul-de-sac of pricey homes and town homes designed to give the illusion of suburban living. The development, completed in the mid-1990s with one entrance and exit, was to have its own school, South Loop Elementary.

Daley's Chicago exists in the South Loop with apparently semi gated communities thinking that they own public land and public facilities and when some of these citizens don't get their  way they raise holy hell. Anyway, this is a disturbing story on many levels.

Principal fired for being good (I think)

Anyone want to talk about the story behind the story?

Really, what's a point between friends

Well, we all make mistakes don't we?

A controversial April study exposing dismal college graduation rates for Chicago Public Schools students -- only 6.5 percent were earning four-year college degrees by their mid-20s -- had errors, its think tank author said Wednesday.

That figure is actually 8 percent, the University of Chicago's Consortium on Chicago School Research says in a revision issued this month in the wake of two universities' challenges of reported graduation rates for their CPS alumni.

Hmmm, ok. So, there was underreporting by about a point and a half? Wow - that makes a whole lot of difference. Is that about a thousand more than before? Damn, I mean, wow, I mean eight percent instead of 6.5 - that's good right? Someone tell me that this correction helps out the cause of educating children. It tells us that the dismal rate of CPS students  moving on to college is (wait for it) STILL DISMAL!

The Consortium, which looked at high school graduating classes of 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2003, earlier reported only a third of CPS alumni overall were earning college degrees. It now says that figure is closer to half -- 45 percent.

That is significant. I suppose. Whatever the number is, it's still not good.

I wonder if any of the solitaire players over on Clark Street have paid attention to the fact that overcrowded schools and classes might lead to more kids dropping out and/or not getting the education that they deserve because they are not getting their needs met. The point and a half correction doesn't do anything to solve the problems that the board created for itself - it's just more useless statistics that do nothing more than prove that the system is not working and if the system continues like it is now, nothing is really going to change. I guess the fundamental question is, does the board really want real systemic change that would provide meaningful education to all of the children on an equal bases? Answer: no.