CORE press conference at the Board of Ed 125 S. Clark
On Wednesday, the CORE played a key role at the Board of Education Hearing, citing staff cuts, high-stakes testing, and the “20 Day Rule” as being major impediments to education in the city of Chicago. The day began with a CORE press conference at the Board of Ed 125 S. Clark.
After the press conference, CORE members questioned the position cuts being made in the CPS during the public participation component of the Board meeting. Even though the CPS has maintained that teachers will not be affected by the recent lay-offs, CORE has been contacted by teachers at affected schools and brought this case to the Board of Education. CORE contends that these cuts will lead to chaos in classrooms across the city this September.
From The Chicago Sun Times:
Teachers Wednesday predicted classroom “chaos” in September if officials go through with about 100 teacher cuts at 12 Chicago public schools where lower enrollment is projected.
Karen Lewis, co-chair of the Caucus of Rank and File Educators, contended CPS was exaggerating some projections of enrollment declines. The resulting job cuts will lead to bulging classes, she said.
“They are absolutely lowballing their estimates,” Lewis said before Wednesday’s monthly School Board meeting. As a result, “Unfortunately, for many schools, the first day of school is a day of chaos.”
District officials and Marilyn Stewart, the president of the Chicago Teachers Union, have said that teachers are not included in the layoffs, but C.O.R.E. leaders say many of the cuts will unfairly hit district staff at schools without significant declines in enrollment.
The Chi-Town Daily News confirmed the cuts with Malon Edwards, CPS spokesperson:
Officials acknowledged the layoffs after members of the Caucus of Rank and File Educators, or C.O.R.E., pointed to staff reductions at several schools in the district. The organization held a press conference before the Board of Education’s monthly meeting yesterday….
Edwards did not immediately provide historical enrollment data, but he confirmed C.O.R.E.’s figures for the staff reductions:
- 17 positions at Clemente Community Academy High School
- 13 at Hope Institute Learning Academy
- 12 at Tilden Career Community Academy High School
- nine at Chicago Vocational Career Academy High School
- three at Dewey Elementary Academy of Fine Arts
C.O.R.E. members also alleged that the entire math and science departments at Harlan High School were cut.
Edwards said the 17 teachers in those departments were invited to reapply for their positions within a new engineering program at the school.
CORE members made a sizable contingent during the public participation part of the board meeting. Some of the CORE testimony can be found at Substance News.
“Uno Charter School Helped Destroy De La Cruz Elementary School” by Kristine Mayle
“We Can’t Let Our Children Become ‘Bubble Kids’ by Wade Tillet
“Board of Education Members Should Read ‘The Money Myth’” by Jackson Potter
The Board Meeting was documented in real-time on the CORE Twitter.
Tweets from CORE:
Kristine Mayle (CORE) De La Cruz ES closed due to UNO charters. Lift on charter cap will exacerbate problem. #CBOE
Mayle- uic and stanford studies show charters lacking in reading scores. “If we’re data driven, let’s look at data from both sides.” #CBOE
Jen Johnson(CORE)- we need to end the 20 day rule; causes chaos on school. Huberman-This is not a perfect world. We have a wrking grp. #CBOE
Jackson Potter (CORE)- we are the canaries in the coal mine w/ data driven education, tells cboe to read “The Money Myth” as hmwk. #CBOE
Karen Lewis (CORE) we need the staffing algorithm. Do we need to FOIA it? Scott-CORE can have seat at table discussing these issues. #CBOE
Wade Tillet (CORE) students held back due to low test scores; this leads to drop outs. Why doesn’t this policy apply to charters? #CBOE
Norine Gutekanst (CORE)- CBOE mtgs should be in the evening. test scores should be used diagnostically, not punitively. #CBOE
Jim Vail (CORE)-charter schools need accountabilty. Aspira gets more schools w/out results. #CBOE
