CTU’s threats won’t help balance the budget, keep teachers employed
Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis has made it clear that 75 percent of the union’s members are prepared to strike, and the likelihood of such an action is “very high,” according to media reports.
Lewis told a Chicago radio station that her members are upset over the district’s decision to rescind a 4 percent raise for teachers, and are willing to walk off the job for the first time since 1987.
“I think (the chance of a strike) is very high, because people are very upset and people feel disrespected,” Lewis was quoted as saying in the Chicago Tribune.
We wonder if Lewis, the tough-talking leader of one of the country’s largest teachers unions, has considered how local taxpayers feel as they are pressured to finance a raise for educators they simply cannot afford. We suspect they’re also upset, and feel disrespected by the CTU.
For decades, Chicago taxpayers have funded an increasingly expensive public education system that continues to produce a large number of students that are unprepared for college or the working world. For years, Chicago educators received substantial raises, more expensive benefits, and countless union perks while graduating about half of their students on time.
We wonder if Chicago parents are upset, and feel disrespected.
The reality is that city schools are facing a massive budget deficit brought on by sky-high labor costs, many of which have little or connection to student learning. CTU members enjoy a generous time off policy, release time to conduct union business, payments for unused sick days, retirement bonuses and other union perks detailed in their teachers contract.
Chicago students and families get a sub-par education in return.
Lewis’ comment that her members feel disrespected is preposterous, and Chicago families and taxpayers should be outraged. Her threat of a teachers strike only underlines the union’s disconnect with the city’s citizens.
Fortunately, state lawmakers have made it much more difficult for the CTU to strike. Recently adopted legislation requires several steps to be taken over four to six months to launch a strike. If the CTU is insistent enough to go through that process and walk out on the city’s students, they don’t deserve to be in the classroom and should be replaced with educators who are truly committed to their craft.
