Chicago Teachers Union President Invites City Hall to Turn Off Air-Conditioning

[phantom power]

Testify.

She pleaded with those in City Hall to empathize with what teachers and students go through, and to understand teachers are the foundation, and teachers were not going to sit by and be destroyed because that’s not what’s good for children.

She declared, “I want them to turn off the air conditioning in 125 S. Clark [Board of Education] and work like we work. I want them to turn off the air conditioning on the fifth floor of City Hall and let them work like we work. I want them to turn off the air conditioning at the Gates Foundation, the Broad Foundation and the Walton Foundation so they can see what our children have to suffer under. I want them to come sit in a classroom with peeling plaster and notebooks and I want them to be evaluated.”

The former chemistry teacher went on to make clear this was not about dodging accountability. She said she wants to be evaluated so somebody can tell her how to be a better teacher. But then added, “While these people have their air conditioners turned off, I want them to not be able to go to the dentist when they have a toothache. I want them to not be able to go to a physician when they are feeling ill. I want them to understand what it means to be hungry, what it means to be homeless and what it means to be uncomfortable when you give me a test.”

The issue of air conditioning is a real problem. Eighteen schools canceled classes this summer because it was too hot outside and they had no air-conditioning. Students were deprived learning opportunities because Chicago could not offer facilities comfortable and conducive to learning.

Lewis continued, “I want to know why, when we ask for textbooks and materials on the first day,” that is considered unreasonable. And, “I want somebody to tell me why asking for more than 325 social workers for a system of 400,000 children is unreasonable.”

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2012/09/15/at-rally-chicago-teachers-union-president-invites-city-hall-to-turn-off-air-conditioning/

[aquart]

1. Seems fair to me.

[Chorophyll]

2. Me too.

Kick and DU rec.

[Zalatix]

3. That's right, city hall, put some skin in the game.

[backscatter712]

4. Where have all the scabs gone?

They were all over DU expressing their concern during the first couple days of the strike!

[abumbyanyothername]

5. Now that the economics have been settled

Rahm stopped sending them their checks.

[charmay]

11. I hope that some of the CTU bashers

listened to the discussion on MSNBC with Sam Seder filling in for Chris Hayes this morning.

[LovingA2andMI]

12. Agree. Air Conditioning during summer and late spring classes....

Is a REAL ISSUE. How can KIDS learn if its' hot as all dickens inside. If governmental resources can provide kick-backs to the National Heritage Academies (a FOR-PROFIT Educational Corporation) for building new charter schools, what the heck can they put air conditioning into the public schools they already have?

[rhett o rick]

6. They need to find a progressive to run against Rahm. I hope they are working on that. nm

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. Yeah. That'll happen.

Right after they take their kids out of private school and stick'em in the "reform" system created by Duncan, Daley, Emanuel, et al.

[cr8tvlde]

8. Allow me to add, Ms. Lewis, that each office mentioned be assigned 10 random

kids and we'll be kind, just for one day a week, preferably K-3, as a field study...for the kids...to discover what real education can achieve. Wow, air conditioning. Be sure and send crayons and coloring books and a sack lunch. Kind of like "Take your kid to work day". Ok, not serious, but fun to think about.

As a first-time third-grade teacher (had a 2-3 combo...ugh) back in the 70's, I asked where the books were so I could prep over the summer. They did have reading books. But for the others, I was told, "Go check with the Custodian." Incredulously, I did, and I'll be darned, we found 6-7 mildewed 3rd Grade Language textbooks down under the cleaning supplies. No science books. No math books ... these were the New Math days ... I'd LOL but it was SAD. No audio visual equipment ... one 33 rpm record player. I learned how to make paste out of flour and water...we did it as an "art project before the art project"...truly, out of paste. No educational games...all self-made. No school nurse. No social worker.

The next year, there was an awful 19-day strike. We hadn't had a raise for 2-3 years as I recall, and they offered 2.9%. It was my last year. Hell, I spent more than that raise every year, as I know teachers here on this board did and still do.

In more ways than one, teaching is a labor of love, not a ticket to wealth. Some of us burned out.

Congratulations to the Chicago teachers and solidarity with getting Rahm out of their collective hair.

[HiPointDem]

9. kr

[girl gone mad]

10. k & r

[Live and Learn]

13. Forcing anyone or anything; kids, workers, prisoners, animals to remain in an environment

that does not maintain and adequate temperature is inhumane and should be illegal.

[Major Nikon]

18. It doesn't sound as if they are

They are just sending them home when the heat becomes a health issue which is arguably worse, especially when you consider they evidently feel that not having their bureaucracy interrupted on the same days is more important than educating children.

[Live and Learn]

20. But who decides when it is a health issue?

Is it the teachers, the students or the administration that decides. People have different thresholds for how much heat they can tolerate.

I recall a post about AZ prisoners being locked up with no way to escape the heat and some DUers defending the practice even though it has led to deaths. I maintain it is torture and unconscionable.

[Major Nikon]

26. Donno

I'd be very surprised if a school district the size of Chicago's wouldn't at the very least have a relevant professional on staff or an available consultant that could make such determinations. I think the bigger issue is the fact that the head administrator over the Chicago school system makes well into the six figure salary range, but they can't afford to buy window unit sized ACs for the classrooms they use for summer school.

[tecelote]

14. It's all part of the plan.

The worse public schools are, the more parents will opt for private schools.

If the parents can't afford it, it probably doesn't matter anyway.

The only hope is to vote the bastards out and bring people that care about people back in to our government.

[greymattermom]

15. years ago

before air conditioning was wide spread, we started after Labor Day and ended before Memorial Day. We had very few in service days, none that I can recall. The teachers had a statewide meeting while we had spring break. Those hot days weren't so bad.

[TBF]

17. Some states still start after Labor Day -

but here in the South school starts mid-August and it is not unusual for it to be over 100 degrees. "Those hot days weren't so bad" is going to vary widely if you're in say Minnesota versus Texas.

[n2doc]

24. Years ago the climate was cooler n/t

[goclark]

16. I am 100% behind the Union! K and R

Heard two representatives on tv and the mayor should be put in jaiil.

[Riley18]

19. Only fair for city hall to turn off heat and air.

Think of all the money they would save. Oh, and they should take work home so they can be paid an hour or so less each day. Teachers are expected to put in many free hours of work each week, and it is only fair to expect the same from the mayor's staff.

[luv_mykatz]

21. K& R

And...let them ride the school bus, with no air conditioning. Let them see what life is really like, away from the cushy conditions of their offices.

[peace begins with me]

22. Occupy City Hall, CTU!

5th floor, bay-bee!

[sulphurdunn]

23. So-called "education reform"

is an avaricious, narcissistic, malevolent and cynically hypocritical long con perpetrated by the interests of wealth and power solely in the interests of wealth and power.

[progressoid]

25. Rec!

[riderinthestorm]

27. Yes, and deprive them of computers, pens and paper. Let's see how effective they are then.

"“I want to know why, when we ask for textbooks and materials on the first day,” that is considered unreasonable."


Imagine trying to do your job as a teacher, without having textbooks and proper materials??? In a sweltering building, with chronic physical problems like toilets that don't work.

[patrice]

28. K! & big phat R!

[Starry Messenger]

29. k&r