So now conservatives believe it is up to teachers to raise our children? The parents do not have a role in preparing their kids for college?
Interesting.
This has nothing to do with tensions. This is par for the course for Rep. Ives. This is what she does. And the bad thing is she doesn’t see a problem with any of it.
Her speech on the floor before the vote last night was incoherent. I felt embarrassed for her just listening to it,
I don’t know why this woman has so much hatred and malice in her heart but I hope she soon realizes that those who genuinely hate the people probably shouldn’t enter a career in public service.
I’d like to thank Rep. Ives for calling out another of the state’s/nation’s failing systems and a primary reason for that - the state monopoly of unionized public schools. Then let’s talk about the education system’s administrative costs - talk about extreme lard…
Demoralized - and given how Reps like Christian Mitchell and Chris Welch use social media I would say their actions are par for the course and not subject to “tensions”. Both sides do it.
The Right has been incredibly successful in how they’ve branded unions over the past few decades, from “Right to Work” to getting people to believe that “teachers” are anything separate from “the union.”
- A State Employee Guy - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:35 am:
Yep. Let’s blame teachers again — not nearly as courageous as those overpaid, part-time legislators who always vote on a party line. Let’s make Illinois great again by driving its credit rating into the dirt with the hopes of winning more seats for our party. Damn the public carnage to social services, higher ed, public ed, and infrastructure. Geesh.
=and given how Reps like Christian Mitchell and Chris Welch use social media I would say their actions are par for the course and not subject to “tensions”. Both sides do it.=
No one does Jeanne Ives the way Jeanne Ives does. It’s her brand.
If the teachers are that accountable so must the state.
Illinois public schools should adopt Wisconsin’s open enrollment program where parents can choose any public school in the state to educate their child.
Jeanne Ives- On behalf of Superintendent’s everywhere- we appreciate your ever increasing contribution to our coffers via your property taxes and school fees.
School fees which will be rising like you have never seen before (but not on those who qualify for free/reduced lunches). With your support for “massive” reductions in funding and compensation we are going to smile when we process your check.
Same goes for @Korn Fed- make sure you get all of the zeros on the left side to cover our “bloated” salaries. /s
Some states have a teacher shortage because of people like Rep. Ives. People don’t want to go into teaching in part because of right wing attacks on wages, benefits and job security.
Like most right-wing extremists, Ives is incapable of holding up a mirror to see the true coward. The services have been rendered, and the bills must be paid.
On another note, I have come to truly appreciate this forum in the last 24 hours. I had no idea just how much of a propaganda arm the Illinois policy institute is in its stifling of open and free speech. I made two comments on their coverage, neither of which were inflammatory, but they were both erased, and I was blocked from posting on their Facebook page. Apparently, my facts didn’t jibe with their narrative. Now, I see how some uninformed people would believe that Rauner is an ideal governor.
When politicians feel free to make gratuitous insults to specific citizens or groups of citizens, society is in real trouble. They make hating and dehumanizing their opponents acceptable, making compromises impossible.
So in one sentence she tells teachers they’re cowards then she tells them to quit being cowards and do her bidding and stand up to their unions. Well, at least she isn’t asking them to wear a suicide vest to the next meeting….
JS Mill… The problem with her comments are they are true and false depending by zip code… Are your teachers any less better than the ones at Stevenson and New Trier that make 3x as much? Or the Superintendents of those Districts making 5X as much for one school districts? With travel stipends to walk across a parking lot? It’s all public information. The issue is her message is so bombastic it’s silly. But real education reform is needed that won’t happen by our legislators until they have a serious cost shift on pension payouts. Why does a downstate home owner pay for the bloated retirement for the north shore? It’s sad in all levels..
It is interesting how kneejerk defensive teachers are. It’s as through criticizing them is sacrosanct.
Most professionals take criticism from the public and try to improve but teachers demand more money for less work.i guess if you got a deal use it because I myself just wrote a $6000 property tax check for the teachers unions.
Teachers indeed are profiles in cowardice about standing up to their unions, especially the young ones being ripped off in Tier 2 to pay for the Tier 1s.
They’re pay and benefits can be lamented during their 10wk summer break, or their 2-3 wk Christmas break.
Degrading the messenger does nothing to improve and overcome the failures that many public school inflict on innocent children who should be getting better educations.
Crawl around this webpage and let me know how to defend some of these state-wide numbers. These scores are not isolated, these are the aggregates.
Weak public education is a tragedy in many lives. To deny this, is to be part of the problem of failing these kids. Change your attitudes, folks, and grow a little.
Ah, yes, those horrid unionized teachers. Doing such a lousy job in education hellholes like Wheaton (where Ives is from), Naperville, Wilmette, and, of course the worst school in the state, Walter Payton College Prep, where the governor himself decided to condemn his daughter because he wanted her to get the worst education possible.
Like all ideologues, Ives just doesn’t seem capable of handling complex thought. So, she resorts to absolutes. All problems solved if there are no unions. Gee, come to think of it, I’ve heard that somewhere else.
Also, there is kind of an interesting dynamic. Say angry, belligerent things, people react negatively, and that justifies her being belligerent and angry. Get some help, Jeanne and break the cycle!
Seems Rep. Ives agrees with former DC school reformer Michelle Rhee that if parents don’t prepare / support their children and the result is bad test scores, it is still the teacher’s fault.
“Hey legislator, who bloviated on twitter after the tax hike vote, you are the problem that Illinois hasn’t had a budget for 3 years and is on the verge of junk bond status, blind support of caucus=chaos in Illinois…”
“Legislators - you are collectively the most uncourageous group around. Want to change Illinois? More freedom to govern? stand up to your caucus…”
She was using the house floor to call out perceived personal enemies, and there was no common theme to her speech. She was rambling, incoherent and blindly angry. Not the type of person I want making big decisions regarding our state’s future.
The lady from Wheaton must have missed this important childhood lesson: If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say it at all. Yesterday was indeed a long, but the social media rant about the teacher was completely unnecessary and I encourage Ms. Ives to walk a day in that teacher or any teacher’s shoes. To this day, I have great respect for my first grade teacher.
Have a blessed day,
LouLecture
- West Loop Chicago - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:21 am:
Interesting chart. Outside of Wyoming, it looks like all those passing states are blue states with strong Unions. And what is this, IL is still outperforming every other state in the Midwest despite the higher percentage of lower income residents and the lack of a budget under governor Crisis?
Without passing on the diplomacy of these tweets- can any of you diehards name a single step that the IEA/IFT folks have done to help resolve the State’s fiscal problems. Just curious
One day, I’d like Rep. Ives talk about what she does support. We tend to only hear about her popping off about what she opposes.
- lake county democrat - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:33 am:
A pox on both their houses. Teaching is a profession. When IL teacher unions made the bar to teaching in the classroom so low that the passing grade on the basic skills test is that of a high schooler (not even graduate) and they can fail it an unlimited number of times before squeaking by, that’s a statement of their professionalism. As for Ives, your approach has been repeatedly tested and it failed.
According to most comments here, it seems our public education system is in such great shape that there should be no criticism leveled at all.
It gets pretty old to cry “racism” (looking at you, wordslinger), when someone has the temerity to attack public education. Could be the real racism is to defend a system the serves poor and minority children so miserably. Attacking the messenger does not undermine the message.
Rich: I bet she takes her military pension. And that is as it should be; she earned it just like all the state workers and teachers who put in their time earned their pension
Interesting that she is a veteran; I had to look up her bio.
It’s very impressive that she graduated from West Point, 1987, with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. She has 5 kids.
I don’t know about the life skills of the commenters here, but it is not easy to accomplish what she has. I would bet that her parenting skills are topnotch and her kids are probably doing their math homework and will be productive and competent adults.
Can you say the same?
You might disagree with her style and politics, but many people agree with what she said.
The problem with Ives and Rauner is that they think they can pry government employees away from unions. While there are no doubt some who can be pried away, the AFSCME strike vote clearly showed that state workers believed in their union and in each other.
I mean, really, state employees are going to willingly undergo harsh cuts and loss of rights being pushed by a few billionaires, while Rauner more than triples his income? The employees saw the OODA loops (I’m Bruce your friend while simultaneously knifing you) as what we used to call them in the old days: BS.
THere is NO WAY, Jeanne Ives will become the Dupage County Board President. Too many moderate GOP’ers and a growing Democratic party in Dupage will not let it happen
Ives represents the old school version of DuPage County. I’ve lived here 32 years and things have changed quite a bit. It was all Republicans then, but I have a Democratic State Representative, State Senator and Congressman now. There’s quite a lot of people in DuPage that see Ives as a relic and not a rock star.
==name a single step that the IEA/IFT folks have done to help resolve the State’s fiscal problems==
They sued to get the full pension contribution made by the state. They lost and the state got to skip its payments. IFT tried to reform the state’s borrowing addiction, but the state “prevailed”.
Wow… I hope my kid can “mooch” an education from West Point.. Annonin’ visit one of the service academies. Every midshipman plays a D-1 sport while majoring in Engineering and whatever Major they decide to “Mooch”…. The message maybe caustic, but there is truth to some of it. She may be somethings, a “mooch” is not one… Happy July 4th and all…
cdog: sure teachers get some perks, all hard-won. Please remember that these same teachers are expected to do most if not all grading at home for free. And many pay for supplies out of their own pocket (because the local pols can’t/won’t raise property taxes to pay for school), and help in other ways.
= Are your teachers any less better than the ones at Stevenson and New Trier that make 3x as much? Or the Superintendents of those Districts making 5X as much for one school districts? =
“Teacher’s” are not a singular monolith. Just as students and parents are not.
For those that say she is partially correct or right and wrong, the fact is that she is simply ignorant.
Those supts and teachers you deride for their compensation face vastly higher housing costs than my downstate colleagues in education face. So, their higher compensation is reasonable for the most part.
There are always outliers in every business, some folks paid minimum wage are not earning their keep. To act like that is the sole province of public employees is stupid.
Especially from someone like Ives who gladly accepted a taxpayer financed education.
For those that believe public employees are entitled to nothing, the only people that are listening are people like them and they are not enough to do anything about it.
Reasonable people can differ on issues of policy.
Ives doesn’t understand anything but bullet points and proves it with her comments on students ready for the next level stuff.
Hmm.. O’Malley… I can site the states from their site as well that show the “choice” the academy chooses for Engineering if you like? Any one who “chooses” a different major, is a double major….
While the majority of midshipmen will choose their majors freely, the needs of the Naval Service take precedence. For the Naval Academy Class of 2013 and beyond, at least 65% of those graduates commissioned into the U.S. Navy must complete academic majors in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics disciplines. This institutional requirement applies as well to NROTC programs at other colleges. At the end of plebe year, midshipmen choose a major course of study with counsel from academic and military advisors.
Some of these areas offer additional specialization within the major. For example, the aerospace engineering major has tracks in aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering reflecting the Navy’s interest in atmospheric and space flight. Minors in French, German, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Arabic and Chinese are offered to those who complete four advanced courses in one of these languages while at the Academy.
Upon graduation, a Bachelor of Science degree is awarded regardless of major, by law, due to the technical content of the core curriculum. Those in the top 10 percent of their class graduate with distinction. Those who have completed special honors programs in one of the selected majors graduate with honors.
Incoherant? Keep her off the sauce. She must truly have been a problem student, either behavior issues or needed special help because she’s so bitter.
Sorry her school experience was so bad. But not everyone’s was. And many a doctor, lawyer, accountant, etc. credit the part that caring professionals played in bringing them to their productive, financially rewarding lives.
It’s really low of a person (particularly someone who has done well, or even OK, due to the efforts of their teachers) to trash those who gave to them.
@Echo, a bachelor of science is not an engineering degree, so you can get a BS in history but can’t sit for the PE exam. Therefore you are wrong. And where is your cite on D-1 athletes?
Don’t know where she attended school as a student, but if she’s talking about Wheaton, I had no idea they were such a terrible school system.
I thought they were highly regarded. Apparently not.
We have great schools in Wheaton staffed by dedicated teachers. I’ll bet we have both pro and anti-union teachers, but both are committed to our children.
We are so happy that Ms. Ives is in Springfield and not on City Council or School Board.
I can never understand the logical disconnect by some folks regarding teachers, specifically about pay and benefits. When asked about CEO pay, many arguments state that the compensation has to be high in order to attract the best candidates and leaders. When arguing whether or not the government should negotiate drug prices directly to lower costs, some will argue that such intervention when drive down costs and make companies less willing to provide services or to innovate. When the issue is single payer healthcare, I frequently hear that it would drive down salaries for physicians which would make it harder to get the best and brightest to perform such important work in the future. When it comes to teachers, however, it seems to be “pay em $5 and they still have to be awesome or we will cut it to $3″. I guess supply and demand works as a great principle for salaries accept for teaching, and then people should just want to teach for $25k/year and be grateful?
JS Mill… The “outliers” are always acceptable. That’s not the issue I was speaking of. I am saying those actual schools. Does over a $117 million dollar budget per year for a one school/ district like Stevenson count as an outlier? Because the North Shore is an “outlier” then.. But they get money for retirees from the not so outlying rest of the state with their generous salaries.. It’s a simple search to see the salaries.
I am pro teacher and education.. Just more pro common sense. JS MIll is 100% correct you can’t paint with a broad brush. I just think there has to be a better way to level the field somehow…
The events of emesis times 20 each year alone is enough to show a teacher some respect. But seriously, some of the finest people in my life have been several teachers and two school superintendents. My best friend,my greatest nearly life long supporter is a teacher. Not every teacher is a star but over time I’ve personally found only two legislator’s whose word’s that I’ve totally trusted.
=Does over a $117 million dollar budget per year for a one school/ district like Stevenson count as an outlier? Because the North Shore is an “outlier” then..=
I don’t know if that budget is appropriate, you may want to ask their elected school board about that. The meeting dates for the year are published on their website. My friends in that community do not hesitate to support the school, they are very happy. And it is one of the best schools in the nation- the research they do and share provides incredible benefits to schools in Illinois as they share and invite others to come in and learn. I would say that is a good value.
=But they get money for retirees from the not so outlying rest of the state with their generous salaries..=
Generous? It isn’t bestowed by the queen, they work for their compensation. What do you do? How much are you paid?
=It’s a simple search to see the salaries.= They have been available since the internet began. Not a revelation.
And because they are available to the public, what? You get to see them and complain?
Unes talked about this yesterday. There are builders and there are those that tear down. He forgot complainers,.
A very Trumpian move by Ives. Diverts attention from a lack of budget for 3 years to our failing schools. Categorizes all teachers into pro-union, who do not care about our students/education.
Why could she just tell the teacher that face-to-face? I love how adults need to vent on twitter and insult thousands of people.
JS… The reality is, I am more on your side of the conversation. It’s not “complaining” to point out the utter sham of the way schools are funded in cases of the North Shore. As for the “sharing” do a quick search of Solution Tree and all that has lined the pockets personally of all the “sharing” that has gone on… The amount of Full time employees released to do the high priced speaking for “sharing” or writing books based on their unique and untenable for other districts opportunities… On the tax payers dime. One can be for education and critical of it, when it’s appropriate. But some facts and counter opinions are easier to dismiss when they are labeled as “complaints”… I still always appreciate your insights. As someone who is on the “inside” you bring the much needed perspective. Keep up the good fight for your district and I hope one day, there is a better system for all of our students.
==Categorizes all teachers into pro-union, who do not care about our students/education==
To clarify that statement, often some of the most pro-union teachers are the most caring and dedicated teachers there are. The pro-union comes into play because if some people had their way, they’d have teachers with PhDs and 20 years experience making minimum wage and no benefits to keep the costs down. Just as the AMA and ADA and other professional groups (technically unions) advocate and protect their members, teachers have to advocate for their own profession. I do believe that when parents have children in school most would like the best and are willing to pay whatever it costs. Once their kids are out, they view those same cherished teachers as bums. Go figure?
Hey Anon- last time I looked Reg weaver was one of the largest pension beneficiaries if not the largest at TRS based on his employment at the NEA. Explain that to the taxpayers who are paying taxes to cover someone who was the Former Peesident of the National Teachers Union where he rang up the credits at TRS?
=As for the “sharing” do a quick search of Solution Tree and all that has lined the pockets personally of all the “sharing” that has gone on… The amount of Full time employees released to do the high priced speaking for “sharing” or writing books based on their unique and untenable for other districts opportunities=
I don’t know anything about the “solution tree” but we were able to send groups to Stevenson for a nominal amount and it covered lunch. We brought back a number of ideas that were able to implement at our small high school (less than 400). So my experience does not match what you describe, that makes me question whether or not your knowledge is first hand. because it was “tenable” for our district and cost us nearly nothing.
= But some facts and counter opinions are easier to dismiss when they are labeled as “complaints”…=
Your “facts” are in fact erroneous in my experience.
Until you take your concerns to their Board of Education- which I encourage you to do- they really are complaints. I wish more people would step up and take action. It could prove to be educational and you might actually accomplish something positive, maybe change a policy or practice.
Keeping up the good fight has cost me my job on one occasion. Challenging the status quo and assumptions- seeking change- is hard. Even then, I refuse to condemn the entire profession because of one experience. Most educators are good and hard working people that care about kids.
If you are in the private sector it seems the “market” determines compensation but if you are in public service it shouldn’t unless Bruce Rauner hires you? I call BS on that.
Back to Ives. If you want freedom to teach….change schools….Um, I think she is not informed
Teacher’s organizations,if you choose to call them unions, negotiate on labor issues. No union tells a teacher how/what they can teach.
It’s the state and all it’s mandates, along with the local school board, made up of community members (often parents) who tell administrators what/how teaching occurs.
Do people really think teachers are the authoritarian bosses who are running the show? Get informed. Teachers are the front line, hands on workers, implementing the directives of the state, school boards and administrators.
If teachers wish for more freedoms to teach, it’s the state and all it’s demands that they wish they could brush off.
I recently came off a year stint of unemployment. One of the things I did to help make ends meet was substitute teach. It’s easy to get certified. My 25 year old bachelors in Electronics from DeVry was enough to get me in.
Needless to say, subbing in a high poverty, high minority district was eye opening. As a parent with children in said district it was a very good lesson in what actually goes on.
As one of your constituents, I challenge you to get off your duff and substitute teach. Not just in tony white Wheaton either. Go into some of the high poverty areas that are in YOUR district and teach. Find out what it’s actually like. Find out what actually goes on. Talk to some of the teachers and find out how they feel about their profession.
Then go on twitter. You’d get a whole lot more respect and buy in from others for your ideas if you come from a place of knowledge, instead of another meaningless rant.
Like our illustrious President, your actions make you wide open for ridicule and disrespect.
Learn before you speak.
Nothing better than being lectured how important public servants are and how hard they work while they blog about that on the taxpayers dime. Really, if we want to start being “real” with the complaints. I always find it amazing how the amount of comments drop after work hours.
Just look at the IEA website urging the membership to contact legislators and urge rejection of the property tax freeze. Unions care about one thing- maximizing benefits for their members and damned those of us who have to suffer the consequences paying for those benefits.
And wealthy citizens like the governor and Ken Griffin don’t advocate for themselves by lobbying for tax breaks for themselves? Sue, you might want to just try to find middle ground at some point
@Echo- I am on vacation this week. Commenting on my own time, which is all of the time by the way the school district does not own me.
I was encouraging you to take action. It seems you would rather complain here rather than confront your school board with your concerns. Too bad, you may have some that are legit. But you will never know because it is apparently too much “work”.
@cdog- Ives education was courtesy of the American tax payer. Now she doesn’t want anyone else to get that. I guess free is ok for her but no one else.
In common parlance that is referred to as hypocritical. Not
Much to respect there.
AMA, Pharmaceutical companies don’t act in unison (like a union) to control legislation, lobby on their own behalf in favor of their employees, financial interest. Scary what some people apparently don’t realize/know or choose to not acknowledge.
–AMA, Pharmaceutical companies don’t act in unison (like a union) to control legislation, lobby on their own behalf in favor of their employees, financial interest.–
- frisbee - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:20 am:
Apparently she doesnt know the words to Another brick in the wall
- Lynn S. - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:23 am:
Um, wow!?!?
I wonder how far past her bedtime it was when these tweets were written.
- Gooner - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:23 am:
So now conservatives believe it is up to teachers to raise our children? The parents do not have a role in preparing their kids for college?
Interesting.
- Demoralized - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:23 am:
This has nothing to do with tensions. This is par for the course for Rep. Ives. This is what she does. And the bad thing is she doesn’t see a problem with any of it.
- DuPage Dave - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:25 am:
Ives proves once again that she has nothing to offer.
- Franklin Delano Bluth - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:27 am:
Her speech on the floor before the vote last night was incoherent. I felt embarrassed for her just listening to it,
I don’t know why this woman has so much hatred and malice in her heart but I hope she soon realizes that those who genuinely hate the people probably shouldn’t enter a career in public service.
- Anon E Moose - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:27 am:
If only teachers had term limits…
- Impasse Casualty - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:28 am:
She should be embarrassed by these Tweets.
- LizPhairTax - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:31 am:
Hey! Teacher! Leave them Reps alone!
- P. - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:32 am:
Jeanne “I hate my park district” Ives. That speech showed her true character and it was not pretty.
- Korn Fed - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:32 am:
I’d like to thank Rep. Ives for calling out another of the state’s/nation’s failing systems and a primary reason for that - the state monopoly of unionized public schools. Then let’s talk about the education system’s administrative costs - talk about extreme lard…
- Happily Retired - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:32 am:
Can’t believe Trump picked Betsy DeVose over her….birds of a feather.
- Curl of the Burl - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:33 am:
Demoralized - and given how Reps like Christian Mitchell and Chris Welch use social media I would say their actions are par for the course and not subject to “tensions”. Both sides do it.
- hisgirlfriday - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:33 am:
Here’s hoping Ives is at least less of a hypocrite than Rauner in her ideological hatred of teacher unions.
- LeonDespres - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:34 am:
The Right has been incredibly successful in how they’ve branded unions over the past few decades, from “Right to Work” to getting people to believe that “teachers” are anything separate from “the union.”
- A State Employee Guy - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:35 am:
Well… she’s not ENTIRELY wrong.
- wordslinger - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:36 am:
Sounds like Rep. Ives is fixing to pull out the old faded Confederate uniform and go on the march.
Enemies among us, everywhere. They could be right next door…
- Diogenes in DuPage - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:37 am:
Yep. Let’s blame teachers again — not nearly as courageous as those overpaid, part-time legislators who always vote on a party line. Let’s make Illinois great again by driving its credit rating into the dirt with the hopes of winning more seats for our party. Damn the public carnage to social services, higher ed, public ed, and infrastructure. Geesh.
- Three-Finger Brown - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:37 am:
During this whole fiasco, the true character of each legislator has been on full display. Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.
- cdog - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:39 am:
Ives speech, yesterday on the floor, was not incoherent.
Her dramatic illustrations of who she should write a check too, for the additional taxes due, made a very sound point.
Illinois has a lot of work to do and her voice against taxpayer giveaways, etc., is needed.
- Demoralized - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:40 am:
Is her voice bad-mouthing teachers also needed too?
- GA Watcher - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:41 am:
An embarrassment to the Long Gray Line.
- Pundent - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:41 am:
=and given how Reps like Christian Mitchell and Chris Welch use social media I would say their actions are par for the course and not subject to “tensions”. Both sides do it.=
No one does Jeanne Ives the way Jeanne Ives does. It’s her brand.
- Chicago 20 - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:42 am:
If the teachers are that accountable so must the state.
Illinois public schools should adopt Wisconsin’s open enrollment program where parents can choose any public school in the state to educate their child.
- Stones - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:42 am:
I nominate LizPhairTax for comment of the year!
- Laissez Faire - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:43 am:
And yet today, we still have almost all the same problems we did yesterday. http://foxillinois.com/news/local/80-of-state-teacher-pension-payments-going-towards-unfunded-liability
#pensionsareapromise even if the pension system started in 1939
- JS Mill - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:44 am:
Jeanne Ives- On behalf of Superintendent’s everywhere- we appreciate your ever increasing contribution to our coffers via your property taxes and school fees.
School fees which will be rising like you have never seen before (but not on those who qualify for free/reduced lunches). With your support for “massive” reductions in funding and compensation we are going to smile when we process your check.
Same goes for @Korn Fed- make sure you get all of the zeros on the left side to cover our “bloated” salaries. /s
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:46 am:
Some states have a teacher shortage because of people like Rep. Ives. People don’t want to go into teaching in part because of right wing attacks on wages, benefits and job security.
- Travel Guy - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:47 am:
Like most right-wing extremists, Ives is incapable of holding up a mirror to see the true coward. The services have been rendered, and the bills must be paid.
On another note, I have come to truly appreciate this forum in the last 24 hours. I had no idea just how much of a propaganda arm the Illinois policy institute is in its stifling of open and free speech. I made two comments on their coverage, neither of which were inflammatory, but they were both erased, and I was blocked from posting on their Facebook page. Apparently, my facts didn’t jibe with their narrative. Now, I see how some uninformed people would believe that Rauner is an ideal governor.
- Simple Simon - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:48 am:
When politicians feel free to make gratuitous insults to specific citizens or groups of citizens, society is in real trouble. They make hating and dehumanizing their opponents acceptable, making compromises impossible.
- Laissez Faire - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:49 am:
Who were the legislators booing others yesterday?
- Mouthy - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:50 am:
So in one sentence she tells teachers they’re cowards then she tells them to quit being cowards and do her bidding and stand up to their unions. Well, at least she isn’t asking them to wear a suicide vest to the next meeting….
- Echo The Bunnyman - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:52 am:
JS Mill… The problem with her comments are they are true and false depending by zip code… Are your teachers any less better than the ones at Stevenson and New Trier that make 3x as much? Or the Superintendents of those Districts making 5X as much for one school districts? With travel stipends to walk across a parking lot? It’s all public information. The issue is her message is so bombastic it’s silly. But real education reform is needed that won’t happen by our legislators until they have a serious cost shift on pension payouts. Why does a downstate home owner pay for the bloated retirement for the north shore? It’s sad in all levels..
- Dome Gnome - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:52 am:
Ives has excellent teachers among her constituents. She is not treading very carefully.
- Atsuishin - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:52 am:
It is interesting how kneejerk defensive teachers are. It’s as through criticizing them is sacrosanct.
Most professionals take criticism from the public and try to improve but teachers demand more money for less work.i guess if you got a deal use it because I myself just wrote a $6000 property tax check for the teachers unions.
- Driveby - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:53 am:
Teachers indeed are profiles in cowardice about standing up to their unions, especially the young ones being ripped off in Tier 2 to pay for the Tier 1s.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:56 am:
Ms. Ives is arguably the most “un-self aware” in both Chambers.
Seems also Ms. Ives has little respect for educators, unless they see those standing up for their rights as educators.
There is a lacking there by Ms. Ives
- NobodysAccountable - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:56 am:
Says the rep who has a better pension than any teacher. She must not have any teachers who vote in her district.
- Demoralized - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:58 am:
I’m unclear how you even have time to earn income atsiushin as much complaining as you do. It seems that takes up a good portion of your time.
Most of the teachers in my area aren’t making big bucks. $50K or $60K. That’s pretty paltry in my opinion for what we expect of them.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 9:58 am:
NobodysAccountable, I don’t think she took the pension. Legislators can opt out.
- cdog - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:00 am:
Teachers should humbly admit they can do better.
They’re pay and benefits can be lamented during their 10wk summer break, or their 2-3 wk Christmas break.
Degrading the messenger does nothing to improve and overcome the failures that many public school inflict on innocent children who should be getting better educations.
Crawl around this webpage and let me know how to defend some of these state-wide numbers. These scores are not isolated, these are the aggregates.
https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/State.aspx?source=trends&Stateid=IL
Weak public education is a tragedy in many lives. To deny this, is to be part of the problem of failing these kids. Change your attitudes, folks, and grow a little.
- ILGOV2018 - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:02 am:
Maybe with those tweets, Ives is trying to make Illinois Great Again, like POTUS does with his tweets.
- Moe Berg - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:02 am:
Ah, yes, those horrid unionized teachers. Doing such a lousy job in education hellholes like Wheaton (where Ives is from), Naperville, Wilmette, and, of course the worst school in the state, Walter Payton College Prep, where the governor himself decided to condemn his daughter because he wanted her to get the worst education possible.
Like all ideologues, Ives just doesn’t seem capable of handling complex thought. So, she resorts to absolutes. All problems solved if there are no unions. Gee, come to think of it, I’ve heard that somewhere else.
Also, there is kind of an interesting dynamic. Say angry, belligerent things, people react negatively, and that justifies her being belligerent and angry. Get some help, Jeanne and break the cycle!
- Smitty Irving - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:05 am:
Seems Rep. Ives agrees with former DC school reformer Michelle Rhee that if parents don’t prepare / support their children and the result is bad test scores, it is still the teacher’s fault.
- DuPage - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:05 am:
Jeanne Ives is always like that. If she did not attack like a pit bull with rabies, I would think she was sick that day.
- ZC - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:09 am:
We are again I believe debating the words of the least influential legislator in Springfield, or has someone passed her to claim that crown?
- VanillaMan - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:09 am:
Ives is living proof that teachers can fail to teach, isn’t she?
Those who can’t - teach.
Those who can’t teach - legislate against teachers.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:12 am:
“Hey legislator, who bloviated on twitter after the tax hike vote, you are the problem that Illinois hasn’t had a budget for 3 years and is on the verge of junk bond status, blind support of caucus=chaos in Illinois…”
“Legislators - you are collectively the most uncourageous group around. Want to change Illinois? More freedom to govern? stand up to your caucus…”
There, Fixed It!
- Markus - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:12 am:
Sorry, @ 10:12 was me.
- forwhatitsworth - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:13 am:
Aren’t I a lucky one to have Ives for my Rep. Too bad she feels that way about the Wheaton schools because I thought they were pretty good.
- Franklin Delano Bluth - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:15 am:
@ Cdog
She was using the house floor to call out perceived personal enemies, and there was no common theme to her speech. She was rambling, incoherent and blindly angry. Not the type of person I want making big decisions regarding our state’s future.
- LouLecture - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:19 am:
The lady from Wheaton must have missed this important childhood lesson: If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say it at all. Yesterday was indeed a long, but the social media rant about the teacher was completely unnecessary and I encourage Ms. Ives to walk a day in that teacher or any teacher’s shoes. To this day, I have great respect for my first grade teacher.
Have a blessed day,
LouLecture
- West Loop Chicago - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:21 am:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/qc/2017/2017-state-education-grades-map.html
Interesting chart. Outside of Wyoming, it looks like all those passing states are blue states with strong Unions. And what is this, IL is still outperforming every other state in the Midwest despite the higher percentage of lower income residents and the lack of a budget under governor Crisis?
- cardsfan - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:22 am:
A quick glance at Rep Ives committee assignments: Approp-Elementary & Secondary Educ; Community College Access & Afford.; Elem Sec Ed:
Scary!
- Comma Chameleon - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:23 am:
I’m pretty sure State Rep Genius didn’t need that first comma.
- cardsfan - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:27 am:
Markus @ 10:12 nailed it.
- TinyDancer(FKASue) - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:28 am:
It’s those lazy, greedy teachers - always wanting stuff like washroom breaks and classroom libraries.
I’d like to see video of Rep. Ives teaching in a hard-to-staff overcrowded classroom of high poverty students for ONE full day.
- @misterjayem - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:29 am:
Hey representative, who retreated to Twitter to respond to the citizens who stopped you after your vote, you are a coward.
– MrJM
- Sue - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:32 am:
Without passing on the diplomacy of these tweets- can any of you diehards name a single step that the IEA/IFT folks have done to help resolve the State’s fiscal problems. Just curious
- Commonsense in Illinois - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:33 am:
One day, I’d like Rep. Ives talk about what she does support. We tend to only hear about her popping off about what she opposes.
- lake county democrat - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:33 am:
A pox on both their houses. Teaching is a profession. When IL teacher unions made the bar to teaching in the classroom so low that the passing grade on the basic skills test is that of a high schooler (not even graduate) and they can fail it an unlimited number of times before squeaking by, that’s a statement of their professionalism. As for Ives, your approach has been repeatedly tested and it failed.
- phocion - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:35 am:
According to most comments here, it seems our public education system is in such great shape that there should be no criticism leveled at all.
It gets pretty old to cry “racism” (looking at you, wordslinger), when someone has the temerity to attack public education. Could be the real racism is to defend a system the serves poor and minority children so miserably. Attacking the messenger does not undermine the message.
- Will Caskey - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:37 am:
Counterpoint: Ives shows a problem with universities allowing obviously witless students to graduate with degrees
- Gooner - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:38 am:
Phocion,
There is a difference between legitimate criticism of our education system and claiming that teachers are “the” problem.
At best, her statement was rash over overemotional. At worst, it displays a complete lack of understanding of public education.
- Demoralized - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:42 am:
==when someone has the temerity to attack public education==
She attached teachers, including this specific teacher directly. And you got it right - she attacked. She didn’t criticize. She attacked.
It disturbs me that some of you don’t see a problem with that.
- Demoralized - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:42 am:
“attacked” not attached
- Demoralized - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:44 am:
==name a single step that the IEA/IFT folks have done to help resolve the State’s fiscal problems==
What exactly would you like them to do? Are we shoving solving the problem off on them now?
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:55 am:
Rich: I bet she takes her military pension. And that is as it should be; she earned it just like all the state workers and teachers who put in their time earned their pension
- ILGOV2018 - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 10:55 am:
Is it the job of the IEA/IFT to solve the state’s fiscal problem?
- DuPage Don - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 11:11 am:
Jeanne Ives is a rock star in DuPage County and possibly the next president of the DuPage County Board!
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 11:14 am:
How soon until we hear Confederate Jeanne say massive resistance is the answer?
- cdog - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 11:16 am:
Interesting that she is a veteran; I had to look up her bio.
It’s very impressive that she graduated from West Point, 1987, with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. She has 5 kids.
I don’t know about the life skills of the commenters here, but it is not easy to accomplish what she has. I would bet that her parenting skills are topnotch and her kids are probably doing their math homework and will be productive and competent adults.
Can you say the same?
You might disagree with her style and politics, but many people agree with what she said.
- Right Field - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 11:20 am:
With tweets like that, she’s presidential material.
- Rabid - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 11:25 am:
If school don’t open, there will be no paycheck for the teachers union
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 11:30 am:
The problem with Ives and Rauner is that they think they can pry government employees away from unions. While there are no doubt some who can be pried away, the AFSCME strike vote clearly showed that state workers believed in their union and in each other.
I mean, really, state employees are going to willingly undergo harsh cuts and loss of rights being pushed by a few billionaires, while Rauner more than triples his income? The employees saw the OODA loops (I’m Bruce your friend while simultaneously knifing you) as what we used to call them in the old days: BS.
- ILGOV2018 - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 11:38 am:
THere is NO WAY, Jeanne Ives will become the Dupage County Board President. Too many moderate GOP’ers and a growing Democratic party in Dupage will not let it happen
- DuPage Dave - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 11:40 am:
Ives represents the old school version of DuPage County. I’ve lived here 32 years and things have changed quite a bit. It was all Republicans then, but I have a Democratic State Representative, State Senator and Congressman now. There’s quite a lot of people in DuPage that see Ives as a relic and not a rock star.
- Annonin' - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 11:43 am:
Apparently little of the free college she mooched ws not retained. Sad.
- DuPage Don - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 11:44 am:
Until today, haven’t posted here in awhile. Sorry to see it’s still an echo chamber for like minded statists!
- James Knell - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 11:57 am:
Perhaps she might be a little bit fanatical?
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:03 pm:
==name a single step that the IEA/IFT folks have done to help resolve the State’s fiscal problems==
They sued to get the full pension contribution made by the state. They lost and the state got to skip its payments. IFT tried to reform the state’s borrowing addiction, but the state “prevailed”.
- Echo The Bunnyman - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:19 pm:
Wow… I hope my kid can “mooch” an education from West Point.. Annonin’ visit one of the service academies. Every midshipman plays a D-1 sport while majoring in Engineering and whatever Major they decide to “Mooch”…. The message maybe caustic, but there is truth to some of it. She may be somethings, a “mooch” is not one… Happy July 4th and all…
- Ed Higher - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:23 pm:
cdog: sure teachers get some perks, all hard-won. Please remember that these same teachers are expected to do most if not all grading at home for free. And many pay for supplies out of their own pocket (because the local pols can’t/won’t raise property taxes to pay for school), and help in other ways.
- Illinois O'Malley - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:29 pm:
@Echo, review your facts, not every midshipman plays D-1 nor do they all get an engineering degree.
- JS Mill - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:35 pm:
= Are your teachers any less better than the ones at Stevenson and New Trier that make 3x as much? Or the Superintendents of those Districts making 5X as much for one school districts? =
“Teacher’s” are not a singular monolith. Just as students and parents are not.
For those that say she is partially correct or right and wrong, the fact is that she is simply ignorant.
Those supts and teachers you deride for their compensation face vastly higher housing costs than my downstate colleagues in education face. So, their higher compensation is reasonable for the most part.
There are always outliers in every business, some folks paid minimum wage are not earning their keep. To act like that is the sole province of public employees is stupid.
Especially from someone like Ives who gladly accepted a taxpayer financed education.
For those that believe public employees are entitled to nothing, the only people that are listening are people like them and they are not enough to do anything about it.
Reasonable people can differ on issues of policy.
Ives doesn’t understand anything but bullet points and proves it with her comments on students ready for the next level stuff.
- Echo The Bunnyman - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:36 pm:
Hmm.. O’Malley… I can site the states from their site as well that show the “choice” the academy chooses for Engineering if you like? Any one who “chooses” a different major, is a double major….
While the majority of midshipmen will choose their majors freely, the needs of the Naval Service take precedence. For the Naval Academy Class of 2013 and beyond, at least 65% of those graduates commissioned into the U.S. Navy must complete academic majors in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics disciplines. This institutional requirement applies as well to NROTC programs at other colleges. At the end of plebe year, midshipmen choose a major course of study with counsel from academic and military advisors.
Some of these areas offer additional specialization within the major. For example, the aerospace engineering major has tracks in aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering reflecting the Navy’s interest in atmospheric and space flight. Minors in French, German, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Arabic and Chinese are offered to those who complete four advanced courses in one of these languages while at the Academy.
Upon graduation, a Bachelor of Science degree is awarded regardless of major, by law, due to the technical content of the core curriculum. Those in the top 10 percent of their class graduate with distinction. Those who have completed special honors programs in one of the selected majors graduate with honors.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:40 pm:
Incoherant? Keep her off the sauce. She must truly have been a problem student, either behavior issues or needed special help because she’s so bitter.
Sorry her school experience was so bad. But not everyone’s was. And many a doctor, lawyer, accountant, etc. credit the part that caring professionals played in bringing them to their productive, financially rewarding lives.
It’s really low of a person (particularly someone who has done well, or even OK, due to the efforts of their teachers) to trash those who gave to them.
She is a troubled person.
- Illinois O'Malley - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:42 pm:
@Echo, a bachelor of science is not an engineering degree, so you can get a BS in history but can’t sit for the PE exam. Therefore you are wrong. And where is your cite on D-1 athletes?
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:42 pm:
Don’t know where she attended school as a student, but if she’s talking about Wheaton, I had no idea they were such a terrible school system.
I thought they were highly regarded. Apparently not.
- Illinois O'Malley - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:45 pm:
And Jeanne, thanks for all your courage governing and finding a way to bring all stakeholders together to solve our budget woes. /s
- Curl of the Burl - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:49 pm:
There goes Annonin’ again with his/her inane thought that attending one of the service academies is “mooching”.
- Sububanon - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:51 pm:
We have great schools in Wheaton staffed by dedicated teachers. I’ll bet we have both pro and anti-union teachers, but both are committed to our children.
We are so happy that Ms. Ives is in Springfield and not on City Council or School Board.
- Benniefly2 - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 12:55 pm:
I can never understand the logical disconnect by some folks regarding teachers, specifically about pay and benefits. When asked about CEO pay, many arguments state that the compensation has to be high in order to attract the best candidates and leaders. When arguing whether or not the government should negotiate drug prices directly to lower costs, some will argue that such intervention when drive down costs and make companies less willing to provide services or to innovate. When the issue is single payer healthcare, I frequently hear that it would drive down salaries for physicians which would make it harder to get the best and brightest to perform such important work in the future. When it comes to teachers, however, it seems to be “pay em $5 and they still have to be awesome or we will cut it to $3″. I guess supply and demand works as a great principle for salaries accept for teaching, and then people should just want to teach for $25k/year and be grateful?
- Diogenes in DuPage - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 1:05 pm:
JS Mill 12:35 — Nailed it. Thank you.
- Echo The Bunnyman - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 1:09 pm:
JS Mill… The “outliers” are always acceptable. That’s not the issue I was speaking of. I am saying those actual schools. Does over a $117 million dollar budget per year for a one school/ district like Stevenson count as an outlier? Because the North Shore is an “outlier” then.. But they get money for retirees from the not so outlying rest of the state with their generous salaries.. It’s a simple search to see the salaries.
- Echo The Bunnyman - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 1:16 pm:
I am pro teacher and education.. Just more pro common sense. JS MIll is 100% correct you can’t paint with a broad brush. I just think there has to be a better way to level the field somehow…
- cc - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 1:30 pm:
The events of emesis times 20 each year alone is enough to show a teacher some respect. But seriously, some of the finest people in my life have been several teachers and two school superintendents. My best friend,my greatest nearly life long supporter is a teacher. Not every teacher is a star but over time I’ve personally found only two legislator’s whose word’s that I’ve totally trusted.
- Morty - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 1:30 pm:
Rep Jeanne Ives is a homunculus, a tiny right-wing minion who spouts off talking points without coherence or relevance.
She’s unbelievable even as a caricature
- JS Mill - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 2:07 pm:
=Does over a $117 million dollar budget per year for a one school/ district like Stevenson count as an outlier? Because the North Shore is an “outlier” then..=
I don’t know if that budget is appropriate, you may want to ask their elected school board about that. The meeting dates for the year are published on their website. My friends in that community do not hesitate to support the school, they are very happy. And it is one of the best schools in the nation- the research they do and share provides incredible benefits to schools in Illinois as they share and invite others to come in and learn. I would say that is a good value.
=But they get money for retirees from the not so outlying rest of the state with their generous salaries..=
Generous? It isn’t bestowed by the queen, they work for their compensation. What do you do? How much are you paid?
=It’s a simple search to see the salaries.= They have been available since the internet began. Not a revelation.
And because they are available to the public, what? You get to see them and complain?
Unes talked about this yesterday. There are builders and there are those that tear down. He forgot complainers,.
- Teacher from Quad Cities - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 2:34 pm:
A very Trumpian move by Ives. Diverts attention from a lack of budget for 3 years to our failing schools. Categorizes all teachers into pro-union, who do not care about our students/education.
Why could she just tell the teacher that face-to-face? I love how adults need to vent on twitter and insult thousands of people.
- Echo The Bunnyman - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 2:43 pm:
JS… The reality is, I am more on your side of the conversation. It’s not “complaining” to point out the utter sham of the way schools are funded in cases of the North Shore. As for the “sharing” do a quick search of Solution Tree and all that has lined the pockets personally of all the “sharing” that has gone on… The amount of Full time employees released to do the high priced speaking for “sharing” or writing books based on their unique and untenable for other districts opportunities… On the tax payers dime. One can be for education and critical of it, when it’s appropriate. But some facts and counter opinions are easier to dismiss when they are labeled as “complaints”… I still always appreciate your insights. As someone who is on the “inside” you bring the much needed perspective. Keep up the good fight for your district and I hope one day, there is a better system for all of our students.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 3:01 pm:
==Categorizes all teachers into pro-union, who do not care about our students/education==
To clarify that statement, often some of the most pro-union teachers are the most caring and dedicated teachers there are. The pro-union comes into play because if some people had their way, they’d have teachers with PhDs and 20 years experience making minimum wage and no benefits to keep the costs down. Just as the AMA and ADA and other professional groups (technically unions) advocate and protect their members, teachers have to advocate for their own profession. I do believe that when parents have children in school most would like the best and are willing to pay whatever it costs. Once their kids are out, they view those same cherished teachers as bums. Go figure?
- Sue - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 3:15 pm:
Hey Anon- last time I looked Reg weaver was one of the largest pension beneficiaries if not the largest at TRS based on his employment at the NEA. Explain that to the taxpayers who are paying taxes to cover someone who was the Former Peesident of the National Teachers Union where he rang up the credits at TRS?
- JS Mill - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 3:27 pm:
=As for the “sharing” do a quick search of Solution Tree and all that has lined the pockets personally of all the “sharing” that has gone on… The amount of Full time employees released to do the high priced speaking for “sharing” or writing books based on their unique and untenable for other districts opportunities=
I don’t know anything about the “solution tree” but we were able to send groups to Stevenson for a nominal amount and it covered lunch. We brought back a number of ideas that were able to implement at our small high school (less than 400). So my experience does not match what you describe, that makes me question whether or not your knowledge is first hand. because it was “tenable” for our district and cost us nearly nothing.
= But some facts and counter opinions are easier to dismiss when they are labeled as “complaints”…=
Your “facts” are in fact erroneous in my experience.
Until you take your concerns to their Board of Education- which I encourage you to do- they really are complaints. I wish more people would step up and take action. It could prove to be educational and you might actually accomplish something positive, maybe change a policy or practice.
Keeping up the good fight has cost me my job on one occasion. Challenging the status quo and assumptions- seeking change- is hard. Even then, I refuse to condemn the entire profession because of one experience. Most educators are good and hard working people that care about kids.
If you are in the private sector it seems the “market” determines compensation but if you are in public service it shouldn’t unless Bruce Rauner hires you? I call BS on that.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 4:04 pm:
Back to Ives. If you want freedom to teach….change schools….Um, I think she is not informed
Teacher’s organizations,if you choose to call them unions, negotiate on labor issues. No union tells a teacher how/what they can teach.
It’s the state and all it’s mandates, along with the local school board, made up of community members (often parents) who tell administrators what/how teaching occurs.
Do people really think teachers are the authoritarian bosses who are running the show? Get informed. Teachers are the front line, hands on workers, implementing the directives of the state, school boards and administrators.
If teachers wish for more freedoms to teach, it’s the state and all it’s demands that they wish they could brush off.
- Flyer - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 4:08 pm:
I wonder if she would give any credit to her teachers who helped her become ” college reads?”
- Flyer - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 4:09 pm:
College ready
- Mama - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 4:22 pm:
Rep. Ives, I would love to see you spend one year teaching at any public school. I would be willing to bet you would not last one month.
- Mid state moderate - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 4:32 pm:
Has Penny Pullen had a kid?
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 4:33 pm:
Um, I’d give her a few days. She’d run, screaming.
- City Zen - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 5:19 pm:
====name a single step that the IEA/IFT folks have done to help resolve the State’s fiscal problems==
Well, their top paid employees still qualify for TRS pensions, which allows them to outsource their most costly retirement benefits on taxpayers.
Wait, do you say “resolve” or “contribute”?
- train111 - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 6:48 pm:
Ms Ives
I recently came off a year stint of unemployment. One of the things I did to help make ends meet was substitute teach. It’s easy to get certified. My 25 year old bachelors in Electronics from DeVry was enough to get me in.
Needless to say, subbing in a high poverty, high minority district was eye opening. As a parent with children in said district it was a very good lesson in what actually goes on.
As one of your constituents, I challenge you to get off your duff and substitute teach. Not just in tony white Wheaton either. Go into some of the high poverty areas that are in YOUR district and teach. Find out what it’s actually like. Find out what actually goes on. Talk to some of the teachers and find out how they feel about their profession.
Then go on twitter. You’d get a whole lot more respect and buy in from others for your ideas if you come from a place of knowledge, instead of another meaningless rant.
Like our illustrious President, your actions make you wide open for ridicule and disrespect.
Learn before you speak.
train111
- Echo The Bunnyman - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 6:59 pm:
Nothing better than being lectured how important public servants are and how hard they work while they blog about that on the taxpayers dime. Really, if we want to start being “real” with the complaints. I always find it amazing how the amount of comments drop after work hours.
- Sue - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 7:42 pm:
Just look at the IEA website urging the membership to contact legislators and urge rejection of the property tax freeze. Unions care about one thing- maximizing benefits for their members and damned those of us who have to suffer the consequences paying for those benefits.
- Redraider - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 7:59 pm:
And wealthy citizens like the governor and Ken Griffin don’t advocate for themselves by lobbying for tax breaks for themselves? Sue, you might want to just try to find middle ground at some point
- JS Mill - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 8:14 pm:
@Echo- I am on vacation this week. Commenting on my own time, which is all of the time by the way the school district does not own me.
I was encouraging you to take action. It seems you would rather complain here rather than confront your school board with your concerns. Too bad, you may have some that are legit. But you will never know because it is apparently too much “work”.
- JS Mill - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 8:16 pm:
@cdog- Ives education was courtesy of the American tax payer. Now she doesn’t want anyone else to get that. I guess free is ok for her but no one else.
In common parlance that is referred to as hypocritical. Not
Much to respect there.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 8:24 pm:
AMA, Pharmaceutical companies don’t act in unison (like a union) to control legislation, lobby on their own behalf in favor of their employees, financial interest. Scary what some people apparently don’t realize/know or choose to not acknowledge.
- wordslinger - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 8:33 pm:
–It gets pretty old to cry “racism” (looking at you, wordslinger), when someone has the temerity to attack public education.–
Phocion, just saw this.
Really? Could you be specific as to who I called racist? I think direct quotes are in order to back up that statement, don’t you?
I must have done it often for it have gotten so old for you.
Let’s see them all, please.
- wordslinger - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 8:38 pm:
And Phocion, below is a link of direct quotes from Rep. Ives about pulling out the old faded Confederate uniform.
Now, don’t you dilly-dally about posting the quotes where I called someone racist. You really should be prepared to back that up in a hurry.
And when you can’t, what do you intend to do about it?
https://capitolfax.com/2013/05/28/scott-ives/
- wordslinger - Monday, Jul 3, 17 @ 8:39 pm:
–AMA, Pharmaceutical companies don’t act in unison (like a union) to control legislation, lobby on their own behalf in favor of their employees, financial interest.–
Now who’s being naive, Kay?