Some background

Whether one agrees with the Chicago Public School strike or not, there is one certainty.   The existence of many of the conditions, bemoaned by the union, which adversely learning and teaching are present in a number of the schools in the poorest areas of the city.  I know, I've seen it.

There are too many children in far too many classes.  Too many disruptive students make the learning environment challenging to say the least.  Schools see ups and downs in those attending school because of the shifting of students between portions of the city.  The poverty and crime in regions of the city affect the children and those problems don't end when the students show up at the door in the morning.  So when people within the schools say that more psychologist and social workers are needed they aren't exaggerating.

And here is where Schools Count Corp comes in...huge numbers of students aren't properly resourced with day-to-day supplies.  Talk about a problem!

Beyond the above, there is much too much shifting of teaching and administration personnel at the various schools.  This is instability is both mind boggling and troubling!!   So how do the above problems get solved by an ever changing of the guard?  The anwer is...not very well in too many cases.

These challenges are real and have to be dealt with, simple as that.  It is up to both the CPS system and the teacher's union to address these concerns.

Dick