Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:
Fred All Week Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
#selfiesforKaren
You know? From a certain angle, Phil Cantor and I could be related.
Theme for English B BY LANGSTON HUGHES The instructor said, Go home and write a page tonight. And let that page come out of you— Then, it will be true. I wonder if it’s that simple? I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem. I went to school there, then Durham, then here to this college on the hill above Harlem. I am the only colored student in my class. The steps from the hill lead
I recently received the following from retired teacher Chuck Swangren. I am writing because I feel that retired teachers currently enrolled in the TRAIL UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage PPO might benefit from some shared comments regarding their 2014 experiences. In three months, those enrolled need to make decisions about continuing in or dropping their TRAIL coverage, and I do not hear any “n
Keeping retirement weird. Michael Mulgrew and Eric Zorn.
A month after the AFT convention, Michael Mulgrew is getting a lot of attention these past few days. His threats to punch anyone in the face – and he was talking directly to Chicago Teacher Union members who opposed the leadership’s resolution in defense of Common Core – have given the union-bashers a poster boy for union thuggishness. Thanks Mike. Were Mulgrew just a tad more tough when dealing
YESTERDAY
Are the wealthy Democrats or Republicans? They’re just wealthy. Like Byron Trott.
Chicago’s Byron Trott back in 2009. I like the Chris Rock routine where he explains the difference between rich and wealthy. “Shaq is rich,” explains Rock. “The mother-f….. who writes his check is wealthy. Oprah is rich. Bill Gates is wealthy. If Bill Gates woke up tomorrow with Oprah’s money, he would jump out of the window and slit his throat on the way down.” Eden Martin is the lawyer for the
The fight for union democracy you won’t read about in the Post.
A month after, finally and suddenly the Mulgrew “punch you in the face” story has made the national news. The Daily News. The New York Post. The right-wing Daily Caller and Breibart. Why? Because Mulgrew’s bellicose threats to the rank-and-file fit right into their anti-union narratives of union bosses and union thugs. In fact, the performance by the New York UFT President, laughingly egged on by
AUG 07
Mulgrew’s Common Core threats break into the main stream press. The Daily News.
I first mentioned UFT President Michael Mulgrew’s punch you in the face speech last month at the time of the Common Core debate at the AFT convention in LA. NYC Educator has been writing and Tweeting about it for days. Norm Scott’s EdNotes posted the video today. Finally it has broken into the New York media with a story in the Daily News. Michael Mulgrew is hardcore about Common Core. The fiery
Hinsdale board filing police reports over Facebook *likes* is confirmed.
Claudia Manley, Hinsdale board member and wife of a Republican committeeman. She thought she was threatened by an internet glitch? Today’s Chicago Tribune confirms what was reported here yesterday; that a Hinsdale board filed a police report, claiming that teachers who *liked* the teacher Facebook page were threatening them with axes. A member of the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 boar
Hinsdale’s Richard Skoda. A documented history of education disruption.
Hi Fred, You could publish a related story on current board president Richard Skoda’s documented history of organizing his group to disrupt D86 board meetings and intimidate board members and others. This led to real violence on one occasion, as I am about to describe,. In fall 2012, when Skoda was a board member but not yet president, he sent a mass email calling on his followers to attend boar
The UFT’s Michael Mulgrew gets punchy. But only towards union members in the hall.
I know that there are not thousands of people who, during the AFT national convention in Los Angeles, sat in front of their computers watching the live link to the debate on Common Core. Raise your hands if you were one of us. That’s what I thought. I watched it, even though the outcome was never in doubt. I watched the profoundly professional presentations by Chicago teachers like Michelle Gunde
Guest drawing. Jackson Potter. For Dr. William Watkins.
Chicago Teachers Union staff coordinator sent this drawing today. Dr. Watkins died suddenly Tuesday night. A professor in the College of Education at the University of Illinois Chicago, Bill was a loved and highly regarded professor, mentor to many CTU members and fighters for Social Justice. He will be missed.
AUG 06
Things getting weirder in Hinsdale. Board files police report against teachers who *like* on Facebook.
D86 board president Richard Skoda. If you thought the Tea Party crazies on the Hinsdale board of education are off the rails, things just got weirder. The latest episode began when the teachers posted an article about the District 86 negotiations on their Facebook page. The article was from a local online news site called The Patch. As sometimes happens, a totally unrelated photograph from a tota
At the Hideout. A sinking ship and a teacher in charge.
The after-party outside the Hideout last night. The First Tuesday at a north side dive bar called The Hideout is becoming a Chicago phenomenon. Last night the place was so packed that folks unable to get in ended up sitting in the front patio holding a party of their own. Holding court in the back room where the bands I’m too old to even have heard of usually play were Mick Dumke and Ben Joravsk
Congresswoman Schakowsky. “How I failed to live on the minimum wage.” Jan will be speaking at our September 3rd. S.O.R.E. luncheon.
Jan Schakowsky from Illinois’ 9th CD speaking to our Skokie Organization of Retired Educators luncheon last year. On September 3rd Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky will be speaking to our September luncheon of S.O.R.E along with Illinois Representative Laura Fine. I expect an overflow crowd for Jan, so make your reservations early. I’ll post the flyer shortly. Congresswoman Schakowsky has been a voca
AUG 05
Video from last night’s Hinsdale board meeting. Skoda goes off the rails.
. In my earlier post today on Hinsdale District 86, I reported on the “axe incident.” This is video last evening’s board meeting. Tea Party activists had distributed emails warning that the teachers planned to bus in outside agitators to disrupt. What is telling in this video, besides Mr. Skoda’s over the top crankiness, is that he really believes the audience is laughing at the picture. He doesn
In Hinsdale, Tea Party takes an axe to their teachers.
Tea Party Hinsdale school board member Claudia Manley. Hey folks. Keep an eye on those local school board elections. Out in Chicago’s western suburbs the Tea Party extremists who were recently elected to the Hinsdale High School District 86 are in full battle mode over what should be normal contract bargaining. Instead it has been turned into a holy war on the teachers union. We’ve been following
AUG 04
Bruce Rauner says he will be Ronald Reagan who fired the air traffic controllers.
I was contacted by the Illinois Federation of Teachers today, asking me to help circulate this video of Bruce Rauner. In the video he threatens to solve the state’s debt by firing public employees. “We may have to go through rough times. We may have to do what Ronald Reagan did with the air traffic controllers. Sort of have to do a do-over and shut things down for a little while. That’s what we’re
George Schmidt. Terrence Carter is only the most dramatic example of the Chicago reform nonsense.
New Leaders’ John Schnur. - George Schmidt is a retired CPS teacher and publishes at Substance. Fred, Let’s draw one last connection here. I first (heard) Jonathan Schnur during a press conference hosted by Gery Chico and Paul Vallas at Chico’s law offices, back before Gery had bankrupted the firm in which he was then a partner. Chico used to hold these media events on the Monday before the Board
Michelle Gunderson. What could our city look like?
Photo: Fred Klonsky - Michelle Gunderson is a 27 year teaching veteran who teaches first grade in the Chicago Public Schools. She is a doctoral student at Loyola University in Curriculum and Instruction. This first appeared on Anthony Cody’s Living in Dialogue blog. What would our city look like if it were run by Chicago teachers alongside other labor and community groups? This was the thought th
“Dr.” Terrence P. Carter and Chicago’s New Leaders for New Schools.
If you have been following the sordid story of Terrence P. Carter and his attempt to doctor his resume than you probably don’t live in Chicago. The local media isn’t interested in the story. Carter got busted for claiming a doctorate from Stanford and other universities. It is a degree he didn’t earn. The Chicago connection is the story about how a guy, Jonathan Schnur, whose background is busines
Changing Chicago’s political landscape. Your homework assignment.
It wasn’t very hard for us to fill the Logan Square house with people to hear CTU President Karen Lewis speak. We could have doubled the invite list. We were only limited by the size of Mike and Susan’s living room. “This is not an announcement,” Karen said. That was said with what I detected was almost a wink. I’m not part of any inner-circles or kitchen cabinets. So I have no inside information
Ellen Gradman. Banning a Palestinian voice in Evanston, Illinois.
- Ellen Gradman is Chicago artist and arts and education activist. The link to the story.
AUG 03
Guest ten minute drawing. John Dillon.
While my drawing arm is recovering from a bout with severe tendonitis I have for friends, colleagues and readers to fill on my Ten Minute Drawings. - John Dillon is a retired teacher, pension activist and blogger.
Bagels with Karen.
Representative-elect Will Guzzardi from the 39th District introducesKaren Lewis. 95-year old Chicago activist and historian Timuel Black and Karen Lewis. The Chicago mayoral election is just 7 months away. “What do you think about having a thing with Karen Lewis,” Mike and Susan asked Anne and me. “Great idea!” The responses from friends and neighbors came pouring in. The Logan Square a
Guest ten minute drawing. Ken Previti.
While my sprained wrist on my drawing hand recovers from a severe bout of tendonitis, I have solicited guest drawings. - Ken Previti is a retired Illinois teacher living in Florida. He is a blogger, pension and education activist of the highest order.
AUG 02
Guest ten minute drawing. Anne Klonsky.
- Anne Klonsky is related to me by marriage. “I feel that I have been squeezing my nostrils to vote Democratic for so long that I’ve deviated my septum.” – Peter Kuttner
“Dr.” Terrence P. Carter and corporate school reform.
“Dr.” Terrence P. Carter meets with his attorney. Terrence P. Carter is on the hot seat in New London, Connecticut for falsifying his academic and professional resume. He was seconds away from being handed the job of New London school’s superintendent. I have been asking why his record in Chicago is being ignored. He was a school principal. He was an executive for the Academy for Urban School Lea
What would Dr. Ruth do?
My old friend Peter Kuttner writes: Fred, I feel that I’ve been squeezing my nostrils to vote Democratic for so long I’ve deviated my septum. What about the 3rd party candidates for IL Governor? Michael Oberline (Constitution Party), Chad Grimm (Libertarian) and Scott Summers (Green Party)? I know a 3rd Party vote looks like a vote for Rauner but put that aside and look at the positions of the ot
Keeping retirement weird. Illinois’ close November election.
My doctor assured me that the tendonitis in my left knee has nothing to do with my age. It can happen to anyone of any age. But then a couple of months later it has struck again. This time in my left wrist, requiring a splint that is more like a cast. I’m sixty-six years old and I have never had tendonitis before. Yet I am to believe it has nothing to do with my age. My brother Mike, who has bee
