Chicago Teachers Strike
A little over a year ago, when the teachers in Wisconsin went on strike against governor Scott Walker, it was a huge national story. Walker was the devil-incarnate! Workers rights were in jeopardy! The middle class was being killed!
Of course, he was a Republican.
Chicago, on the other hand, is run by Obama sidekick Rahm Emanuel. So, obviously, this is COMPLETELY different.
(Can’t wait to see how Ed Schultz covers this! Self-flagellation?)
This strike is absurd. Just as it was in Wisconsin. Of course, the Wisconsin governor not giving into union demands was considered “the scam of the century” according to Michael Moore. Funny; he hasn’t said a word yet about the Democratic mayor’s teacher strike. Hmmmm.
Principles shouldn’t be contingent on the people involved. (Just a rule of thumb!)
But let’s listen to the teachers gripes. Maybe they have some good points. From a union press release:
They attempted to ram a poorly thought out longer school day down our throats; and, on top of that they want us to teach a new curriculum and be ready to be evaluated based on how well our students do on a standardized test. It has been insult after insult after insult. Enough is enough.
Okay. Now let’s look at some basic facts.
The average teacher salary in the Chicago Public Schools was $74,839 last year. (source)
That’s not bad, considering they get 3 months paid vacation and only work a 5 hour and 45 minute school day (source) - which they are furious is being made longer.
So much for that argument they’re doing it “for the kids,” right?
From the teachers:
There is an attack on public institutions, many of which serve, low-income and working-class families.
An attack on low-income and working-class families is keeping their kids out of school all day in a city with a higher murder rate than Kabul. For all the talk about how “greedy” Wall Street is - it’s a nice change of pace to see the Average Joes out there demanding more money for cushy jobs that already pay more than most.
Isn’t it interesting how the liberal community - so hysterically out-spoken and supportive of teachers during Scott Walker’s merciless slaughter of labor unions - is so quiet now.
Maybe they’re - gasp - learning?
…probably not. And why would they? Most probably went to public school.
