Chicago Public Schools hiring while cutting? What gives?

[tonysam]

Substance News:

While claiming it must cut hundreds (perhaps thousands) of jobs, the Chicago Board of Education is simultaneously advertising around the nation and locally to hire new teachers. Is there an explanation? Secret Job Fairs and hundreds of hidden job positions posted on out-of-state Web sites — plus some postings from CPS itself — indicate confusion, if not a policy of dishonesty. Additionally, a federal age discrimination lawsuit is already pending that could cost CPS millions of dollars if the pattern that seems to be there is verified in court. The charge is that CPS is dumping veteran teachers (an instance of age discrimination) while trying to hire young teachers in large numbers — despite their lack of experience and proven abilities, and the fact that a majority of the newly hired teachers leave the profession within five years.





A little recent history provides some context.





On February 24, 2010, the Chicago Board of Education voted to close one school (Las Casas Occupatonal High School), subject five schools to "turnaround" (Bradwell, Deneen, and Curtis elementary schools and Marshall and Phillips high schools), phase out another school (Schneider Elementary), and consolidate McCorkle Elementary by closing it and sending its students to nearby Beethoven Elementary. The majority of the hundreds of teachers and other staff at the schools are veterans, including principals and non-teaching staff. If CPS goes through with this latest round of staff eliminations, their numbers will be added to the thousands (most of them African Americans) who have already been eliminated from the ranks since former Chicago Schools CEO Arne Duncan began these policies in 2002.


All of the schools targeted this year on what activists have called the annual "Hit List" protested and provided evidence to refute every claim made by CPS officials to supposedly justify the Board's policies, but the Board voted on the proposals, made by Ron Huberman, despite the facts. When the schools are closed, consolidated, or "turned around", more than 400 teachers and other staffs will be out of jobs.

Michelle Rhee did similar garbage in D.C. schools. This revolving door stuff is going on throughout the country.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

1. I wonder if this has anything to do with the Teachers Union?

[madrchsod]

2. union busting...

make the union teachers reapply for their jobs against cheaper labor out of college. there`s no dam way they will attract quality graduates to teach in the the poor neighbor hoods in chicago/cook county. not to many people have the guts to work in a war zone.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

3. Would is still be age discrimination if they ...

laid off a bunch of veteran teachers only to hire teachers of the same age and experience.
Of course, the rub is that the new hires are paid much less - because they are new hires.

[tonysam]

5. The new hires tend to be much younger.

If you're over forty, don't bother to train to be a teacher.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

6. I'm asking if the schools doing this can avoid "age discrimination" by

I'm asking if the schools doing this can avoid "age discrimination" by offing the open positions to the "more experienced applicant".
One would have a hard time claiming age discrimination if a school system fired verteran teachers, but then hired equally experienced teachers as those whom were fired. However, the "new position" would offer less money.

Schools save money, get the same experienced teachers, and dodge a discrimination lawsuit.
Such a scenario would have to be illegal, right? What makes it illegal?

[tonysam]

7. They aren't going to hire "equally" experienced teachers

because they will have to be put too high on the salary scale. They want beginners.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. I am yet to see a district where all your seniority transferred

Generally they give you 5 or 7 years max credit, even if you have been teaching for 20.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Maybe they need Science teachers but are laying off English teachers?