Chicago teachers on strike

[Gerry Clinchy]

I don't believe the govt should step in. It is a local problem, between the teachers and their city. If govt did step in, then it would set a precedent of govt stepping in to solve their problems.

Rush Limbaugh's speculation is that Obama is waiting until he can step in and be the great mediator by getting the teachers to accept an 8% raise; and tell everyone that the teachers will be evaluated, but then the latter will never actually happen. Things will be happening behind the scenes, so that, if and when, O steps in it will have been pre-agreed upon.

Yes, Rush is a crazy kind of person; an entertainer. OTOH, one wonders that Obama has had no comment at all. He was quick to comment on the stupidity of the police in CT and how Trayvon Martin might have looked like his own son ... yet on this he has been silent. It seems out of character.

[BonMallari]

does anyone else see the irony here? Conservatives want the govt to stay out of things, yet they are mad that the president hasn't stepped in and fired the teachers.

the POTUS has no jurisdiction here, its not like the FAA situation...it is a local issue...


They want the govt to stay out of things, unless it is a chance to bust the union, then it's ok.

busting a union in Chicago.....one has a better chance of selling Eskimos a slurpee machine



If the govt got involved then, they would scream to stay out of it, it's a local thing. If the govt were to step in and fire the teachers, who would do it?

It would be the NEA and the NRLB among others, but the teachers arent getting fired

I guess they could hire replacement teachers like the NFL did with the referees. This is driving me crazy. Not a very long drive I might add.

my responses in blue.....its comical how Rahm E. has to include talking points about Mitt Romney during a presser about a subject Mitt has no dog in the fight....and people wonder what all the fighting was about in Wisconsin, well here it is all over again....I still think its a manufactured crisis

[Gerry Clinchy]

I still think its a manufactured crisis

Then you would be agreeing with Rush Limbaugh He speculates that it is a "set-up" to allow POTUS to step in (in a "personal" way, not a "government" way) and come out looking like "the great healer".

Public education is viewed as a "right" ... but when an individual abuses a "right" so that it interferes with someone else's "right", they are penalized. There seems to be no penalty for students who do this within our public school systems.

I can empathize with teachers who want to teach, and could be capable of teaching, but are not able to do so because of the disruptive students. Better compensation and benefits will not fix those problems. Nobody is talking about how to fix the root problems that produce the net result that students spend 12 years (sometimes drop out sooner) in the public school system, and still become unproductive adults.

[road kill]

This is not about teachers or students.

This is about "DA UNION."

They don't want merit pay or reviews and they want an exemption from Obama care.
How can Rahm and Obama win in this.
If they stand up to "DA UNION" they lose.
If they give an exemption for Obama care, they lose.
Hysterical...........

Did anyone take a look at Karen Lewis?
The president of the Chicago Teachers Union?

This whole situation is a microcosm of what ails America today..............

[BonMallari]

Then you would be agreeing with Rush Limbaugh He speculates that it is a "set-up" to allow POTUS to step in (in a "personal" way, not a "government" way) and come out looking like "the great healer".

Public education is viewed as a "right" ... but when an individual abuses a "right" so that it interferes with someone else's "right", they are penalized. There seems to be no penalty for students who do this within our public school systems.

I can empathize with teachers who want to teach, and could be capable of teaching, but are not able to do so because of the disruptive students. Better compensation and benefits will not fix those problems. Nobody is talking about how to fix the root problems that produce the net result that students spend 12 years (sometimes drop out sooner) in the public school system, and still become unproductive adults.

That was my thought back in post # 21...so I guess Rush agrees with me....was not aware thats what he said..when I heard that they werent striking for higher wages/salaries something just didnt seem right

[Jason Glavich]

Seems to be lots of knowledge on this Chicago mess.
Any of you know the President of the CTU???


Ladies and gentlemen, meet Karen Lewis;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1YXOSaMZzs

is this a comedy routine?

[menmon]

Obama would prefer this not to be happening. And you are right it is not any of the governments business. Reagan made it his with the air traffic controllers. Think about the issues with air traffic control and how unsafe it has been recently. The union knows their workers limitations. Just like size of class room. 15 kids verses 30 kids that don't mind...might make it hard for a teacher to keep their cool, but if they lost it...it is the teacher fault

[Gerry Clinchy]

is this a comedy routine?

I had the same reaction ... she could make a career of stand-up. Did she actually criticize Obama's choice of Sec of Educ?

[Gerry Clinchy]

15 kids verses 30 kids that don't mind...might make it hard for a teacher to keep their cool, but if they lost it...it is the teacher fault

Studies have shown that class size are not truly relevant to learning results. The quality of the teacher and the attention of the students is more a factor. In good colleges, "lecture-type" classes for many subjects have long been common. But no hooliganism is tolerated in those environments.

A teacher can keep their cool in a room of 50 kids, if the kids abide by rules that preserve a learning environment. 30 well-behaved students are not a problem. 15 hooligans are a problem; 30 hooligans is anarchy.

[menmon]

Studies have shown that class size are not truly relevant to learning results. The quality of the teacher and the attention of the students is more a factor. In good colleges, "lecture-type" classes for many subjects have long been common. But no hooliganism is tolerated in those environments.

A teacher can keep their cool in a room of 50 kids, if the kids abide by rules that preserve a learning environment. 30 well-behaved students are not a problem. 15 hooligans are a problem; 30 hooligans is anarchy.

Higher education is a whole different subject...but since you brought it up...take the freshmen that fail out at the big universities their first year and go to a junior college and them come back. The large classroom is the reason.

But we are talking about kids of all different learning abilities and if the classroom is small they can give the attention needed to these various kids, where if it was large they could not give the personal attention.

We have a bunch of armchair teachers on this forum and it is obvious that more teachers would produce better results. See everyone misses the big picture...if you can make these kids love to learn there is a much more chance they will grow up and be productive versus not capable of learning the demanding trades and proffessions we have in this country.