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Chicago Teachers Strike 2012

Maybe someone better at math than I can figure this one out...


About how much does it cost, PER student, to have public schools?

Why not, instead, have a public education FUND, pool that money, at the very least...and let PARENTS hire private tutors.


Likely, the kids get a better education, costs the parents LESS, AND the private tutors likely get paid more if they are any good...and....as a bonus, it puts LOTS of people to work...to the tune of a tutor per every household.


Over simplified, but I think this gets the point across about public school as it currently stands, yes?

The Charter Schools are public and the Teachers didn't strike. Which they really do need more of these type Schools. Also concerning the Other post. I added it to the mix since CPS schools are tied to City Politics. Besides the States General Assembly.
 
I believe that teaching kids to read is more important.

And what should they read ABOUT?

You remove at least a basic music and art history, and you will end up with an ignorant society.


But this is a non issue, in my opinion. Because it doesn't HAVE to be a choice. SHOULDN'T have to be a choice. We should not be forced to CHOOSE which are children learn...math, or music. We should have an education system that is more than competent enough to, I don't know...handle both?
 
I think it's pretty easy, we keep pouring more and more money into our classroom with less and less results. The teachers unions protect teachers, not the students. The teachers unions could care less about the students. You can't fire a bad teacher, now tell me they care about the students. Teachers unions only have thing in mind, exchange their vote for higher wages, benefits, and shorter hours..

None of what you said provides any evidence in any way shape or form that teachers are failing. Your statements about not being able to fire bad teachers are grossly false in the extreme.

No offense to you but you sound just like some armchair quarterback a hundred pounds overweight who never played the game who thinks they know more about it than the guys in uniform.
 
As a person who sat on the table during these proceedings - the answer is a definitive and loud YES.

Yeah? Then answer this? What did the teachers being fired do to get it, and if it was for poor performance, how long, pray tell, did said teacher have to be an issue, before the issue got dealt with?

And as a matter of curiosity, how much influence did parents have on such a situation...as in, parents complaining about their kid not being able to read, or what not?
 
Yeah? Then answer this? What did the teachers being fired do to get it, and if it was for poor performance, how long, pray tell, did said teacher have to be an issue, before the issue got dealt with?

And as a matter of curiosity, how much influence did parents have on such a situation...as in, parents complaining about their kid not being able to read, or what not?

Since teachers are evaluated on an annual basis - it obviously took place during one year of time period.

Parents have a huge impact on their children's education.
 
that was not the allegation. Nice try in moving the goal posts however.

Well...if a teach is not failing, they they, by default, must be succeeding.


You asserted that they were NOT failing, by asking HOW they were failing...so I countered, by asking you how they were succeeding.


Nice attempt at a dodge, though.
 
A 40% drop out rate, and a 20% functional illiteracy rate to start with.

Why does that tell you that classroom teachers are failing and NOT the inherent structure of the system that allows students to fail as a matter of the simple price we pay for the system being the way it is?
 
Since teachers are evaluated on an annual basis - it obviously took place during one year of time period.

Parents have a huge impact on their children's education.

I am well aware that a parent has a huge impact one their child's education.


That's not what I asked, though. I asked how much of an impact a parent has on a teacher's job.
 
Well...if a teach is not failing, they they, by default, must be succeeding.


You asserted that they were NOT failing, by asking HOW they were failing...so I countered, by asking you how they were succeeding.


Nice attempt at a dodge, though.

The fact is a simple one: statistics show that the vast majority of our public school students get an education and are successful in life.
 
If what Ive read about this so far is true..and im going to be reading more on it tomorrow for sure...that the teachers union in chi turned down 16% pay increase for this year and they average 76,000 a year salaries..."IF" that is true...and I dont know if it is yet...then I have to say they are dead wrong for striking.
 
I am well aware that a parent has a huge impact one their child's education.


That's not what I asked, though. I asked how much of an impact a parent has on a teacher's job.

A great one. A large one. A significant one.
 
Why does that tell you that classroom teachers are failing and NOT the inherent structure of the system that allows students to fail as a matter of the simple price we pay for the system being the way it is?

Because the system hasn't changed much, not nearly as much as the results.
 
And what should they read ABOUT?

You remove at least a basic music and art history, and you will end up with an ignorant society.


But this is a non issue, in my opinion. Because it doesn't HAVE to be a choice. SHOULDN'T have to be a choice. We should not be forced to CHOOSE which are children learn...math, or music. We should have an education system that is more than competent enough to, I don't know...handle both?

Honestly, what good is music and art appreceation when the students CAN NOT READ AT ALL???

NO ONE should be allowed out of the third grade without the ability to read, and no one should be allowed out of 8th grade without a comprehension level of at least that high. ... PERIOD... reading is a fundamental part of learning...

elementary and secondary schools are teaching kinds WHAT to think, not HOW to think.
 
A great one. A large one. A significant one.

Cool. That was just a matter of curiosity.


Question.

If you pay, say, a mechanic to change the oil on your car, would you expect to then have to help said mechanic clean up the shop later, or help him swap out oil filters? Or would you expect the mechanic to pretty much have a handle on the situation?
 
The fact is a simple one: statistics show that the vast majority of our public school students get an education and are successful in life.

How bout the ones in Chi town?
 
Because the system hasn't changed much, not nearly as much as the results.

Nobody is disputing that the system needs change. I spent countless hours working to change the system from the inside and came up against a solid administrative wall of HELL NO. So what system do you want and why don't we do it?
 
If what Ive read about this so far is true..and im going to be reading more on it tomorrow for sure...that the teachers union in chi turned down 16% pay increase for this year and they average 76,000 a year salaries..."IF" that is true...and I dont know if it is yet...then I have to say they are dead wrong for striking.

What you read isn't true. The teachers were presented an offer than includes a 3% increase for this year and a 2% increase for each of the next three years -- guaranteed. They also get step/lane increases which don't change from the last contract. Those average about 3.5% a year, as I understand it. Teachers earn an average of $73,351 a year. How Much Do Chicago Public School Teachers Make? « CBS Chicago
 
It's a little difficult to worry much about art and music for students when 40% of them don't graduate high school. CPS: Highest Graduation Rate On Record For Five-Year Grads in 2012, District Predicts

And when only 20% of 8th Graders test at grade level for reading . . . and when only 21% of 8th Graders test at grade level for math. The CPS system is failing generations.

That "horrible evaluation system" has been around for forty years. CPS and teachers collaborated on a new system...the teachers' union is fighting it's "trial implementation" where this year's results would only impact non-tenured teachers and be advisory to tenured ones.


Quoting Maggie.....I think she shows what is taking place. Surely cannot be accepted as Success!
 
Honestly, what good is music and art appreceation when the students CAN NOT READ AT ALL???

NO ONE should be allowed out of the third grade without the ability to read, and no one should be allowed out of 8th grade without a comprehension level of at least that high. ... PERIOD... reading is a fundamental part of learning...

elementary and secondary schools are teaching kinds WHAT to think, not HOW to think.

I agree, not being able to read curtails one's ability to learn anything else in life. However, just because 20% of the students in school can't read, is no reason to strip away the learning opportunities of the other 80%.
 
Why does that tell you that classroom teachers are failing and NOT the inherent structure of the system that allows students to fail as a matter of the simple price we pay for the system being the way it is?

It doesnt matter Chicago is spending $21,024 per student per year to educate them. If you give parents a voucher for $15,000 per student, you can find a GOOD private school... and it would leave the remaining $6024.00 in the pot to help other students who stay.
 
It doesnt matter Chicago is spending $21,024 per student per year to educate them. If you give parents a voucher for $15,000 per student, you can find a GOOD private school... and it would leave the remaining $6024.00 in the pot to help other students who stay.

Interesting theory. Do you have anything to back it up?

Could you provide the stats on those expenses please?
 
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