Striking Chicago teachers head to picket lines

Last Updated 5:07 p.m. ET

(CBS/AP) CHICAGO - Thousands of teachers, parents and supporters marched through downtown Chicago on the first day of a school strike.

The crowd Monday afternoon stretched for several blocks and was expected to swell through the early evening and into the city's rush hour. Some protesters carried signs that said "Chicago Teachers United" and "Fair Contract Now." Others waved red pom-poms and chanted. Earlier in the day, thousands of teachers picketed around neighborhood schools.

The city's 25,000 public school teachers are on strike for the first time in a quarter-century, after the latest contract talks broke down Sunday with no deal to avert a walkout.

Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said late Sunday night there had been some progress in contract talks, but "we have failed to reach an agreement that will prevent a labor strike."

The city's public school teachers make an average of $71,000 a year. Both sides said they were close to an agreement on wages. What apparently remains are issues involving teacher performance and accountability, which the union saw as a threat to job security.

Late Sunday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who has already forced teachers to lengthen their school days, said he was "disappointed" in the union's decision to continue with a strike.

"I am disappointed that we have come to this point, given that even all the other parties acknowledge how close we are because this is a strike of choice," Emanuel said. "Because of how close we are, it is a strike that is unnecessary."

On Monday, the mayor urged negotiators to come up with a new contract for the city's teachers quickly for the sake of the children.

Also expressing disappointment: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who released a statement in advance of a visit to Chicago for fundraisers. It said in part, "I am disappointed by the decision of the Chicago Teachers Union to turn its back on not only a city negotiating in good faith but also the hundreds of thousands of children relying on the city's public schools to provide them a safe place to receive a strong education."

Romney then accused President Obama of siding with the teachers union.

Romney "disappointed" by Chicago teacher's strike

23 Photos

Chicago teachers strike

After talks ended last night, Chicago Board of Education President David Vitale said he believes CPS officials made their best possible offer to teachers.

"There's only so much money in the system. There's only so many things that we can do that are available to us," Vitale said. "At this juncture, it is clearly their decision. ... We've done everything we can."

Lewis said the two sides were close to agreement on a contract, but not close enough.

"We are not far apart on compensation, however we are apart on benefits," Lewis said. "We want to maintain the existing health benefits."

Lewis said the union is also concerned that a proposed new teacher evaluation system "could result in almost 6,000 teachers - or nearly 30 percent of our membership - being discharged within one or two years. This is unacceptable and leads to instability for our students."

She said the new evaluation system would rely too much on students' standardized test scores.

"This is no way to measure teacher effectiveness at all," she said.

A woman pushes a stroller past a group of public school teachers picketing outside Amundsen High School, Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, in Chicago. The school is one of more than 140 schools in the Chicago Public Schools' "Children First" contingency plan, which feeds and houses students for four hours during the teachers strike started by the Chicago Teachers Union Monday. (AP Photo/Sitthixay Ditthavong)

/ Sitthixay Ditthavong

A dispute involving public sector employees in Chicago was somewhat surprising, said CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds, given the generous packages unions here have won in the past. In addition, a teacher strike in the hometown of a president who stresses the importance of education could also be seen as something of a political embarrassment.

Chicago teachers to go on strike
Chicago Teachers Union to go on strike
Chicago braces for possible teachers strike

The union had set a midnight deadline for a walkout. Negotiations are to resume on Monday at 10 a.m. at a secret location.

Teachers began to walk picket lines at schools shortly before 6:30 a.m., and students and parents were left looking for alternatives.

Chicago Public Schools is opening about 140 schools for children from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 pm.; however, no instruction will take place.

"They're going to lose learning time," said Beatriz Fierro, whose daughter is in the fifth grade on the city's Southwest Side. "And if the whole afternoon they're going to be free, it's bad. Of course you're worried."

About 45,000 students who attend the city's charter schools will not be affected by the walkout - their schools will stay open.

In addition, churches, libraries and community organizations will be providing students with activities.

Before the strike, some parents said they would not drop their children at strange schools where they didn't know the other students or supervising adults. On Monday, as only a trickle of students arrived at some schools, April Logan said she wouldn't leave her daughter with an adult she didn't know. Her daughter, Ashanti, started school just a week earlier.

"I don't understand this, my baby just got into school," Logan said at Benjamin Mays Academy on the city's South Side before turning around and taking her daughter home.

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[jamesthurber]

A lot of other school districts have been laying off teachers. If the Chicago teachers are so unhappy, let them quit and make room for the laid off teachers. I'm certain that they'll be quite happy to accept the terms being offered.

[icuping]

Fire them and hire ones that want to work.

[askagain]

I taught for five years in a public high school. Having 180 students per day, teaching 6 periods per day, preparing for 3 different subjects per day, monitoring the cafeteria, and chaperoning dances, basketball games, and football games, the job was anything but easy. Did I mention correcting papers and scoring tests into the late hours of the evening? Currently, I have a business which requires far fewer hours, is far less stressful, and pays three times what I would be earning as a teacher with 30 years of experience. By the way, most corporations have only one CEO running companies with sales that are often in the billions of dollars each year. There is no comparison between a CEO and teachers.

[Aerostar700]

Wisconsin teachers and public service unions found out the hard way that they could not trust Obama. When push came to shove, Obama was no where to be found.

Wisconsin teachers were left Twisting In The Wind while Obama flew Air Force One around the country and partied with his fat cat buddies in $40,000 a plate fundraisers all over the country.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBKSsP72R7U

Imagine the pain of being left waiting for his assistance after Obama had made you such a SPECIFIC PROMISE! Waiting for assistance that NEVER CAME.

On at least one occasion, Obama flew directly over Wisconsin to neighboring Minnesota, where as Wisconsin Teachers struggled in the trenches, Obama partied the night away with millionaire campaign contributors. Might give you as little insight into exactly what Obama REALLY thinks of union members. They are mere pawns to be used for HIS purposes.

Now Obama's Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel is persecuting teachers in Chicago. And Obama sits idly by and does nothing to help teachers.

And now we discover that Obama confidant and ally Andy Stern is facing criticism from dissidents within his own union that he sold out union workers. Stern has also taken an unpaid position on the board of directors of the Broad Center, which critics allege is hostile to teachers' unions. (Along with Stern, the center's board also includes former Obama economic advisor Larry Summers, former Democratic Congressman turned bank lobbyist Harold Ford Jr., and former Louisiana state Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek, who is
infamous for using the devastation from Hurricane Katrina as a means of converting public schools to charter schools and pushing voucher programs.)

http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/13608/is_andy_stern_selling_out_by_working_for_school_reform_group_private_equity

The Broad Foundation also sponsored the notorious anti-teachers'-union movie, Waiting for Superman. After the election of Barack Obama and the appointment of teachers-union foe Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education, Broad told the Wall Street Journal that his vision of education reform was possible because "the unions no longer control the education agenda of the Democratic Party."

Who will dare report on the Democrat's WAR ON TEACHERS?

[johnlockesghost]

"The city's public school teachers make an average of $71,000 a year. Both sides said they were close to an agreement on wages. What apparently remains are issues involving teacher performance and accountability, which the union saw as a threat to job security."--
71 grand a year on average for a school teacher and they don't want to be held accountable? You've got to be kidding! Fire the whole damn bunch. I can't believe that the taxpayers are ready to foot the bill for an increase. The Illinois governor should follow the example set by Wisconsin.

[madjek]

The Mayor needs to put the blame squarely on the heads of the republican state legislature. When the state lotto was passed years ago the revenue was promised to the school system. Instead the g.o.p. downstate pols have repeatedly robbed our children. WHERE IS THE MONEY YOU CROOKS.

[retmw1]

The same thing was done in Ohio, they put the lotto money into the general fund. Republican controlled state legislature.

[johnlockesghost]

Did the lotto money come exclusively from city residents? I doubt it. So why should it all go to the city school system? Sounds to me like the state legislature did the right thing.

[realtimecoffee]

by retmw1 September 10, 2012 10:25 PM EDT That being the case then every public employee needs to be reviewed and tested in job performance.
---
First we should ask if we even need this job done, then look for the most efficient and economical way of doing it. Government is a tool. Nothing more. When it becomes more than that things start flying apart.

[retmw1]

Does any government Federal, state, local look for the most efficient and economical way of doing anything, that's the whole problem they don't.

[realtimecoffee]

No argument there Ret. Maybe it's time we started demanding that they do. And forget party and fire ANYONE who doesn't follow through.

[JJ_in_tulsa]

Just check it out,,, it is worth a read.

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/316395/chicago-bled-dry-striking-teachers-unions-john-fund#

[ugacrew]

The problem with America today is that its system of public education is failing. It should not be about job security for anyone, its first priority should be academic achievement for all of the students.

All too often, students suffer academically because some poorly trained teacher can't be terminated. That teacher's cycle of damage to students simply goes on for years completely unchecked.

All of these teachers need to be reviewed as well as retested and required to pass a minimum score on predesignated standardized tests. If they fail to meet the minimum requirements, out the door they go. Unions serve good purposes, but the last thing they should do is serve to shield poorly trained and qualified teachers from poor job performance that they are quick to blame on "poverty."
Many a poor man has risen from such poverty to become great!

[Rafterman11]

Unfortunately, robots do not teach students, people do. And people want job security, no matter what profession. Its easy to be high and mighty and say it should be about the kids. But it is not fair to ask teachers to take less than other professional level professions get. if you don't offer some kind carrot, who is going to want to teach? Not our best. Teaching will end up being a barely above minimum wage job done by the mediocre if things keep going the way they are.

[retmw1]

That being the case then every public employee needs to be reviewed and tested in job performance.

[realtimecoffee]

by retmw1 September 10, 2012 8:47 PM EDT Realtime

What happens if you are a good teacher and have poor performing students. Does that mean you should be fired? Remember teachers aren't allowed to discpline kids anymore for acting up and disrupting class.
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If you are a good teacher and have poor performing students why should you get a raise? The whole system is a failure. Why keep supporting a failing system. Why spend more on something that isn't working. Maybe it is just time to realize that X% of students aren't worth the time and money and focus on those that are. As for what yu would do with those other X% your guess is as good as mine, but letting them destroy our educational system for some unworkable sense of fairness won't get us anywhere. (And hint to parents that don't want the responsibility - stop breeding) I'd support free strilization for any that want it. Children aren't toys or income sources.

[retmw1]

So you are punishing the teacher for underperforming students? Teachers don't get to pick and choose what students they get in they're classes. You get a poor teacher that gets the A and B students in they're class and they get rewarded with a pay raise, even though they aren't as good as the teacher with poor students. So how are you going to evaluate the teacher fairly.

[realtimecoffee]

Why should I reward them Ret? And not just the teachers but the admins and all the rest in the system? Chicago alredy has the 3d highest paid teachers. Do you think making them the highest paid will help the students? The only thing that seems fair to both the teachers and the students is to get rid of the ones who won't teach and those who won't learn. Either take our gift of an education seriously, or get out. And good luck.

[TimeToEvolve]

Republicons have declared War on the Unions (since Reagan) and a War on the Middle Class. Is there any wonder that America has gone downhill? When everyone does better, everyone does better. When a few greedy jerks like Mitt Robbed Me does good, everyone suffers.

[retmw1]

apufan

Ah, then why haven't the CEO's priced themselves out of the market. Compare what the CEO of say Toyota makes to what the CEO of GM makes. You compare the difference of what CEO's from foreign companies make to they're counterparts here in the U.S. big difference for doing the same job.