Read Rebecca Johnson's CORE (Caucus of Rank and File Educators) report of the Chicago Teachers Union House of Delegates meeting on April 15. No democracy there too? And Randi actually was at that meeting to witness it. Deja vu, Randi?
Randi Weingarten spoke for the longest time and [CTU leader] Marilyn Stewart claimed that the reason for doing this speech/press conference/rally during our House of Delegates meeting was Randi’s hectic schedule and her agreeing to come from New York to celebrate with Civitas* on short notice.
What? Randi speak for a long time? Say it ain't so.
CORE, a fairly new caucus, has been extremely active in the CTU. The Grassroots Education Movement here in NYC, which has people from ICE, TJC, ISO, NYCORE, Teachers Unite and others involved is reaching out to CORE to touch base.
Related:
Marian Swerdlow of TJC does an excellent DA report here in NYC but you have to subscribe to get it. Email me for the contact info: normsco@gmail.com
George Schmidt at Substance compares Arne Duncan to Alan Greenspan
"improving public education" in Arne Duncan's version of reality means more charter schools, the closing of low-scoring public schools, and various forms of choice and material incentives (including teacher merit pay). Duncan claims that he successfully brought those reforms to Chicago's public schools, although Substance has proven in each case that Duncan's claims are false and will continue to do so even more elaborately now that Duncan is trying to export the attacks on public education that he got away with in Chicago.
*They all also were there to praise teachers from three Chicago International Charter Schools (CICS)—Wrightwood, Northtown Academy and Ralph Ellison campuses—which have voted to become unionized. These schools are run by Civitas, one of the charter educational management companies CPS has allowed to open charters in Chicago.
