It Doesn't Add Up

I'm sure there are many mathematicians who can make sense out of some revealing numbers with regard to CPS teachers who have been given the proverbial - but real - pink slip. They will really have to work some magic as my first, second and third glance tells me something is amiss.

Let me give you but one example of what seems to be staff cuts that are unwarranted. Lowell Elementary is a school we work with and they are facing a loss of four teachers. That represents a reduction in staff of 9.5%, as reported by the Chicago Sun Times, even though there is a loss of just 5% of the students this fall as compared to last year.

I could understand a cut in staffing of nearly 10% if there were 10% fewer students but a cut of the magnitude described above just puts more pressure on the good people working at Lowell. In simple terms, that's just not right!

By the way, as the school year gets started don't be surprised to see Lowell ADD additional students to the 429 who are set to head to class on Sept. 6th. Yes, there are other schools facing the same staffing cuts as Lowell.

How this shakes out going forward is anyone's guess. Mine, based on some experience in the city, is that there's liable to be additional cuts...both in staff AND budgets.