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IFT boss hits Rauner for CPS board comments

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Illinois

By Barton Lorimor Email | @bartonlorimor

* From a press release…

Today, Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) President Dan Montgomery released the following statement in response to recent comments made by Governor Bruce Rauner and ongoing contract talks in Chicago:

“Governor Rauner’s comments about empowering Illinois voters to choose an appointed school board would be laugh out loud funny if it wasn’t so pathetically out of touch.

“The Governor is suggesting that citizens want less say in their government. Less say. That hasn’t worked out very well in Chicago, the only place in our state where the school board is selected by the Mayor, not the voters. Like our largest affiliate the Chicago Teachers Union and a staggering 90% of voters in a majority of city wards, the IFT supports legislation for an elected, representative school board in Chicago.

“Governor Rauner’s talk of empowerment is a page out of his so-called “turnaround” playbook, a self-serving agenda that may sound nice but has been rejected by 95% of citizens whose city councils and county boards looked closer and found “right to work” to be oppressive for average families. Illinois communities didn’t want less voice then, and they don’t want Chicago-style school boards now.

“Real empowerment is protecting the rights of regular people to collectively bargain with workplace management, and allowing voters to reelect or remove those officials if they want a change of direction. That’s empowerment, and that’s democracy. Governor Rauner prefers neither.

“Instead, he prefers to withhold funding for vital services until the legislature meets his obsessive political demands. He prefers to lay off workers, lower wages, and restrict the rights of middle class families instead of negotiating in good faith. He prefers to cut support for our children and most vulnerable neighbors before asking the very wealthy to pay a dime more.

“Governor Rauner’s priorities are irresponsibly out of sync with the rest of Illinois and the real challenges we face. It’s time to listen to taxpayers —or at least former (Republican) Governor Edgar — and start representing our best interests.”

* The comments referenced…

“The power of the teachers union has been overwhelming. Chicago has given and given and given. It’s created a financial crisis that the Chicago schools face now,” Rauner told reporters outside his 16th floor office in the Thompson Center hours after CPS officials released a new spending plan that counts on $480 million in pension help from Rauner and the General Assembly that so far hasn’t gone anywhere.

“We believe the right answer is to empower: The people of Chicago, the voters of Chicago, the mayor of Chicago, the school board of the Chicago Public Schools should be enabled to decide what gets collectively bargained and what doesn’t so they don’t end up with the teachers union having dictatorial powers, in effect and causing the financial duress that Chicago public schools are facing right now.”

Rauner restated his belief that changes in collective bargaining should be statewide, and not just for Chicago, if there’s an attempt to alleviate CPS’ cash crunch for the coming school year.

At the same time, Rauner said he opposed proposals to create an elected school board in Chicago, something the CTU backs, citing Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s efforts to challenge the union. Chicago is the only school system in the state with an appointed board of education and Rauner said he believed voters in other school districts should have the option of choosing an appointed school board.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 12:45 pm

Comments

I’m sure the teachers unions would love to bankroll candidates for elective school boards, who then would ‘negotiate’ with the unions on wages, etc. Bad idea. And this kind of overheated rhetoric just turns me off.

Comment by Let'sMovetoNorthDakota Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 12:59 pm
The only reason the teachers unions want an elected school board is so they can finance the elections, and then the unions will control the school system entirely. Its interesting that the school unions have nothing to say about the appointed boards of the parks, city colleges, or CTA.

Comment by Not it Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 1:01 pm
Rauner’s comments were so remarkably contradictory as to be incoherent.

He has his troubles when he goes off script.

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 1:02 pm
So, Let’s Move and Not it, would you rather that CPS have a board comprised of corporate, pro-charter hacks that have made 10s of millions off of taxpayers? The $20 million SUPES academy scandal happened because there is no oversight. Mayor 1 percent has been running roughshod over the public schools while treating the $600-some million TIF funding as his own personal slush fund.

Comment by See the forest Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 1:09 pm
How well has the appointed school board done? There is something to be said for accountability. And that goes for Rauner, too.

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 1:20 pm
Rauner is only for “empowerment” when it is about taking away the rights of teachers and public employees and stripping the rights of voters to have a say about who sits on their local school boards. Does anyone else see a trend?

Comment by Obamas Puppy Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 1:23 pm
The only person Rauner wants to empower is himself at the expense of every citizen in this state except for his 1% friends.

Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 1:24 pm
Lets Move, yet another non-Chicago resident, taxpayer, parent, citizen who has a problem with representative democracy for certain people.

You wouldn’t put up with that stuff for yourself, would you?

Daley and Emamuel have done a real bang-up job on CPS finances with their dictatorial powers over the decades.

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 1:26 pm
Let’s Move/Not It: Please, just come right out and say the Raunerbot buzz words: “Corrupt Union Bosses.” There, I’ve saved you a whole bunch of typing.

Comment by Skeptic Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 1:40 pm
IFT “boss,” Barton? Get Trover out of your ear, man. hehe

Comment by Anonymiss Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 1:50 pm
Yeah, the CTU would probably help bankroll some candidates. So would the bankers. You don’t think they liked making $200 million from toxic swaps this year negotiated by the appointed board? The people making a lot of money privatizing CPS services have very deep pockets too. This appointed Board has been a total failure. Maybe giving the people a day will help. It couldn’t hurt.

Comment by Cathartt Representative Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 1:51 pm
And Rauner cares what these guys (IFT) say…why?

Comment by Wondering Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 1:59 pm
Why not just go all the way and call him “corrupt IFT union boss” in the headline?

Comment by olddog Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 2:11 pm
Rauner logic: Empowerment for you only when you do what I want otherwise you cannot be empowered because you’d be controlled by someone else.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 2:15 pm
If an elected union president fits the definition of a “boss” then Rauner should be called the “Boss of Illinois”.

Comment by Qui Tam Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 2:29 pm
The first two commenters do not seem to realize only one school district in Illinois does not elect its members. Is Rauner buying out-of-state commenters for the blog like he bought out-of-state phone bankers last year?

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 2:32 pm
Rauner, the man, gamed the CPS system to get his Denied, Winnetka-Living Daughter into CPS’ Payton Prep by using a Mayoral Appointee’s leverage in the system…

Now as Governor, we all expect Governor Rauner to support an elected board?

Why mess with the cronyism if Rauner can, and has, benefit?

The hypocrisy is rooted in access, plain and simple, with the leverage to get what the privledged are entitled to game from the process.

The rest is noise.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 2:35 pm
Remember when Jeff Goldblum said on Jurassic Park that “life will find a way”?

Well influence will always find a way. Its a matter of your confidence in the election system or the people that get elected that should determine how we are represented.

But make no mistakes…both are flawed. Deeply.

Comment by Abe the Babe Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 2:41 pm
Yet another teachers union president that will receive a TRS pension based entirely on his $200K+ union salary.

Real empowerment would be mean the IFT would provide pensions to their senior executives on their own dime instead of piggybacking off the taxpayer funded system. Or maybe the IFT could reimburse TRS the true cost of these spiked pensions. IFT is already empowered to do either, but does neither.

Monty might want want to forego the lecture circuit.

Comment by nixit71 Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 2:50 pm
It’s funny how democracy becomes a bad thing when there are worries a group you don’t like might have too much influence in elections. Surely the mayor and governor have deep enough pockets to back their candidates against any the union might put up. It then becomes a war of money, but at least there would be a choice of representatives then, and a degree of accountability.

Comment by Tournaround Agenda Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 2:55 pm
== so they can finance the elections, and then the unions will control the school system entirely==
The way they do in all the districts with elected boards. /s

Comment by Excessively Rabid Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 3:40 pm
As a Chicago resident, parent of two CPS graduates, a CPS graduate myself from Lakeview HS, and a former CPS teacher I support an elected school board for Chicago even though I don’t believe it is any kind of magic cure. But right now to be completely honest I would not want to be on that Board for anything.

CPS has grim tasks in front of it to survive. I also think whether the Board is elected at large or by geographical areas needs to be thought out carefully. The last thing this city needs is further polarization along racial and social economic lines.

Comment by Rod Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 3:46 pm
“It’s funny how democracy becomes a bad thing when there are worries a group you don’t like might have too much influence in elections.”

We can already see that the teacher’s unions have lost a lot power in elections, the right wing wave wants them to have zero power. Then it’s very hard to get that power back from the GOP. ALEC has the templates to make this a RED country. This is the endgame.

Comment by Dale Cooper Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 3:50 pm
Why stop with appointing School Boards? Why not appoint all government officials at every level? I think North Korea has clearly demonstrated that Elections and Voting are an idea whose time has come and gone. /s

Comment by Bluegrass Boy Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 3:52 pm
On the bright side, in his own unscripted, hysterical and incoherent way, Gov. Rauner is finally saying publicly that the solution to solving the fiscal problems in Chicago schools caused by Daley and Emanuel — he enabled both with millions in campaign contributions — is to strip all teachers of collective bargaining rights and voters of representative democracy, statewide.

How does that not make sense?

Go for it, governor.

What’s Goldberg’s count on GOP legislators willing to go along with you on these measures?

He can count, right?

Somebody in your crew can?

Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 3:59 pm
Blue Grass you are spot on ….also I would add Keep the Chicago style out of the rest of the State. You can have your sloppy hot dogs too ! If I want a salad I’ll order one.

Comment by the Cardinal Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 3:59 pm
When you back the other candidate in a democratic election, you typically don’t get do-overs.

Comment by Chicagonk Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 4:06 pm
==Why not just go all the way and call him “corrupt IFT union boss” in the headline? ==

I would like to remind everyone that “Union Bosses”, at least with the teachers’ unions aren’t really bosses in any sense. They don’t employ teachers, they don’t pay teachers, they can’t fire teachers they don’t like - in fact, teachers pay them to represent them, quite the opposite of this often used misnomer.

==You can have your sloppy hot dogs too ! If I want a salad I’ll order one. ==

Dem’s is fighting words!

Comment by iThink Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 4:16 pm
++- Norseman - Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 2:15 pm: Rauner logic: Empowerment for you only when you do what I want otherwise you cannot be empowered because you’d be controlled by someone else.++
Norseman, you hit that nail squarely on the head.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 4:19 pm
Oh man…those are some awesome burns by the IFT. He just let it fly eh?

Comment by Politix Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 5:40 pm
Nix, you and I are probably the only two people here who care about this, but the IFT is paying employee and employer normal cost for Montgomery and others in TRS. What more do you think they should be paying to get to “true cost?”

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 6:38 pm
We all understand that Chicago is “not” TRS, right? Further, the CTPF has historically been better funded than TRS.

Raunerbots commonly rage against the lack of outcry that teachers have expressed in the theft of their pensions.

Now Rauner wants to mute what little voice “unionized City teachers” now have. Got it.

Comment by Ipso Facto Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 7:20 pm
AA- the IFT leadership, and any others not serving as educators have no business being in TRS. I think that is the real gist of what Nixit is stating. I agree. This was a corrupt deal and, if I remember correctly, these little deals received bipartisan support but we’re mainly the product of democratic leadership dealing. I could be wrong.

Stepping into the present for a minute, those loopholes have been closed (after finally being exposed) and while those that were in will stay, no more can get in. Time to move along now and address the clear hypocrisy of the governor.

BVT- local control when I want it by my “non-corrupt” pals and state control when I want it by my “non-corrupt” pals (fade to end and que Dartmouth fight song)

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 7:28 pm
BVR not “BVT”

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 7:28 pm
==IFT is paying employee and employer normal cost for Montgomery and others in TRS.==

Thus, these folks are being 100% funded when no one else in TRS is. The system cannot afford to lose them.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 7:41 pm
BTW, some folks need to relax, the “boss” reference is obviously snark…

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 8:01 pm
Pot, lol!

JSM, let’s let nix answer my question himself, okay? The provision under which Montgomery is eligible to participate in TRS was signed by well-known Democrat Jim Thompson. You are thinking of a different law from 2006.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 8:11 pm
“The only reason the teachers unions want an elected school board is so they can finance the elections”

That’s right! Only plutocrats like Rauner & Griff should be allowed to finance elections! /snark

Comment by anon Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 9:31 pm
JS - I believe you are correct in that those loopholes have been closed moving forward, but only for new elected members in the union. The usual practice is the Sec/Treasurer or VP rise up in the ranks and become president. So those folks will still be eligible. And if history proves anything, these folks ain’t going anywhere. And why would they? They hit the mother lode. Only superintendents get better pension deals.

The taxpayers will be footing the bill for the these union employees for the next 30-40 years. A generation of unborn kids will be paying for Klickna’s pension. And IL still won’t have a balanced budget.

Comment by nixit71 Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 10:18 pm
The Chicago hot dog is a delectable food. Don’t mess with it.

Comment by Tone Wednesday, Aug 12, 15 @ 10:21 pm
The CTU would just buy any election with a $20.00 USC and given to Kennedy King graduates (please) to vote the union way. Really, only because most of the South side shooters are tutored by Members of the other class.

Comment by St. Ambrose Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 11:57 am
St. Ambrose, why don’t you pick a different handle?

By using Ambrose, you’re implying the bishop of Milan was illiterate, incoherent and racist.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 12:16 pm
When you disagree the words illerate, incoherent AND finally, racist comes into the arguement. Really original.

Comment by St. Ambrose Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 12:28 pm
Dude, re-read your own “arguement.”

Can you see it any other way?

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Aug 13, 15 @ 12:54 pm