Chicago teachers union chief faults ‘rich white people’ for city’s education mess

[RGinWA 816]

In my opinion its a lack of creativity, lack or planning and a lot of finger pointing.

All over the world they've found ways to educate cheaper and with better results. Our schools have the same fundamental structure going back to the 50's.

For one they could stop having summer vacation for 3 months a year and institute year round school.

Take 3 months off your job and see how efficient you'd be for the first 2 months.

The school system irritates me beyond belief.

Edited June 20, 2013 by RGinWA

[Darnell 8,479]

well, it's Chicago - and they certainly have a problem (and a collection of problems)

that make it a singularly unique enclave .

Flush all, start over, so says I.

I do mean all. Nothing has worked prior.

[Karee 4,191]

In my opinion its a lack of creativity, lack or planning and a lot of finger pointing.

All over the world they've found ways to educate cheaper and with better results. Our schools have the same fundamental structure going back to the 50's.

For one they could stop having summer vacation for 3 months a year and institute year round school.

Take 3 months off your job and see how efficient you'd be for the first 2 months.

The school system irritates me beyond belief.

I actually went to a school that was year round in the mid 70s. I think it was a test program in Canton, Michigan. They called it 45-15 meaning you went to school 45 days (9 weeks) and got 15 days off (3 weeks) year round. They assigned you a track. There were 4 tracks. I was in track B as were all the other kids that lived near me. That way you were out of school as the same time as your friends that lived near you. So, by doing this they could get 25% more students in the same school since there were always 25% of the kids on their 3 weeks off. I actually liked it. Track B got one of there 15 days off around Christmas, so I actually had month off for Christmas. The only down side is what are you supposed to do with a month off in the middle of winter in Michigan?

I'm not sure if they still do it. Here's an old article about it:

http://www.cantonpl.org/sites/default/files/observer/1975/04_Apr%201975/04-17-1975.pdf

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I just didn't understand whom she is referring to by rich... she herself makes over $200k a year.

Not herself, I am sure. I am guessing she is not living on the near west side.

[RGinWA 816]

I actually went to a school that was year round in the mid 70s. I think it was a test program in Canton, Michigan. They called it 45-15 meaning you went to school 45 days (9 weeks) and got 15 days off (3 weeks) year round. They assigned you a track. There were 4 tracks. I was in track B as were all the other kids that lived near me. That way you were out of school as the same time as your friends that lived near you. So, by doing this they could get 25% more students in the same school since there were always 25% of the kids on their 3 weeks off. I actually liked it. Track B got one of there 15 days off around Christmas, so I actually had month off for Christmas. The only down side is what are you supposed to do with a month off in the middle of winter in Michigan?

I'm not sure if they still do it. Here's an old article about it:

http://www.cantonpl.org/sites/default/files/observer/1975/04_Apr%201975/04-17-1975.pdf

Haha...In California they tried that at a school I went to in the 1970's as well.

Everyone liked the concept, the parents, the students and the community leaders...only one problem, the teachers didn't like it. lol

So at that school it was scrapped after one year.

I think the teachers liked the 3 month break?

[Karee 4,191]

Haha...In California they tried that at a school I went to in the 1970's as well.

Everyone liked the concept, the parents, the students and the community leaders...only one problem, the teachers didn't like it. lol

So at that school it was scrapped after one year.

I think the teachers liked the 3 month break?

Did they call it 45-15?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I actually went to a school that was year round in the mid 70s. I think it was a test program in Canton, Michigan. They called it 45-15 meaning you went to school 45 days (9 weeks) and got 15 days off (3 weeks) year round. They assigned you a track. There were 4 tracks. I was in track B as were all the other kids that lived near me. That way you were out of school as the same time as your friends that lived near you. So, by doing this they could get 25% more students in the same school since there were always 25% of the kids on their 3 weeks off. I actually liked it. Track B got one of there 15 days off around Christmas, so I actually had month off for Christmas. The only down side is what are you supposed to do with a month off in the middle of winter in Michigan?

I'm not sure if they still do it. Here's an old article about it:

http://www.cantonpl.org/sites/default/files/observer/1975/04_Apr%201975/04-17-1975.pdf

Schools in Texas were doing this in the late 80's, early 90s. Worked well.

You can always come to Vermont and go skiing in winter, drop some coin and go back to Michigan!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Haha...In California they tried that at a school I went to in the 1970's as well.

Everyone liked the concept, the parents, the students and the community leaders...only one problem, the teachers didn't like it. lol

So at that school it was scrapped after one year.

I think the teachers liked the 3 month break?

The teachers in TX hated it also and demanded raises because they were "working all year" however the vacation program also gave the teachers the same number of days off they had previously, just not all at once and not all in the summer.

I moved from there in the early 90s and I do not know if it lasted. Saved the taxpayers millions by not having to build new schools that were empty 1/3 of the time.

[Karee 4,191]

I personally liked it. It broke up the school year.

[RGinWA 816]

Did they call it 45-15?

It was so long ago I don't remember. But I do remember that I was on the B track.

It was the exact concept so it was probably a pilot program around the US.

From my own observation of my kids, it takes them at least a month to get use to being back in school and the first month they basically don't do all that much in class. Same thing can be said the last month in school, my kids tell me that they have tons of free time because all the grading is in already.

The entire system is a relic.

[Karee 4,191]

It was so long ago I don't remember. But I do remember that I was on the B track.

It was the exact concept so it was probably a pilot program around the US.

From my own observation of my kids, it takes them at least a month to get use to being back in school and the first month they basically don't do all that much in class. Same thing can be said the last month in school, my kids tell me that they have tons of free time because all the grading is in already.

The entire system is a relic.

Had to be 45-15 because I was on B track as well.

[X Factor 1,112]

Some ppl do not do their job and than just blame it on others.

Imagine if someone would had made a comment with race switched.. it would had been an uproar and media would had been all over it, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton etc. would had been on the streets.

Agreed. It's just the easy way out.

[RGinWA 816]

I would rather see them create a plan than continue discussing how bad it is and who's to blame.

Blaming "rich white people" is about as constructive as blaming the brown parents.

[Harsh_77 718]

In my opinion its a lack of creativity, lack or planning and a lot of finger pointing.

All over the world they've found ways to educate cheaper and with better results. Our schools have the same fundamental structure going back to the 50's.

For one they could stop having summer vacation for 3 months a year and institute year round school.

Take 3 months off your job and see how efficient you'd be for the first 2 months.

The school system irritates me beyond belief.

Teachers don't wanna give up their 3 months vaccation on top of the spring break and christmas.

They still continue to complain their salary us much less than someone working in corporate sector.

They dont want to be canned either even after bad performance, does not work that way in corporate sector.

On top of it their union leader make comments like this, I am telling you if similar comments were made by white guy Al and jackson would had been on streets with protestors.

[decocker 7,198]

Teachers don't wanna give up their 3 months vaccation on top of the spring break and christmas.

They still continue to complain their salary us much less than someone working in corporate sector.

They dont want to be canned either even after bad performance, does not work that way in corporate sector.

On top of it their union leader make comments like this, I am telling you if similar comments were made by white guy Al and jackson would had been on streets with protestors.

you really shouldn't make blanket statements regarding teachers that way. it's quite disgusting.