Despite putting his five children at Chicago Public School, Blair Flowers said that once their eldest daughter would graduate in high school, they may have to take a difficult decision to transfer their children to a school district in the suburbs. Is.
“It is not worth the fight,” the Flowers said. “My son is losing a lot. You want me to sit here and wait while (teacher) keep shouting and shouting to get more money, and I am still not getting basic services that my son should get from CPS.
After months of upheaval in the district, some parents say they have been very upset with the continuous fight between the three groups leading the public school system. With the dismissal of District CEO Pedro Martinez in December, upheaval in the school board and the ninth month conversation, with a four-year contract of the Chicago Teachers Union, some parents say that their students have been thought later.
Flowers said that the district has ignored various services required for their children, causing them to believe that the contract negotiations have blinded the district and CTU. They believe that it is difficult for parents to raise voice.
Growing up in Austin neighborhood, Flowers said that Chicago Teachers Association is trying to protect students and teachers. Now, sending their children to CPS, they feel that the district and CTU disrespect parents, and the Sangh, whose contract has ended in June, is trying to make the parents “obsolete”. .
Flowers said, “It seems that CPS and Teachers Association are such as parents are here … under our shoes, and all the other people are above here,” in which in the education of their children for parents It has become difficult to raise voice. Their children are demanding various services that have been sidelined as the district first wants to solve the CTU problem. Meanwhile, he said, the Sangh is only “crying” about what they want.
His son, who has a personal education program or IEP, was preparing to start getting speech therapy through the district earlier this year. However, they were told that they could not find any seller to start the service and no update has been provided.
With the fight between Mayor Brandon Johnson, CTU and Martinez, “We don’t know what’s happening,” Flowers said. “Services for our children are being canceled right-left, and we are the ones who are being released to move forward while all the rest are breaking before our eyes. It does not seem that none of them cares about those families that all this fight is affecting them.
While these concerns are increasing, Flowers and some other parents said that they are surprised how long their children will remain aside while the district and the Sangh will continue their fight.
In a statement to the tribune, CTU stated that its members, many of whom are also CPS parents, are eager to settle the contract.
The CTU spokesperson said on January 21, “We know that parents want a fully staff school, the ability to teach the truth, security for our weak students and a strong and rich school day.” He was busy with the court, “he added the Martinease trial seeking to stop the school board from depriving his duties.”
CPS did not immediately respond to the remarks request.
CTU and CPS have held regular press conferences with updates on the bargaining process, usually during business hours (and often within minutes of each other), live streams or live televisions on local channels. CTU said it would conduct a public update on its proposals on 22 January.
According to a nine -month conversation, the association of Economics at Utah University, Unis Han, who has written in detail about it, shows that the feelings among the stakeholders of the school district – parents, teachers and administrators are very much Are growing. The influence of teachers unions is “very important to get the support of parents and neighbors,” he said. “If the conversation process is too long, it becomes personal to everyone,” Han said, the longer the process, the greater the pressure and mental stress for the people involved.
‘We are being used’
Other parents also expressed the same feeling as the flowers: without any clear view of the deal and all the connected points, it seems that the district, as well as the union, to exclude the parents from the conversation Trying, as he said. Is kept out of
CPS guardian and long -standing local school council member Norma Lopez said that he disagreed with the Sangh’s efforts to form a teacher committees, believing that he would essentially capture local school councils. They believe that if the Sangh succeeds in forming this group, it will destroy local councils and remove the original input completely.
The Sangh has proposed a committee of teachers, which will play the role of approval of the school budget, considering the school’s reform schemes and evaluating principals, all the things to be done by LSC.
Lopez said, “Parents who work voluntarily (LSC) and are committed to the education of our students are taking our opinion, our work and our input from schools.” “This is the way that I have been able to support my children’s education, support my family, and know how to navigate the system … to help my children. I think this conversation will have a negative impact on my family and families like me.
After the 2019 teachers strike, the second strike they saw, Lopez said that he is no longer able to support the Sangh. Although she was happy that she was successful in winning what she fought for, she said that she did not like her children to be used as pawns to achieve it.
Lopez said, “I realized that when they are presenting (some) information to the public, there is such information in the conversation between the closed doors that no one is sharing.” “We are being used for political purposes and I do not agree with it.”
Since then, Lopez said that she had been unable to trust the Sangh. Given what has happened in recent months, he said that the current turbulent students seem more for the right over CPS than to improve education and meet their needs.
Other parents expressed concern about the union’s contract proposals. The native of Chicago and the grandparents of several CPS students oppose the CTU’s proposals to extend the time of preparation of teachers, as well as to end the current method of evaluation of teachers. They believe that no proposal will be more beneficial for the students.
Owens said, “Students are already not paying attention to the appropriate amounts of hardness and expansion which is necessary to succeed.” “It is a big mistake for me not to hold us responsible for their performance. Our success should be related to their success, there is no doubt. ”
After studying at Julian High School several years ago, Owens said that the present district is a “separate world” compared to the time when she was studied. As a student, he realized that the teacher cares about his job and your performance as a student matters.
Today, the perception of Owens has changed, and he is disappointed.
Owens said, “They do not have the same enthusiasm for work.” “This is the mindset of us vs us with many of them. It seems as if CTU is more concerned with the results of students. , They are always thought later. ”
Owens said, “If the best interest of the students align with the best interest of the teacher, it is very good.” “But many things that they are proposed are opposite the best things for children, and it worries me.”
At the salary of salary hike, Owens said that teachers would have to be entitled to get the salary hike.
Owens said, “If we are going to give salary increase to teachers, about which I firmly believe that they are entitled to this … then how good their performance is with the increase in the salary you get should be related. ” “I don’t think anything is wrong in rewarding good teachers and holding those who do not meet standards. I do not think the Sangh has any concern with that type of system. ”
While she understands what the teachers are fighting for, Katrina Adams, the mother of three children, said that if the demands of the union are met, 5% annually for the first two years of the contract and 4% to 5% in the next years for the first two years of the contract. Will be increased. They hope that students will get the benefit. He said that with high compensation, academic test scores and student performance should also be improved. “If you (them) give this salary increase … We can expect our children to move forward … and expect more than 30% (students) will be at grade level.”
Meanwhile, Utah’s Han University said that data suggests that there is a strong relationship between teachers ‘salary, morale of teachers, and students’ performance. He said, the salary hike of teachers should be minimum according to the rising cost of inflation and living, which should be 4% annual growth “minimum target”. Han said, “If the goals are to maintain those teachers for a long time, then it is very appropriate to pay more teachers.” “Right now we have a shortage of teachers and in future also we will be short of teachers.”
Nevertheless, in recent months, Adams said that he feels that politics has taken over the district.
Adams said, “I think politics is occupying the things going on in our children’s best education (and) school,” he said that only students are suffering.
Adams said, “Everything is about the removal of Pedro … about the CTU contract, but I did not hear anyone talking about how 30% of the students are studying at the grade level.” “I have not heard any discussion about the plan to pursue them educationally, the plan to prepare them for the future. It has been put in cold storage right now… and it is not appropriate. ”