Fourth CPS School Votes To Break From Union, Approve Longer Day

A supermajority of teachers at Englewood's Benjamin E. Mays Elementary Academy voted Thursday to add 90 minutes of instructional time to their school day -- the fourth Chicago Public School to break from the city's teachers union and approve the longer day.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that teachers at May will receive a lump sum payment roughly equivalent to a 2 percent salary increase in exchange for approving the longer day, set to be instituted January 1. The school itself will also receive $75,000 in discretionary funding, part of the incentives being offered by Chicago Public Schools to any elementary schools who participate in the "longer school day" pilot program.

In a joint statement, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard and CPS Board President David Vitale described the vote as "another historic step forward in bringing the change we need to help our children get the world class education they deserve in every community."

"Our children continue to lag behind their peers across the nation despite the hard work of teachers," the statement read. "Teachers at Mays today are embracing a longer day as a means to help close these gaps and boost their students’ academic success in the classroom."

The school's principal, Patricia McCann-Nicholes, told the Chicago Tribune that her teachers were already working until 5 p.m. most days "[s]o the idea wasn't a big leap for us."

"For a long time now, many of us have felt we're not giving children enough time to do our very best to present a quality curriculum," McCann-Nicholes told the Tribune. "There’s not enough time in the day to get it done."

Around the same time the vote was taken at Mays, the City Council's education chair Latasha Thomas was urging the council to approve a resolution in support of the lengthened school day and asking for it to be instituted "as soon as possible," NBC Chicago reports. The Council unanimously approved the longer school day plan, although one, Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) said "teachers should get paid" in exchange for their longer work day.

The Chicago Teachers Union, however, has accused the mayor and CPS of bribing and coercing teachers into breaking with them and signing waivers agreeing to the longer school day while the exact content of the additional instructional time remains, largely, a mystery.

Union representatives further question how CPS will be able to find the funding (as much as $30 million) for the incentives promised to the schools OKing the longer day while, at the same time, the school board said money was not available to fund teachers' previously negotiated four percent raises. The union has filed a grievance claiming CPS violated their collective bargaining agreement with the union and may have also violated fair labor practices.

"We want to make sure that this year is what we use to plan for a better school day," CTU President Karen Lewis told NBC Chicago Tuesday. "Quality is infinitely more important [than quantity]."

Powerful Ald. Ed Burke had some harsh words for the union Thursday, and sounded very much in line with Mayor Emanuel.

“As someone who has been as strong as I could be in support of organized labor, … I’m starting to get embarrassed at the attitude of some leaders of organized labor,” Burke said, according to the Sun-Times. “The union is not trying to figure out a way to get this accomplished. They seem to be obstructing the end goal that so many people agree needs to happen.”

He went on to say that "everybody agrees" with Mayor Emanuel's longer school day plan.

Comments

[SangZe]

09:51 AM on 09/13/2011

Teachers are fools. The whole country knows there is little difference between teaching and babysitting, except babysitting commands greater respect.

[jamesnrhodes]

06:41 AM on 09/14/2011

With an attitude like that one wonders why teachers are being bashed by the left and the right in America. :/

[wayne the pain]

10:48 PM on 09/12/2011

Now ot os a race to the bottom for Chicago teachers. Usually people fight to make things better. This group of "dedicated Professionals" have agreed to take cuts and do it to themselves. Management now knows that and in the future there will be little if any improvements but the cuts and take backs have just begun. It is amazing how ignorant some people are,

[cdterm47]

04:52 PM on 09/09/2011

In 16-18 weeks, the armed services can teach you a job which you can actually qualifies you for employment in the civilian economy. Our present educational system K-12 prepares you at best to flip hamburgers at McDonalds and takes four years to attain such a substandard goal. See anything wrong here? The military is not unionized, The military has discipline. The military has standards. The military could do one herculean task to improve public education simply fire all the union teachers. .

[Eric Mann]

04:46 PM on 09/10/2011

The military has charges that want to be there, and know that if they do not perform they will be kicked out. Comparing the military to public schools is worse than apples and oranges. We're talking grapefruit and t-bone steaks here.

[cdterm47]

05:35 PM on 09/10/2011

Eric Mann

Regretfully, I cannot agree. The military has all the necessary prerequisites for excellent training--even BEFORE THE VOLUNTEER ARMY. I am not comparing apples and oranges. I am comparing TWO DELIVERY PLATFORMS FOR EDUCATION.. Public school which is hopeless and the military that operates effectively and efficiently in turning out qualified citizens.

[MelodyG]

04:12 PM on 09/11/2011

False analogy. The military teaches adults, not children. The developmental differences are huge. Adults have a lifetime of knowledge and experience upon which to base their new learning. When the military can teach the average six-year old from an impoverished neighborhood, a child who doesn't feel safe at home and doesn't know whether or not there will be any food in the house when they get home, how to read in 16-18 weeks, we'll talk.

"The military has standards."
So, we go back to an educational system where we deny children with disabilities access to education? What about ELL's? Should we deny them an education as well? Children with social and emotional problems shouldn't be allowed to learn? Teachers can and do have high standards and expectations for their students but they must teach every child in their class regardless of their outstanding needs and issues.

[cdterm47]

05:16 PM on 09/11/2011

MelodyG

Yes, the military has standards. Public school has not. The military given its experience with homecoming vets may very well be able to handle children with disabilities. HOWEVER, I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT GRADES K-8 which PUBLIC messes up quite well. I am talking about grades 10-12 where most people with potential give up on you. You teach to the lowest common denominator which bores everyone in the other 50% of the class. I am talking about the potential drug dealers who find you an IDIOT who could really benefit by a structured education that actually works with adults who can met out discipline. So stop with the tear parade about 6 year olds from the "impoverished" neighborhoods (once known as ghettos). FACT YOU CANNOT TEACH EVERY STUDENT more so today than any time in history. FREE THEM FOR ALTERNATIVES.

[jim1969]

01:16 PM on 09/09/2011

Given that CPS kids attend school roughly a week less per year and 45 minutes to an hours less per day than most schools in IL there is a certain logic in increasing the school day, but 90 minutes more is liable to be counter productive. CPS would be better off extending the year by a week or two and increasing the day by 30 minutes to an hour.

Even with the longer day there is only so much that is going to be accomplished as far as improvement in student performance. Unless and until the parents become fully vested in their child's education nothing short of keeping the kids at school 24/7 during the year is going to make a big difference.

The one thing that I am tired of though is all of the excuses made for CPS and other inner city schools. The one that truly irritates me is the poverty excuse. Children have learned how to read, write, do math, learn about science, etc for a long time before computers, movie projectors, etc were ever thought of or used in the classroom.

[navigio]

02:49 PM on 09/11/2011

I think it is wrong to assume that when people mention poverty as a factor in a child's education that they are trying to use it as an excuse. if you dont understand the input to your system, how do you expect to be able to design a system that addresses the needs of that input.
the fact is that children enter the education system (eg at kindergarten) having had wildly varying levels of mental stimulus. some already know how to read. others dont know what the alphabet is. some have heard tens of millions of words. others only a fraction of that. the kind of interaction (frequency and complexity) is often a function of education level (though not always) and education level is very strongly correlation with income level.
it takes a different kind of teaching for each of those kids and generally it simply costs more to educate those kids who are already far behind. unfortunately society is often not too willing to spend that extra money and this causes schools to have to make a choice. since our laws generally require education to be equal, the choice must be to raise the level of those who are behind. people who are not behind find that unfair to them and tend to leave the system and/or advocate for further reductions in spending, which of course exacerbates that problem.
poverty has very real implications for educational policy. its not just some simplistic excuse.

[jourdankr]

03:59 PM on 09/12/2011

well put.

[slayerwulfe]

12:55 PM on 09/09/2011

The quality of education is determined also on an individual basis as the desire to learn. There is a minor battle that takes place between those that want education and the disruptive influence that feels it's being pushed on them. I'm worried the malcontents may become more aggressive because it takes away their personal time. Stronger administrative control must surely also happen. Is there going to be a parent teacher conflict in this area.

[Chefs pasta]

12:49 PM on 09/09/2011

For every child who is a hard worker and wants to learn, there is another who just doesn't want to be there. For most city school systems, truancy is a huge problem. How many are just going to ditch if they have to stay longer?

[LoHaze]

11:43 AM on 09/09/2011

My son is a CPS student so I am very familiar with the Chicago system. The main issue is black and Hispanic students working way below grade level (CPS is only 9% white). All the suggestions in the past few years have not helped these students achieve: charters, vouchers, etc. Now they want to add 90 minutes to a school day that is already achieving very little. This is a pointless band-aid. This may sound pessimistic, but other than one on one tutoring I doubt if any solution will be found. The roots of the problem are complex: culture, extreme poverty, genetics, attitude, and more. Being skeptical I'm wondering if it's just 'babysitting' - keeping poor kids off the streets 90 minutes longer. Sadly, that's all this will be for the vast majority of students.

[tissa]

12:05 PM on 09/09/2011

Wow, that is prettyRacist.  I can't believe you just said that.

My daughter is a CPS student and it is an excellent school with most kids (of allRaces) doing well.

[slayerwulfe]

01:03 PM on 09/09/2011

In response to LoHaze but not as defense actually. I think we can all agree that home situations do influence education no matter the quality of the school. I believe tissa was referring to the number of homes that destroy there own children.

[slayerwulfe]

01:15 PM on 09/09/2011

, she was omitted sorry about that.

[jourdankr]

04:02 PM on 09/12/2011

The issue is NOT racial, it is often (though not always) socioeconomic. It just so happens that many families of low socioeconomic status are also minorities, but the same problems arise when one looks at white kids of low socioeconomic status.

[Bude]

11:43 AM on 09/09/2011

Breaking from their union?

In a few years, we'll have to listen to these folks bellyaching about their dwindling pay and poor working conditions.

Divide and conquer!

[gino618]

02:35 PM on 09/09/2011

Considering that Chicago schools, overall, don't have a great success rate - the better question is why should they be getting these raises mentioned in the story, especially in a poor economy when school districts and municipalities are either strapped for cash or heavily in the red?

[Dede Eagleburger]

10:26 AM on 09/09/2011

I don't teach in Chicago, I am in a rural area of a non-union state.
But I do find it interesting that they are adding school time - while just last week I read an article where a school system went to a 4 day school week.
So, there's no hard-and-fast rule that says 'more time is better' or 'less time is better'.
Our school day is 8:25-3. My least attentive class is my last one because they're getting tired and antsy and ready for the day to be over. I don't know how adding two more hours is going to improve that, at least, not at first...

[cmr86]

10:52 AM on 09/09/2011

I've read studies in which student attention to direct instruction and book work lasts all of about 10-15 minutes at a whack. Unless these teachers are using a lot of guided practice and social group work, I don't see this time as particularly well spent.

Additionally, as you said, by the end of the day kids are tired and ready to head out. Perhaps the answer is starting school an hour or two later? I know my kids would much prefer a 9:30-4:30 schedule.

[Dede Eagleburger]

11:12 AM on 09/09/2011

maybe, but then, I'd bet most of them would just stay up later the night before? And then you have the issues with working parents of who gets the kids on the bus or to school if it's later...

[corwin]

01:56 PM on 09/11/2011

Sorry to bring 'facts' here,but it was a longer day. You're not making yourself look good with posts like this

[Dede Eagleburger]

02:16 PM on 09/11/2011

I'm not? What do you mean? I know it was a longer day...

[Kent Brockman]

10:18 AM on 09/09/2011

There is a tremendous difference between "choosing" to stay a few hours longer each day and being contractually required to stay longer. I do most grading at home because with students in the building it is difficult for me to disengage from them and do the behind the necessary scenes work.

To accomplish this goal, the school should be required to add additional staff and have teachers working in a two shift system. This would of course make after school activities and committee meetings a thing of the past, but it is all about filling in the bubbles, right?

[grope and change]

10:04 AM on 09/09/2011

Aw poor union. Now your own employees are starting to see the light. You will soon loose control of our schools and maybe our children will have half a chance at a good education.

[Mudshark3625]

09:18 AM on 09/09/2011

All we ever hear about is how horrible our schools and teachers are, so what exactly are they extending? Oh yeah, they need more time to drill the students with test prep materials. Of course, the fact that some teachers and schools are accepting a one time bribe to shoot themselves in the foot, demonstrates a lack of critical and analytical thinking skills. In no other profession would you be asked to work longer hours without some type of compensation. The policymakers don't mind driving potentially good teachers away from the profession because they know teachers will eventually be replaced with test prep software. Hopefully, more teachers and schools will stand up for the good of the profession, public education, and the children than agree to permanent, deleterious changes by giving into bribes that will be inconsequential a year from now.

[KelaMa]

03:25 AM on 09/09/2011

I already work until 5 everyday just to handle all the paperwork of teaching--lesson planning, email responses/requests, curriculum mapping, data crunching, grading, entering grades, etc....so I just wonder when will these teachers get all that work done?

[simzillyjp]

07:00 AM on 09/09/2011

KelaMa......Who took the job you have? Don't complain.

[smartleftist]

07:42 AM on 09/09/2011

You have no idea what you are talking about so please stop commenting. Teachers are fleeing the profession due to these unrealistic and overwhelming job requirements. I am currently getting my Masters in Education and my professor told me that the field is going to be begging for teachers within the next few years due to this mass exodus. I was at work until 6 last night: planning, grading, looking at data, and making parent phone calls...all the while leaving my own three children at home wondering what was for dinner. Nobody in their right mind would want to do this for 30 years.

[Bruce Thompson]

09:54 AM on 09/09/2011

Your ignorance just comes shining through simz. Keep showing us your true color you tea fugger.

[KelaMa]

03:20 AM on 09/09/2011

We need more time in the day to "get it done" because schools are being asked to do the job of parenting plus the job of teaching. We spend SO much of our time trying to teach pro-social behavior, feed kids, follow up on their health needs, get clothing for them, find supplies for them, try to make them stop bullying one another, making futile phone calls home, etc....that the actual academic content is just a second thought.

[Mudshark3625]

09:19 AM on 09/09/2011

You have time for caring and teaching with all the test prep?

[Bruce Thompson]

09:57 AM on 09/09/2011

You're an 1d0l+

[cmr86]

10:18 AM on 09/09/2011

Funny how people always forget the hidden curricula.

[bitsy79]

12:32 AM on 09/09/2011

Educators should be in charge of the schools, NOT politicians and corporate hacks who practice graft and bribery.

[Bruce Thompson]

09:58 AM on 09/09/2011

Agreed. But the principal at my daughters school is amazing. Dr. Ali - Illinois School. One of the best in our area.

[bitsy79]

03:19 PM on 09/09/2011

Glad to hear it! I do consider principals as educators. They have degrees in ed. admin, (that is, pedagogical degrees). MBAs like Huberman or Arne Duncan, et al have no business running something that is NOT a business.