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Wednesday, March 5, 2014

3-5-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:



Tim Furman’s Red Alert


Tim Furman. Good job on the charter commission bill, folks. And who are you calling “grizzled”?
- Tim Furman. Rogers Park Neighbors for Public Schools. Dang, we got a lot of hits today, thanks to the help of my grizzled blogger friend and over in Logan Square.* It looks like a bunch of people filled out witness slips. I was fixing computers all day, so I didn’t have a moment to listen to the testimony. Did you? I think it was on the General Assembly’s audio feed. In any event, things are


Has Illinois State Senator Ira Silverstein lost his mind?
If Illinois State Senator Ira Silverstein gets his way, the University of Illinois and other Illinois public universities could lose all their state funding if a professor attended a national conference of the American Studies Association. The ASA is the oldest and largest academic organization in the United States. It has more than 5,000 members. What did they do that so offended Senator Siverst
Ten minute drawing. Quiet. ISAT testing.


The Chicago Teachers Union did NOT endorse Kirk Dillard.
From the Chicago Teachers Union: CHICAGO—While the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) has endorsed Republican gubernatorial hopeful Sen. Kirk Dillard in the upcoming primary, the Chicago Teachers Union Local 1 (CTU) has not formerly endorsed any gubernatorial candidate.  The decision to endorse the Hinsdale legislator who once served as state chair of the anti-labor American Legislative Exchang
Tim Furman’s Red Alert. Hearing on bill to dissolve charter commission is today. Here’s what to do.
- Tim Furman, Rogers Park Neighbors for Public Schools I’m declaring a red alert.  Keep calm and call Springfield. HB3754, which is Linda Chapa LaVia’s bill to dissolve the ALEC-inspired state charter school commission, among other things, has a hearing tomorrow (Wednesday, March 5) at 8:30 AM in Springfield. I see the bill has picked up quite a few co-sponsors, which is good. It’s unfortunate, i
CORE: Huge victory for Saucedo teachers, parents and students yesterday.
Posted on CORE: HUGE VICTORY for Saucedo teachers, parents and students! Although CPS tried to intimidate us by sending 20 CPS security and network minions, we stood our ground. Boycotting teachers were able to teach engaging lessons, such as Gandhi and Rosa Parks’ acts of civil disobedience and non-violent protest. Students, who opted out, were not tormented with the anxiety of testing. Parents
3-4-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Pensions at the polls. The story of Travis and Guzzardi.     Jay Travis and Will Guzzardi. Back in May when the Illinois House voted for Senate Bill 1, many of us called on our union and political leadership to mount primary campaigns against those state representatives who voted to cut our constituti