Wow, Really!!

As the CPS is in the midst of determining which public schools to close in the 2013-14 school year, the word came out last week that CPS is looking at opening up roughly a half dozen charters.  No doubt this announcement has already caused many CTU personnel and parents some real angst.

It's understandable from their viewpoint.  Many parents in poverty stricken neighborhoods, where enrollment has been shrinking, are concerned that their neighborhood school will be among those slated for closure.  All sorts of very real concerns, many of which I have previously outlined, drive their desire to keep their schools open.

On a related front, the Chicago Teacher's Union has pulled off, in my view, an idiotic marketing ploy.  The CTU has put out a 5-minute video depicting Mayor Emanuel as the 'Rahminator' and School Board member Penny Pritzker as a 'Penny Pincher.'

I understand the fact that the CTU wants to prevent schools from closing but such name calling has no place in the dialogue concerning the future of education in Chicago.  The union has to be more professional in its public dealings with officials at CPS.  Such discourse simply adds more fuel to the fire.

Dick